Ocean Observers Network, Learn at TechSurge Workshop - Marine

24 Pages·2010·2.47 MB·English

news from the Marine technology society
JULY/AUGUST 2 0 10
VOLUME 33, NO. 4
What’s neW
Board Approves
honoring
seaLab Divers New Student
Page 9
Sections
T
ed Committee’s wo new student sections
have been formed at the Uni-
Workshop Winner
versity of Houston and the
Page 11
University of North Carolina-
Charlotte, bringing to 13
the number of MTS student
ROV Committee
sections. The MTS Board of
awards scholarships
Directors approved the peti-
Page 21 tions during its regular board
meeting at the Offshore Tech-
nology Conference in May.
Don’t Dr. Richard Spinrad (right) gave the first lecture at the Washington, D.C., Section’s Ten students signed the
Forget Inaugural Admiral James D. Watkins Honorary Lecture named for retired petition from the University of
Adm. Watkins (left) who also spoke. See the story on page 5. Houston. Raresh Pascali, P.E.,
to Vote is one of two new counselors.
Ocean Observers Network, He is an instructional associate
professor in the Engineering
Learn at TechSurge Workshop Technology department.
In thIs Issue: Joining him is Chuck Richards
MTS Conference News 2 [EDITOR’S NOTE: Zdenka Willis, ocean observing. Dr. Kurt of C.A. Richards & Asso-
Society News 3 director of NOAA’s Integrated Schwehr, from the University ciates who is chair of both the
Members & Others in the News 6 Ocean Observing System program, of New Hampshire, discussed Houston Section Scholarships
Section News 9 contributed to this article.] unmanned NASA exploratory and the ROV Professional Com-
Professional Committees 11 platforms like the Mars Rover, mittee Scholarships programs.
T
Business News 15 he Deepwater Horizon oil and Dr. Peter Fox, from Woods See New Sections on page 23
Science and Technology News 19 spill and observable climate Hole Oceanographic Insti-
Education News 21 change set the context and tution, drew considerable
Three Board
Resources News 22 established a sense of urgency interest with his discussion on
Legislative News 22 among participants at the MTS ocean informatics. Positions
Ocean Community Calendar 23 TechSurge Workshop, “Ocean Representatives from the
Up for Election
Observing: Thinking Outside Naval Oceanographic Office
the Basin,” held in June in described their 3D Gulf of
Six MTS members are
Marine technology society, Inc. Norfolk, Va. Mexico modeling capabilities,
vying to fill three seats on
5565 Sterrett Place, Suite 108 A highlight of the workshop the products of which are shared
the MTS Board of Directors.
Columbia, MD 21044
was the speakers who came with the NOAA scientific support
410-884-5330 Complete details of this
from outside the ocean com- coordinator in the National
410-884-9060 Fax important election begin
munity to share their expertise
www.mtsociety.org on page 12.
in areas that might benefit See TechSurge on page 4
OCEANS’10 MTS/IEEE Seattle
Currents, published bimonthly,
is a membership benefit of the Innerspace: A Global Responsibility
Marine Technology Society, the
September 20–23 Seattle, Wash.
leading multidisciplinary society for
www.oceans10mtsieeeseattle.org
marine professionals.
Individual membership is $75. With nearly 500 paper, poster and tutorial submissions,
Life membership is a one-time
OCEANS’10 MTS/IEEE Seattle will be the place to be this
$1,000.
September. The only annual international conference to
To join MTS, visit the website gather industry, academia and government policy makers OCEANS’10 MTS/IEEE Seattle Conference Co-chair
at www.mtsociety.org or e-mail in one place with a singular focus on ocean science and Ted Brockett (left) and Chair Bob Spindel have
[email protected]. technology, OCEANS’10 delivers extra value to participants. been working hard to create a successful
conference with local topics focused on
Send information for Currents to Presentations running the gamut from acoustics to
Operational Ocean Observing Systems, Renewable
[email protected]. zooplankton (and everything in between) will be held Energy, Coastal Hazards and Technologies for
throughout the conference. Seattle’s central location in Ecological Studies of Aquatic Organisms.
the deadline to get items in the next
the Pacific Northwest has attracted speakers developing
issue of Currents is august 16.
new technologies and methods for marine life ecological
Send address changes to
studies appropriate for both resource management and population protection.
[email protected]
But OCEANS’10 is about more than new science and technology. Product and service vendors will
be available in a centrally located 200-both Exhibits Hall. Both MTS and IEEE/OES will host society
luncheons, allowing participants to reconnect with distant colleagues and meet new collaborators.
OFFICERS
Networking opportunities will reach fever-pitch at the gala reception to be held at Seattle’s Museum
President
Elizabeth Corbin of Flight. Where else can you chat with an instrument manufacturer, a navy representative and a
[email protected] meteorologist while exploring President Kennedy’s Air Force One?
Last year’s OCEANS conference included an education component for local teachers (see the story in
President-elect
Professional Committee News) and the Marine Education Committee plans to take their success to Seattle.
