Brandon Chan is a Ph.D. student at the University of California, Los Angeles studying the impacts of climate change on phytoplankton physiology and ecology. Prior to his work at UCLA, he graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in marine and freshwater sciences and a degree in journalism. During his undergraduate … Continued
Leonard Pace is an experienced marine biologist who manages Schmidt Ocean Institute’s annual collaboration proposals and related community coordination and outreach activities. He also manages special projects and liaising with the scientific community. Leonard’s work prior to joining the Schmidt Ocean Institute concentrated on supporting federal granting and environmental conservation. He worked with the National … Continued
Holly Lauridsen joined science communication team at Schmidt Ocean Institute after a decade of biomedical engineering research; Holly completed her undergraduate degree at Brown University and her doctorate at Yale University. Although Holly comes from an engineering background, she has always been fascinated by marine biology. As a native Oregonian, Holly often explored tide pools … Continued
Tom joined Schmidt Ocean Institute in July of 2015. He brings 23 years of experience in the cruise ship industry. Most of that was with Lindblad Expeditions, where he worked onboard in the deck department for several years, before transitioning in 2001 to their operations office in Seattle as a purchasing and logistics specialist. He … Continued
Emily Keyes joined Schmidt Ocean Institute in 2024, bringing nearly a decade of experience in procurement within the cruise ship industry. She is responsible for overseeing the procurement of critical supplies, equipment, and services necessary to support R/V Falkor (too) expeditions. Emily holds a Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies & Maritime Affairs from California … Continued
Rebecca Schandl has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Prior to working at Schmidt Ocean Institute, she was the senior buyer supporting a fleet of tuna purse seiners in the Western and Eastern Pacific. Rebecca has a wealth of experience handling procurement and logistics for vessels including vendor management and warehouse support.
James Cooper is a ROV pilot from Brighton UK. He has worked within the offshore marine science sector since 2002, before joining the crew of the R/V Falkor as a marine technician. He has an Electronic engineering degree from the university of Portsmouth, England.
Jason Williams brings to his role as Engineering Senior Manager two decades of experience in subsea robotics and deep ocean science. As a professional engineer, his career has been defined by his leadership in developing and operating cutting-edge robotic platforms for scientific exploration in the deep ocean. Jason has been with Schmidt Ocean Institute since … Continued
Patrick Vikstrӧm is the Port Captain for R/V Falkor (too).
