Person: Yanwu Zhang

Yanwu Zhang is a Senior Research Specialist at Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, working on designing targeted sampling algorithms for autonomous underwater and surface vehicles, and applying them in scientific experiments. He received his Ph.D. degree in Oceanographic Engineering from the MIT/WHOI Joint Program in 2000. He was a finalist for the MIT Technology Review … Continued

Person: Elisha Wood-Charlson

Elisha Wood-Charlson is the Data/Research Communications Program Manager for SCOPE. Elisha has a PhD in Marine Science and has spent many years looking at the little things (microbes and viruses) that make marine ecosystems tick. Alongside research and teaching, Elisha enjoys have science communication be one of her priorities, ranging from increasing science literacy in … Continued

Person: Brent Roman

Brent Roman writes software for communications and control systems embedded inside of robotic instruments. For the past few years, he has been focusing on the second generation Environmental Sample Processor. Brent’s professional interests lie in open source computer operating systems, networking and servo design and implementation.

Person: John Ryan

John Ryan’s research focuses on interactions between marine life forms and the environments they inhabit. This research spans microscopic plankton to the largest mammals and fish. Through science-engineering collaborations, John also contributes to augmenting capabilities of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) so that these mobile robots can recognize and respond to unpredictable encounters with dynamic features … Continued

Person: Anna Romano

Anna is a Research Associate at the University of Hawai‘i, Mānoa, working in the laboratory of Dr. Edward DeLong. She joined the team to spearhead developing high throughput workflows using robotics to prepare marine microbial and marine sediment trap samples for genetic sequencing. In addition to her laboratory role, she joined the UH/MBARI LRAUV collaboration … Continued

Person: Hans Ramm

Hans Ramm is a Marine Research Engineer for SCOPE. His primary responsibility is the maintenance and operation of the group’s autonomous ocean vehicles. Previously, he developed atmospheric and oceanographic research instrumentation and supported research efforts while working at NOAA, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Lockheed Martin, and Science Applications International Corporation. … Continued

Person: Chris Preston

Chris Preston is a research specialist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.  Chris’s background is in marine microbiology and she works with engineers help develop in situ instrumentation geared towards supporting ‘omic studies and real time analyses of marine microbes.  While at sea, Chris will be helping the University of Hawaii, run MBARI’s latest … Continued

Person: Tom O’Reilly

Tom O’Reilly is a software engineer at MBARI. His interests include software and applications for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and autonomous surface vehicles, including navigation and tracking, adaptive sampling, and development of small low-power cytometers and microscopes for use by microbial oceanographers. He is also interested in standard protocols for marine sensor interfaces and networks, … Continued

Person: Brian Kieft

Brian Kieft has been an embedded software engineer at MBARI, in Monterey Bay, California, since 2006. He has worked on various platforms, including mooring controllers, benthic instruments, ASVs, and several AUVs and their associated payloads. Brian currently works on development of the Tethys AUV—a long-range, upper-water-column AUV designed primarily for biological sensing. Apart from development, … Continued

Person: Brett Hobson

Brett Hobson is dedicated to developing reliable equipment and technologies that allow scientists 24/7 access to all parts of the ocean.  In particular, he is focused on the development of long-endurance mobile vehicles and robotics to support long term time-series ocean observation.  He is the senior ocean engineer and lead developer for MBARI’s Long Range … Continued