Ocean AdVENTure! - Meet the Scientists!

> Andra Bobbitt
GIS/Research assistant

> Christopher G. Fox
Chief Scientist of Our Cruise

> Steve Hammond
Marine geophysicist

> Jon Kaye
Microbiologist

> Russell McDuff
Geochemist

> Lauren Mullineaux
Benthic ecologist

> Veronique Robigou
Geologist

> Cindy Lee Van Dover
Biologist and former Pilot

> Dana Yoerger
Head of Navigation

Dana R. Yoerger, Ph.D.
Head of Navigation on Our Cruise
Associate Scientist, Deep Submergence Laboratory
Department of Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Photo courtesy of Dana Yoerger

What are your responsibilities as head of navigation on our cruise?

My job is to setup the navigation infrastructure (GPS, transponders, etc.) then keep track of the position of all the vehicles.

We are working on autonomous and remotely operated vehicles. We are trying to make them more capable as science tools by expanding our ability to make maps, collect samples, and conduct experiments on the seafloor. The vehicles will play important roles in our plans to build permanent seafloor observatories.

How did you prepare for this job?

I have been going to sea for 14 years, participating in over 23 cruises. On each cruise, navigation has been very important to my work.

I design and implement robotic control systems for telerobotic and autonomous underwater vehicles and manipulator systems. These include the full-ocean depth Jason remotely operated vehicle, the Autonomous Benthic Explorer (ABE), and a variety systems for use in the US Navy, offshore oil, nuclear and commercial inspection industries. I head a group that designed, built, and tested two high-performance full-ocean depth manipulator arms. I've helped implement Dynamic Positioning installations on several research vessels and conducted full-scale dynamic tests of full-ocean depth towed vehicle systems. I supervise the thesis research of students enrolled in the WHOI/MIT joint program in Oceanographic Engineering, in the areas of control, robotics, and design. I have also participated in five Jason Project expeditions, enabling students to take part in scientific expeditions around the world. For the JASON Project VII expedition, I served as a Host Researcher . For the Jason Project IX expedition to the Guaymas Basin, I served as Chief Scientist.

I am currently working on automated docking of the Odyssey autonomous vehicle designed and built at MIT Sea Grant. Other projects include telerobotics from untethered vehicles, advanced control systems, and continuing improvements of ABE and Jason.

I received the S.B, S.M, and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

"If you don't know precisely where your vehicle is, you're not doing science."
--- Dr. Dana R. Yoerger

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