Jerry Boatman
[email protected]
Dynamic Positioning Conference
Immediate Past President
Bruce C. Gilman, P.E. October 12–13 Houston, Texas www.dynamic-positioning.com
[email protected]
The advance program is available at www.dynamic-positioning.com/program.html. Early registration
VP – section affairs
closes September 13. Go to www.dynamic-positioning/registration.cfm. Early registration rates are
Kevin Hardy
$450 for MTS members ($525 for non members, which includes a one-year membership to MTS).
[email protected]
If you will require accommodation during the conference, please also make your hotel reservations,
VP – education and Research as space at the hotel is limited and fills up fast.
Jill Zande
[email protected]
Techno-Ocean 2010: A New Era of the Ocean
VP – Industry and technology
October 14–16 Kobe, Japan www.techno-ocean2010.com
Jerry C. Wilson
[email protected] This biennial conference is an important networking opportunity for those interested in connecting
VP – Publications with Asian companies and learning about the latest technologies. Two special topics at this year’s
Karin Lynn conference will be “Marine Education and Education for Sustainable Development” and “Towards
[email protected] Sustainable Use and Management of the Oceans.”
treasurer and VP – Budget
and Finance Arctic Technology Conference
Debra Kill
February 7–9, 2011 Houston, Texas www.arctictechnologyconference.org
[email protected]
VP – Government and Public
Underwater Intervention 2011
affairs
Justin Manley February 22–24, 2011 New Orleans, La. www.underwaterintervention.com
[email protected]
executive Director 9th International Rope Technology Workshop
Richard Lawson
March 2011 Texas A&M University-Galveston
[email protected]
This combination conference and workshop will feature published papers as well as unpublished
editor-in-Chief
Susan Branting presentations. For more information and to offer your services in planning, contact
[email protected] [email protected].
2 Currents  JULY/AUGUST 2010
Society News
MTS Hosts Paris Reception for Oceanographic Commission
nology advancement and infor- forum for these bodies to foster
mation sharing, and cited MTS collaboration and sharing of
as an exemplary model of pro- vital knowledge to help us to
fessionals working together to understand and safely work
advance diverse marine tech- in our ‘Planet’s One Ocean.’
nologies and sciences. The event’s sponsors repre-
In her message for the sented the three legs of the
50th anniversary, UNESCO tsunami detection/warning
Director-General Irina Bokova system stool: Guralp as the
pointed out that “IOC, in world leader in technology for
partnership with other U.N. detecting the subsea seismic
agencies and hundreds of event; Sonardyne whose ‘tsuna-
associated oceanographic meter’ is capable of recognizing
and marine research labora- a tsunami wave and distin-
tories, is playing a vital role in guishing it from the chaotic
MTS member Dr. Andrew Clark (middle), Dr. Gustavo Bisbal (U.S. State Department)
addressing some of the major sea surface; and CSnet pro-
and Dr. Susan Avery (WHOI) were the U.S. delegation to the UNESCO IOC Executive
challenges facing the world.” viding the network to collect
Council Meeting.
These challenges include iden- and disseminate that vital
tifying and protecting marine information to those in harm’s
T
his June, MTS hosted the anniversary meeting. biodiversity, monitoring global way with sufficient time to
U.S. Reception at the United MTS member Sonardyne, climate change and coor- provide an effective warning.”
Nations Educational Cultural Ltd., was joined by CSNet dinating tsunami warning The reception provided
and Scientific Organization International, Inc., and Guralp systems. “Never has the IOC an opportunity for some of
(UNESCO) Intergovernmental Systems, Ltd., in sponsoring been so necessary as today”. the most influential decision
Oceanographic Commission (IOC) the anniversary reception. MTS In his opening remarks, makers from over 140 maritime
meetings at UNESCO head- President-Elect Jerry Boatman, Dr. Clark noted, “MTS shares countries around the world to
quarters in Paris. MTS Fellow director of ocean science many common objectives and become more familiar with MTS.
and Past President (2001–2002) technology at QinetiQ North visions with the IOC. The three Among those who attended
Dr. Andrew M. Clark served America, was on hand to rep- pillars of MTS constituency are were the ambassadors of Brazil
on the U.S. Delegation at the resent MTS. U.S. Ambassador academia, government and and China as well as the newly
IOC Executive Council meeting. to UNESCO David Killion spoke industry, and we were essen- appointed assistant director-
This year marks IOC’s 50th on the significance of tech- tially established to provide a general of natural sciences. n
The MTS Board of Directors
met before the Offshore
Technology Conference
in Houston, one of two
regularly scheduled
meetings each year.
From left, Jill Zande
(VP education and research),
Jerry Boatman (president-
elect), Bruce Gilman (past
president), Liz Corbin
(president), Justin Manley
(VP government and public
affairs), Debbi Kill (treasurer
and VP budget and finance),
Kevin Hardy (VP section
affairs), Karin Lynn
(VP publications) and
Rich Lawson (executive
director). The next official
meeting of the board will
be before OCEANS’10 in
September.
