Interviews

daveElectrical Technician Dave Olds
A native of Eustes, Florida, 36-year-old Dave Olds graduated from the University of Central Florida in 1991. After working for NASA at Rockwell, Dave came to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) over 5 years ago. As a member of the Alvin crew, Dave is responsible for maintaining the complex electrical equipment in the sub as well as working on all aspects of Alvin operations at sea; helping to ensure proper functioning of the submersible and the safety of the people who ride in it. Sam Dean talked with Dave to see how he became a part of the Alvin crew and what his job involves. Read the interview »

jimDr. Hans Schouten
Dr. Hans Schouten is a Senior Scientist in the Geology and Geophysics Department at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). Hans was born in Holland and attended school there, eventually earning a Ph.D. degree from the University of Utrecht. His field of interest is the magnetic features of the Earth and what they can tell us about geology. When he was a graduate student, he used ships of opportunity (commercial ships that let him ride along) to carry out his research. After he finished his studies in Holland, he came to the United States and spent nine months at the Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory in New York. He went back to Holland for three more years before joining WHOI. Dan Stuermer spent some time talking with Hans about his research and what he hopes to discover by collecting seafloor magnetic data using Alvin on this cruise. Read the interview »

jimChief Scientist Jim Cochran
Jim Cochran, one of the co-chief scientists on Cruise #2, grew up in upstate New York near Albany. He studied physics at Duke University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree. Jim then attended Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University and received his Ph.D. degree in 1977. Jim and Dan Fornari have collaborated on a number of research projects over the past 20 years. They were graduate students together at Lamont-Doherty in the mid-1970s, and their mutual interests in combining marine geophysics and geology led them to work together. Jim is now a Senior Research Scientist at Lamont-Doherty. He is married and has three children between the ages of 13 and 21. Dan Stuermer interviewed Jim to ask him about his objectives on this cruise and how he got interested in marine geophysics. Read the interview »
mitzi craneFirst Mate Mitzi Crane
Being the First Mate of RV Atlantis carries a great deal of responsibility. Mitzi Crane is the First Mate and she has been working at Woods Hole Oceanographic since April of 1999. Besides being the second-in- command of the ship and in charge of it's daily operations for part of each day, Mitzi is also responsible for crew training, deck maintenance, and any medical attention that is needed. Although she originally worked in banking after she graduated from Juniata College, Mitzi returned to the Maine Maritime Academy to get her Third Mate’s License. She has worked on commercial vessels and cargo ships for the better part of 17 years but has only recently gotten involved in supporting oceanographic research which she likes doing very much. Julie Barber spoke with Mitzi today about what it means to be a First Mate and how she came to work at WHOI. Read the interview »
danaDr. Dana Yoerger
Dana Yoerger is an Associate Scientist with tenure in the Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering Department at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). He is also the head of the Deep Submergence Laboratory (DSL). Dana is 45 years old and is a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where he got his BS, MS and Ph.D degrees. He has been involved in many different aspects of deep submergence research and engineering at WHOI, including development of the ROV Jason in the late 1980s, and the Autonomous Benthic Explorer (ABE). Dan Stuermer talked with Dana about his research objectives on this cruise, how he got interested in engineering and oceanography, and his work at WHOI. Read the interview »
HickeyAlvin Expedition Leader Pat Hickey
Pat Hickey is a veteran of the Alvin program. He started his career at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) 13 years ago as a mechanic in the Alvin Group, and he worked his way up the ladder to Expedition Leader of the seagoing Alvin Group and Chief Pilot. Pat has a great responsibility for Alvin operations at sea. He ensures the safety of the sub, oversees all the maintenance work done by the different members of the at-sea group, maintains certification procedures set by the US Navy (the government agency that owns Alvin), and makes sure that the pilots and pilots in training (PITs) are doing their job to get science done efficiently and safely. Tim McGee interviewed Pat today to find out about his background and how he got involved with Alvin. Read the interview »