Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is the world’s largest private, non-profit oceanographic research institution and a global leader in the study and exploration of the ocean.

Interviews

• Floating Without Imploding – To allow a heavy vehicle to float in the deepest depths, Don Peters and other engineers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution used an entirely new system of ceramic spheres that would provide lift and, at the same time, would not implode under pressures reaching 16,500 pound per square inch.

• Let There Be Light in the Dark Depths –

A conversation with WHOI engineer Jonathan Howland

• Armed and Dexterous –

A conversation with WHOI engineer Matt Heintz

• 2,000 Batteries Under the Sea –

A conversation with WHOI engineer Daniel Gomez-Ibanez

• Miles Under the Sea, Hanging on by Hair-Thin Fiber –

A conversation with WHOI engineer Andy Bowen

Engineers – some examples from job descriptions

• Research Engineer – works with a team to develop, design, test and operate autonomous underwater vehicles in the Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering Department
• Scientific Ship Services Group – provides at-sea electronic and mechanical technical support for science programs utilizing WHOI Ships. Science equipment – data logging and display computers, Ethernet network electronics, navigation instruments, echo sounding/bottom profiling sonar systems, acoustic beacons and transponders, acoustic current profilers, meteorological sea surface and water column parameter sensors, sensor interface hardware and electronics and various radio and satellite communication systems.

• * Engineer Amy Kukulya—A Video Profile from PBS Kids – Amy Kukulya is an oceanographic engineer at Woods Hole and helps build and operate torpedo-shaped robots to map terrain under water. Watch a Design Squad episode highlighting her work.

Engineering ideas

• floatation, ceramic, sphere, lift, implode, pressure

Do It
Challenges for you to work on…

• based on information in the floatation story, come up with a way to demonstrate that more lift is produced with smaller spheres in a specific container. Spheres such as ping-pong balls, tennis balls, basketballs and containers like buckets can be used.

Learn more…

• Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)
• DeepSea Power & Light – innovative products to the oceanographic community. Initially manufacturing deep water power systems, the company’s expertise and product line has grown to include underwater video and lighting systems. All of DeepSea Power & Light’s standard products are rigorously designed to perform in the harsh marine environment, from wet/dry surface applications to full ocean depth deployments. DeepSea Power & Light’s experienced engineering staff also provides custom solutions to any underwater imaging problem or systems design.