Currents  JULY/AUGUST 2010 3
Society News
Education Spending TechSurge
continued from page 1
MTS continues to throw its weight behind the future of marine
technology as overall expenditure on education increased.
A total of $262,177 was reported for the last fiscal year. The
biggest boosts came from new scholarships from the Dynamic
Positioning and the Ropes and Tension Members committees,
the ROV Committee’s funding of a grade school textbook on ROV
building, Puget Sound Section’s more than doubling of donations
to the MATE ROV competition and the home office’s distribution
of the higher education guide.
Scholarship Awards TechSurge Workshop Co-chairs Ray
Toll (above, foreground) and Justin
education (tuition)
Manley (right) monitor question-and-
MTS Home Office MTS Scholarships 50,000 answer sessions. Behind Toll are (from
Charles H. Bussmann Scholarships 5,000 left) Capt. John Cousins, Bob Houtman,
Helmut Portmann and Suzanne Skelley.
John C. Bajus Scholarship 1,000
Paros-Digiquartz Scholarship 2,000
Dieter Family Travel Scholarship 531
Sections Houston 34,000 Command Center and are made Jon White and retired Rear
Committees Dynamic Positioning 20,000 publicly available via NOAA Adm. Tim McGee, delivered
Remotely Operated Vehicles 25,000 at www.opc.ncep.noaa.gov/new informative and thought-pro-
Ropes and Tension Members 8,283 NCOM/NCOM_currents.shtml. voking perspectives on the
total $145,814 MTS member Dr. Rich roles members of the ocean
Camilli shared impressive pic- observing community have and
tures and video from his recent must have in advancing the
MATE ROV Student Competition
(the previous day!) work in the state of oceanographic science
Sections Houston 4,500
Gulf of Mexico to estimate flow and in setting public policy.
Monterey 100
rate at the wellhead. MTS filmed the entire
Puget Sound 16,440
In other aspects of ocean workshop and has hired a pro-
San Diego 200
observing, Dr. Jim Birch fessional film editor to create
Committees ROV Committee 25,000 of Monterey Bay Aquarium a video of the highlights of
total $46,240 Research Institute described the talks along with pertinent
the MBARI-developed Envi- slides from the PowerPoint
Programs ronmental Sample Processor presentations. The film will be
Donation, Funding, equivalent (ESP) and its transition to com- made available to MTS members
MTS Home Office Membership for NOSB Coaches 600 mercial production by a Cali- in several months.
fornia company, Spyglass. NASA The technical program for
Student Leadership Meeting at OCEANS 5,360
is also interested in the ESP this second annual TechSurge
Distribution of Education Guide 7,900
sensor for future missions to Workshop was developed by Co-
Sections Houston Human Powered
discover life on other planets. chairs Justin Manley, Liquid
Submarine project 5,500
MTS members Dr. Ralph Robotics and MTS VP of gov-
Outstanding Ocean
Rayner and retired Vice Adm. ernment and public relations,
Engineering Student Award 323
Conrad Lautenbacher, along and Ray Toll, NOAA account
Travel Expenses for MTS with Rear Adm. Dave Titley, manager at SAIC and chair of
National Event 2,000 Dr. Jon Delaney, Rear Adm. the Hampton Roads Section. n
San Diego Summer Internship Program 3,840
Science Fair Prizes 1,450
Are you current in Currents?
Washington, D.C. Anne Arundel Science Fair 150
Committees ROV Committee Publish a grade school
See your company’s name in Business News.
textbook on ROV building 35,000
ROV in a Bag 5,000 Brag about your new hires.
Student Travel to UI 3,000
Send your press releases to
total $70,123
[email protected].
4 Currents  JULY/AUGUST 2010
Inagural Admiral Watkins Lecture Series a Big Success
E
ighty-seven people leadership; the need for ocean stakeholders to conduct regular
from government, assessments of successes and failures, and to recommend imme-
industry, academia and diate actions where science and technology are part of the solu-
non-governmental organi- tions; and the need to track annual progress via the Joint Ocean
zations gathered in May Commission Initiative’s Report Card. Lastly, Watkins emphasized
for the Inaugural Admiral the role of MTS in bringing governance to an oversight process.
