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ex·plor·er Pronunciation: ik-'splOr-&r, -'splor- 1 : one that explores; especially : a person who travels in search of geographical or scientific information Finding the word "explorer" takes but a few seconds using Merriam-Webster Online, garnering the definition above. MTR recently chose a more laborious means to discover a truer, more animated meaning of the noun, driving three and half hours north of New York City to the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography on the Narragansett Bay Campus to meet with world-famous explorer Dr. Robert Ballard. Most every biographical resource on Dr. Robert Ballard includes "discovery of the RMS Titanic" in the first line. Though significant in historical importance and astound- ing given the level of technical expertise required to locate and explore the famous wreck, Dr. Ballard's missions to Titanic represent just two of 120 expeditions in his career. Even more colossal than this one epic discovery is Dr. Ballard's commitment to evolving the science and busi- ness of undersea exploration. "My strong card is the technology of deep submergence science and technology, and I'm taking that expertise and using it as broadly as possible," Dr. Ballard said. His efforts to advancing deepsea exploration and discov- ery have manifested most recently in a new Archaeological Oceanography doctorate program at URI's Graduate School of Oceanography. Coupled with this is the devel- opment of the "Inner Space Center" at URI, a high-tech program designed to give access to undersea science to a much broader group of students and scientists via 'tele- presence' technology, as well as his continued work with the JASON Project, a project he founded in 1989 as a nonprofit educational organization to "inspire in students a life-long passion for learning in science, math, and tech- nology through hands-on, real-world scientific discovery." A Multidisciplinary Approach At the age of 63, Dr. Ballard's attention is squarely focused on evolving the science of deepwater exploration, and given his educational background and long list of career successes, he seems uniquely outfitted in this regard. While the study of undersea structures and life has advanced exponentially and in tandem with technology over the last 40 years, it is evident that discovery of the wonders lying deep beneath the waves is still in its infan- 22 MTR January 2006 Dr. Robert Ballard’s Archaeological Oceanography Program Evolution at URI by Greg Trauthwein MTR#1 (17-32).qxd 1/9/2006 2:26 PM Page 22