James D. Watkins Hon- In his keynote address, Spinrad offered a framework of
orary Lecture at the U.S. analysis—“P3I”: the ocean policy agenda needs the right People,
Navy Memorial Her- a meaningful Policy, and sustainable Programs in order to have an
itage Center in Wash- Impact across security, science and society. His remarks included
ington, D.C. MTS member insights from
Dr. Richard W. Spinrad his institu-
was the keynote speaker. tional memory,
D.C. Section members Karen Kohanowich and
The event is the first in Barry Stamey referring to
an annual series started various his-
by the Washington, D.C., torical events
Section that will provide a forum for learning, discussion and and policies
networking on challenges facing the oceanographic and marine such as the
technology community. MTS member Adm. James Watkins was Oceans Act
chosen for this eponymous lecture series because he exem- of 2000 that
plifies commitment and dedication to the future of the oceans established the
through his distinguished career, which has included chairing Pew Oceans
the U.S. Commission Commission,
on Ocean Policy, the U.S. Com-
helping to establish mission on From left: Bob Gagosian, Consortium for Ocean Leadership
the Consortium Ocean Policy, president and CEO, with Rich Lawson, MTS executive
for Oceanographic and the director, and Jerry L. Miller, senior policy analyst in the
White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
Research and Edu- adoption in
cation, and co- 2004 of the
chairing the Joint Ocean Action Plan, to name a few he mentioned. He also noted
Ocean Commission that despite these successes and the dramatic increase in public
Initiative. awareness of the critical role of the oceans, MTS is faced with
In an opening many challenges:
speech, Watkins first and foremost, to
From left: MTS members Amos Bussmann of Sea underlined the develop a campaign of
Technology magazine, Tim Janaitis with Phoenix need to reinstate leadership, building
International Holdings and D.C. Section Vice-Chair self-restraint and congressional support
Brent Evers. responsibility among in the House Oceans
ocean industries Caucus; to engage Con-
and the need to approach ocean policy through the principle of gress to adopt and per-
ecosystem-based man- suade the president to
agement. He shared a pass sound ocean policy;
vision for D.C.-based to engage MTS mem-
organizations, led by bership from the private
MTS as “the closer,” to sector; and to foster
ensure that a compre- a culture of corporate
hensive ocean policy social responsibility.
based on the work of The lecture series
the Ocean Policy Task was the brainchild of
Force is enacted into Barry Stamey, past From left: Susan Gagosian and Karen Kohanowich
law as a priority. He section chair, and was (Photos courtesy of Gregory M. Vaughn, Science
identified enabling accomplished largely Applications International)
objectives to achieve through the direct per-
results, including the sonal efforts of the D.C.
From left: D.C. Section Chair Rusty Mirick and past
need for MTS to demand Chair Barry Stamey Section Executive Committee. n
Currents  JULY/AUGUST 2010 
Members and Others in the News
Winning Project Makai was nominated for its “outstanding performance, inno-
Congratulations to MTS vative solutions in OTEC research and development, profession-
member Fugro Jacques Geo- alism, cost effectiveness and on-time delivery by the federal
Surveys and project manager agencies that contracted their services.” “OTEC” stands for ocean
Patrick Byrne for winning a thermal energy conversion. Web link: www.makai.com
David Thompson National
Geomatic Award in the category Williamson Honored
of Innovation in Geo- Kudos to MTS member Williamson & Associates of Seattle,
matics. The winning project, Wash., for receiving the World Trade Center Tacoma 2010 Globe
“Accuracy and Precision in 120 Award. According to the World Trade Center Tacoma, “Experience,
Metres of Water,” highlighted creativity and commitment to quality have established Williamson
subsea, spool metrology. The & Associates as a forerunner in applying leading-edge tech-
Patrick Byrne (left) accepts the awards gala dinner was held nology to meet increasingly complex client goals in the areas of
Innovation in Geomatics category in May during the National seafloor mapping, marine geophysical surveying, geotechnical
plaque from George Schlagintweit,
Surveyors’ Conference in St. sampling and ocean engineering.”
president of the Association of Canada
John’s, Newfoundland.
Lands Surveyors.
Subsea 7 Awardees
A round of applause for MTS member Subsea 7’s Dr. Stuart N.
Makai Lauded Smith, vice president–technology and asset development, and
Congratulations to MTS member Makai Ocean Engineering for Dr. James MacGregor, new build vessel project manager, who
being named the Prime Contractor of the Year for the Small were awarded the Medal of Distinction from the Royal Insti-
Business Administration’s Western region. The SBA honored tution of Naval Architects at a ceremony in London in April.
Makai for its work in the federal government contracting arena. See Members and Others on page 7
Students Benefit from Moulton’s Passion for ROVs
I
f you can’t find MTS member and Education Committee Co-
Chair Erica Moulton up a tree (she’s a certified tree-climbing
instructor), you might find her drilling holes in PVC. Moulton
builds about 200 “ROV in a Bag” kits each year. Each kit con-
tains a basic ROV: three switches wired to three motors, PVC
connections, pipe and flotation material. The ROVs can move
forward, reverse, left, right, and up and down. All the user has
to do is supply power and water.
About 40 of the kits are funded by the MTS ROV Profes-
sional Committee and go to teachers, schools, clubs and envi-
ronmental organizations—anyone who contacts Moulton “from
third grade up to university faculty.” Additionally, she visits
schools, clubs or organizations and conducts an ROV program
that can last from 30 minutes to 4 hours. “We either build a
frame and everything is prewired or we build the box and ROV
from the ground up,” Moulton explained, noting that she is only
one of “a lot of folks who do ROV outreach.”
When she’s not drilling and soldering or giving lectures,
Erica Moulton (far right) helps teachers create ROVs during the OCEANS’09
Moulton is the faculty development and Summer Institute coor- Educator Professional Development Program. (See the related story in
dinator for the MATE (Marine Advanced Technology Education) Professional Committee News.)
Center. The institute hosts college, high school and university
faculty in a program to create awareness of marine research, “I love ROVs,” she wrote in an e-mail, “and hearing about
exploration and industry; highlight career opportunities; promote former students like James Douberley, a kid who wanted to learn
the teaching of higher-level technical, problem-solving, critical ROVs so much, he tracked me down at a hotel on my vacation in
thinking, communication and teamwork skills; and provide Disney World (he lives in Orlando). We talked and worked on an
opportunities for educators and employers to interact. ROV in a Bag in the hotel lobby. James won the Florida Regional
Moulton also hosts and coordinates the MATE Center’s Florida on his second try, placed second at the MATE international com-
Regional ROV Competition and provides key support for the petition in San Diego, and got into MIT because of his ROV
Southeast Regional ROV Competition and the MATE Interna- work, and he was a recipient of a MATE Center MTS ROV Com-
tional ROV Competition. mittee Scholarship last year!” n
 Currents  JULY/AUGUST 2010
Members and Others in the News
continued from page 6 Transportation and Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Repre-
sentatives on the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on
The men, along with Peter van der Hoek from Dutch shipbuilder natural resources in the Gulf of Mexico. Much of her testimony
IHC Merwede, were awarded the medal in recognition of their focused on the possible toxic effects of the dispersant chem-
paper “A Family of Offshore Construction Vessels,” which detailed icals being used, which she said should not be used because they
three of Subsea 7’s latest vessels built by the IHC Merwede could damage the small organisms that are vital to the overall
shipyard in The Netherlands: the Seven Oceans and Seven Seas health of the ocean. She also noted that there was the “need
deepwater pipelay and construction vessels and the Seven to establish a data baseline to find out what species were in
Atlantic diving support vessel. The RINA dinner was attended by the Gulf prior to the oil spill, to help monitor the current situ-
about 500 people in the presence of the Duke of Edinburgh and ation and assist recovery over many years.” She summarized her
other dignitaries. thoughts on possible solutions, including halting the use of
dispersants and deploying sensors to evaluate the subsurface
Subsea 7’s New Office plumes of oil and their impact on the marine life in the water
Subsea 7 has appointed MTS member Stuart Cameron as the column and on the sea floor.
commercial director at the company’s new Kuala Lumpur office in
Malaysia. The new location will initially house 32 personnel with CBC Interviews
room to expand. Dick Martin has been named vice president of The Canadian Broadcasting Company interviewed MTS life
business development with Perth, Australia, as a base. member Phil Nuytten and MTS VP Section Affairs Kevin Hardy,
with DeepSea Power & Light, for a new report on the difficulties
Bennett at SOSI of using technology in deep water in connection with the Gulf
MTS member Doug Bennett has of Mexico oil spill. Nuytten was described as a “Navy deep-sea
joined Sound Ocean Systems, Inc. pioneer.”
(SOSI) of Redmond, Wash., as
senior vice president of business Rosen Gets Grant
development. Bennett brings over MTS member Dirk Rosen of Marine Applied Research and Explo-
30 years of sales, marketing and ration and his colleague James Lindholm received a grant
management experience, with an through the North Central Coast Marine Protected Area Baseline
extensive background in technical Program to conduct ROV surveys of deepwater habitats. Their
sales, application engineering, research will help lay the foundation for whether and how pro-
and physical and biogeochemical tected areas are meeting the state of California’s policy goals.
oceanographic measurement appli-
Doug Bennett cations. At SOSI he will be respon- New Magellan Book
sible for strategic planning and MTS emeritus member André Ross-
global business development focused on ocean observing felder, an award-winning writer and
systems and related products and services. marine geologist, has published In
Pursuit of Longitude: Magellan and
Reid Joins RDI the Antimeridan. With the fifth cen-
Jerry Reid has joined MTS member Teledyne RD Instruments’ tennial of Magellan’s voyage rapidly
growing sales team. Reid brings more than a decade of sales approaching, Rossfelder intends
experience to his new role as the sales engineer for Teledyne to dispel several widely accepted
RDI’s new line of Citadel conductivity, temperature and depth ideas about Magellan’s voyage and
products. Teledyne RDI is a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of validates new, important facts.
Teledyne Technologies. Rossfelder also employs survivors’
accounts of the Pacific crossing, an
Gulf Involvement in-depth analysis of the course as
André Rossfelder’s new book
MTS member Vernon Asper, professor of marine science at the logged by Magellan’s pilot Francisco
University of Southern Mississippi (USM), spent time aboard the Albo, an extensive bibliography and an index to complete the
Pelican research vessel to study various components of the oil book. “At the heart of this book is the study of genius and how
spill as part of a group formed by USM, the University of Mis- one man navigated with amazing confidence and precision to the
sissippi and NOAA to develop and apply new technologies for far side of the world through storms, intrigues and mutinies and
undersea research. The crew was scheduled to do mapping, but forever changed maritime history,” Rossfelder said.
its mission was diverted to the Gulf to study the Deepwater
Horizon oil spill. Researchers on the Pelican were the first to dis- New Numbers
cover underwater plumes of oil spewing from the well opening. The New England Marine Renewable Energy Center has a new
location and telephone number. Details are on the center’s
Earle Testifies website. Web link: www.mrec.umassd.edu
MTS member Sylvia Earle, a member of the Census of Marine Life
U.S. National Committee, testified in May to the Committee on See Members and Others on page 8
Currents  JULY/AUGUST 2010 7
Members and Others in the News
continued from page 7 Pappas, Baugh Testify
In June, MTS members James
Hughes at DP Conference Pappas, vice president of
MTS member Joe Hughes, DP consultant at GL Noble Denton, technical programs at the
gave a presentation at the European Dynamic Positioning Con- Research Partnership to
ference in May. As he noted in his presentation, “Finding a Secure Energy for America
Routemap Through DP Guidelines, Rules and Regulations,” the (RPSEA), and Dr. Benton
event was extremely timely, given that guidelines, rules and Baugh, president of Radoil,
regulations for DP are all being either developed—such as by talked about the Gulf oil spill
James Pappas (far left at table) and
the U.S. Coast Guard and the Marine Technology Society—or before members of the U.S.
Benton Baugh (second from left)
updated, as is the case with IMCA’s well-known guidelines and testifying at the Subcommittee on House Committee on Science
those of the classification societies. “This year is seeing radical Energy and Environment. and Technology’s Subcom-
initiatives in the DP sector,” he told delegates, “with all the mittee on Energy and Environment. Baugh also was a member
main players set to announce or publish new or revised rules, of a panel of seven experts brought in to advise the Obama
regulations and guidance.” administration on how to address offshore drilling safety after
the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Baugh was one of five panel
MATE Winner Hired members who signed a letter that said Interior Secretary Ken
Andy Walsh, a member of the Salazar falsely implied they supported a six-month drilling mora-
Explorer class ROV team from Long torium they actually opposed. Baugh is chair of the MTS Deep-
Beach City College that won the water Field Development Technology Committee. His company is
MATE ROV International Compe- a Houston-based maker of blowout preventer components. RPSEA
tition in 2009, was hired by MTS is a non-profit corporation of U.S. energy research universities,
member Oceaneering Interna- industry and independent research organizations.
tional shortly after the compe-
tition and has been working some Moll to Retire
of the ROVs that have taken videos After a decade at the helm of the largest of the nation’s Sea
from the ocean floor during the Grant programs, California Sea Grant Director Dr. Russell A. Moll
Gulf of Mexico spill. Long Beach has announced his decision to retire by August’s end. California
Andy Walsh at the 2009 ROV City College has one of MTS’s 13 Sea Grant sponsors marine research, extension services and edu-
International Competition student sections. The MTS ROV cation activities to support the management, conservation and
Committee is a co-sponsor of the enhancement of California’s coastal resources.
international competition.
Reorganizing MMS
Proposed Director Bob Abbey was appointed acting director of the Bureau of
President Obama has nominated Dr. Subra Suresh to be director Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement
of the National Science Foundation. Suresh is currently dean of (formerly Minerals Management Service) by Secretary of the
the School of Engineering and the Vannevar Bush Professor of Interior Ken Salazar in late May. Abbey has been director of the
Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Bureau of Land Management. He remains BLM director during
this period but has turned over his daily management duties to
Samson Promotes his deputy director.
Samson has promoted Kris Volpenhein to Asia technical sales
manager. Effective September 1, Volpenhein will provide focused New at CO-OPS
technical and sales efforts to support Samson’s offshore and Richard Edwing has been named the new director of NOAA’s
commercial marine markets throughout Asia. Volpenhein has Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services
been part of the Samson research and development department (CO-OPS), the nation’s authoritative source for accurate, reliable
for the last four years as both an application engineer and tech- and timely water-level and current measurements. In his new
nical manager. role, he will oversee and continue to improve this 24-hour-a-day
operation to provide mariners, coastal managers and many
GIS “Father” Honored other users with real-time data on ocean conditions along the
Dr. Roger Tomlinson of Ottawa, Ontario, has been given the U.S. coastline.
Geospatial Information and Technology Association’s 2010
Lifetime Achievement Award. The award, the highest honor the VIATeC Award
association can bestow, recognizes an individual’s lifelong con- AXYS Technologies has been selected as the recipient of the
tributions and long-standing commitment to the geospatial 2010 VIATeC (Victoria Advanced Technology Council) Technology
industry. Dr. Tomlinson, a native of Cambridge, England, is rec- Award for Innovative Excellence. AXYS was recognized for
ognized as the primary originator of the modern computerized its efforts in the offshore wind power market through its
geographic information system (GIS) and has been touted as the WindSentinel wind resource assessment buoy. Web link:
“father of GIS.” www.axystechnologies.com n
 Currents  JULY/AUGUST 2010
Section News
MTS Honors Pioneering USN SeaLab Saturation Divers
A companion educational project for middle school students,
“SeaLab for Kids,” is being developed by Hardy, together with
middle school teachers Michelle Hardy and Marilyn Sniffen, to
honor the deeds and perpetuate the legacy of SeaLab with a new
generation. The hands-on science projects, distributed at no cost
through the Education Professional Committee, will teach the
history, engineering and physiology of saturation diving through
construction of a series of aquarium-sized, air-filled habitats that
are progressively more complex. The “Atlantis” habitat is a sub-
merged terrarium with sprouts. With lessons learned and expe-
rience gained, participants construct a larger “MouseHouse.”
Classes as young as fifth grade have been completely engrossed
and successfully built and operated both habitats. The projects
A model of SeaLab III found by MTS member Kevin Hardy was on display at the have been well received at teacher workshops. Copies of the
recent San Diego Section Corporate Appreciation Dinner.
current curriculum will soon be available for download at www.
T
he MTS San Diego Section honors the heroes and pioneers of materover.org under “Build Your Own Model of an Undersea
deep-ocean saturation diving with the construction of a rare Habitat.” An expanded version, complete with corresponding
model destined for display at the U.S. Naval Undersea Museum educational standards, will be available later this year. n
(NUSM) in Keyport, Wash. The model will join the actual SeaLab
II habitat end bell and educational display describing the
Make a Difference in Our Student Sections
purpose and function of the deep-sea manned habitats.
Many of today’s offshore commercial diving firms were started by MTS can now boast of 13 Students Sections at universities and
the U.S. Navy SeaLab aquanauts after their formative Navy years. colleges around the coastal U.S. Are you interested in helping
The U.S. Navy’s Man-in-the-Sea Program, directed by legendary them learn about your profession? Speak at their meetings?
Capt. George Bond, began with the Genesis Experiments in 1957, Arrange for them to tour your facility?
and culminated in the trilogy of SeaLabs: I (1964), II (1965) and
“Connecting with the students in your area is a fantastic way
III (1969). Jacques Cousteau’s series of ConShelf undersea habitats
to give back to the community and help to inform and inspire
was helped by many lessons from Capt. Bond before their con-
the next generation of ocean professionals. It’s also a great way to
struction. The tales of SeaLab are told in many books, including,
promote your organization and the work that you do,” noted
Poppa Topside, Living and Working in the Sea and Blind Man’s Bluff.
Jill Zande, MTS VP of education and research.
MTS VP Section Affairs Kevin Hardy located the rare SeaLab III
model. It was constructed by master modeler Jerome McAuliffe. Call or e-mail Mike hall, MTS member groups manager, at
Hidden inside the model base will be a plaque signed at the 2009 [phone] or [email protected] for help in
SeaLab Reunion in San Diego by many of the aquanauts and their making the connection.
wives who saw what was then a partially assembled model. NUSM MTS Student Sections, their counselors and the counselors’
Exhibit Curator Ron Roehmholdt was given the model on behalf of contact information are listed on the Student Section home
the Naval Undersea Museum after it was displayed at the MTS San page at www.mtsociety.org/communities/studentsections.aspx.
Diego Corporate Appreciation Dinner in June.
Puget Sound Gives Students
Fertile Ground to Succeed
I
t is amazing what fertile imaginations can do with salvaged
sailboat bilge pump motors, PVC tubing, an underwater camera,
paraffin wax and a plastic funnel. If those fertile imaginations
belong to the nearly 150 students who participated in the Fifth
Annual Pacific Northwest MATE ROV Challenge, then it is likely
they used some or all these materials to build remotely operated
vehicles to maneuver through the mission tasks of exploring
Hawaii’s newest underwater volcano.
Team Orca, from Sea-Tech 4-H Club in Mt. Vernon, Wash.,
achieved the best combined Ranger Class engineering and pool
Co-chairs Fritz Stahr (right) and Rick Rupan (second from right) present Team Orca
mission scores and represented the Pacific Northwest at the
members with their Ranger Class first-place trophy and a travel stipend to assist
with their participation in the international competition in Hawaii. See Puget Sound on page 10
Currents  JULY/AUGUST 2010 9
Section News
Puget Sound a blog for the executive committee to communicate with
members: mtsnl.wordpress.com. Minutes from the executive
continued from page 9
committee meeting as well as PowerPoints from both meetings
international competition in Hilo, Hawaii, at the end of June. are available there. Chair: Bill O’Keefe, [email protected]
In addition to the 10 Ranger Class teams, the regional chal-
lenge hosted 22 Scout Class teams (elementary and middle school San Diego
students) and qualified two Explorer Class teams for the interna- The section held its third Summer Swing Golf Tournament in
tional competition. June, as well as its Corporate Appreciation Dinner, also an
“I’m pleased at how much this event has grown over five annual event. Chair: Barbara Fletcher, [email protected]
years,” observed Challenge Co-chair and Puget Sound Section
Chair Fritz Stahr. “With financial support from local marine tech- TAMU-Galveston
nology companies, volunteer support from local section members, The Texas A&M University-Galveston Student Section has a new
and the commitment of students, mentors and parents, we’ve counselor. Dr. Frank Warnakulasuriya serves as a senior lec-
expanded from 50 to 250 participants (including mentors and turer in the Department of Marine Engineering Technology. He
officials) in five short years.” joined TAMUG in August 2003. Previously he worked as a design
Challenge Co-chair Rick Rupan also credited the increased engineer for major thermo-fluid equipment manufacturers. He
participation to outreach efforts and workshops geared toward holds B.S., M.S. and Ph.D.s in mechanical engineering, with his
elementary and middle school students. Underwritten by the Puget highest degree coming from the University of Illinois-Chicago.
Sound Section of MTS and a grant from the National Science Foun- Counselor: Frank Warnakulasuriya, [email protected]
dation, these workshops helped “kids learn how to design, con-
struct and operate simple ROVs,” explained Rupan. “We really fired Washington, D.C.
their imaginations to try more sophisticated designs and con- On June 17, the section held the Inaugural Breakfast Series at
struction. And they wanted to test their ROVs in pool missions to the Sheraton Crystal City Hotel. The session featured remarks by
learn if their ideas resulted in a good design solution.” MTS Executive Director Rich Lawson, D.C. Section Chair Rusty
“With the nonstop mention of robot submersibles (ROVs) at Mirick, and guest speaker Paul Kirshen, Ph.D., a research leader
work on the Gulf oil spill, the importance of engaging young minds at the Battelle Memorial Institute and an expert in adaptation
in the ROV competition is clear,” agreed Stahr and Rupan. “We strategies and planning for climate change impact on the coastal
need to make sure the next generation of marine technologists and zone. Attendees included MTS home office staff, D.C. Section
scientists are already interested in pursuing this as a career.” members, industry leaders such as from Battelle and Fugro, and
Thanks to constant news coverage of the Gulf oil spill, ROVs government experts from NOAA. This was an extremely timely
are now part of the popular lexicon. One parent at the Pacific and well-received event, as well as an opportunity for Dr. Kirshen
Northwest regional competition was heard to say, “Thanks to all to outline the most current thinking on what types of techno-
the news reports about the Gulf oil spill, I don’t have to explain logical developments will be necessary in the short, medium
what an ROV is anymore.” n and longer term in the 21st century to allow us to live with the
impacts of climate change. The Breakfast Series promises to be
an exciting beginning for primarily networking purposes among
Newfoundland and Labrador the local ocean community. Chair: Rusty Mirick, mirick_robert@
In May, the executive committee of the section held a meeting bah.com
to discuss the bylaws and the inaugural meeting for members. The section has set September 16 for its annual OII/MTS
The committee, comprising Chair Bill O’Keefe, Vice-Chair Symposium—Crabfeast—and business meeting. This popular
John Butler, Student Representative Marcel Montrose and event will take place at the corporate headquarters of host and
Secretary Randy Gillespie, with Treasurer Darrell O’Neil absent sponsor MTS member Oceaneering International in Hanover,
and Dwight Howse observing, also explored possible events Md. Join your friends and colleagues for crabs and compan-
for the section, and it was agreed that events should target ionship. Visit the MTS website for more details. Chair: Rusty
seven theme areas: fisheries, aquaculture/biotech, transpor- Mirick, [email protected]
tation, energy, recreation, defense and science. The section’s
first meeting with 25 attendees was held in June at the Marine Webb Institute
Institute, Industry Seminar Centre, St. John’s. Following a light Over 20 students from the Webb Institute Student Section
lunch provided by the Marine Institute, participants enjoyed traveled to Verdant Power’s Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy
a presentation by Dr. Mary Williams and Dr. Chris Williams (RITE) project on Roosevelt Island, N.Y. Hydrodynamic engineer
entitled, “Technologies for Arctic Ocean Exploration.” Partici- Jonathan Colby gave a tour of the RITE project facility and
pants were invited by O’Keefe to offer comments regarding the talked about the tidal turbines that were demonstrated in New
role and focus of the section. Among the suggestions were to York’s East River. Verdant Power was founded in 2000 and spe-
build on “our collective strength and experience” in harsh cializes in marine renewable energy. There are several projects
environments, focus on professional and skills development, that Verdant operates in the U.S. and Canada, all of which are
and capitalize on the diversity of interests in the section to pre-commercial prototype demonstrations. The RITE project com-
connect seagoing professionals with the latest developments
in ocean technology, to name a few. The section has created See Section News on page 20
10 Currents  JULY/AUGUST 2010