I founded the Ocean Exploration Trust (OET) to push and test the boundaries of exploration, technology, and public engagement simultaneously. For more than fifteen years, OET
has pursued new discoveries across geology, biology, maritime history, archaeology, and chemistry while inviting the world to explore alongside us. OET remains at the forefront of changing how ocean science is conducted, turning global viewers into real-time oceanographic explorers and bringing together partners for maximum exploration efficiency.
DEMOCRATICIZING OCEAN DISCOVERIES
Central to this approach is telepresence technology, which enables scientists, teachers, and students to actively participate in deep-sea exploration from anywhere in the world. Beginning in 2009, OET started live-streaming expeditions from E/V Nautilus, inviting scientists, students, and armchair ocean enthusiasts to see what we see. High-definition video feeds are streamed directly from cameras aboard our ROVs and transmitted via a fiber optic cable to the ship’s control van.
As satellite and onboard systems have advanced, so has our ability to share unprecedented volumes of data and imagery in real time—expanding who can contribute to discovery and how quickly science can move. During exploration, we connect to experts ashore around the globe—bringing them along to places no one has ever seen before. This instant collaboration between some of the greatest minds in the world helps us fully understand our discoveries in real time and maximize our time at sea.
COLLABORATIVE EXPLORATION
Over the years, we’ve expanded our exploration efforts to include collaboration with various partners and their technologies. As a partner of the NOAA Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute (OECI), OET is a part of a forward-looking consortium of leading institutions working together to shape the next era of ocean exploration. By integrating autonomous systems and human-in-the-loop operations and embracing new tools emerging from the genomic and sensor revolutions, we are surveying areas faster and collecting richer environmental data than ever before. These collaborations are not just extending our reach; they are redefining how exploration is done.
The deep sea remains largely unexplored, and the future of inspiring the world relies on our ability to connect people with these discoveries. Advances in cameras, visualization, and data systems are allowing us to transport our eyes and imaginations into the abyss with increasing clarity and immediacy. The work ahead is vast, the technology is evolving rapidly, and the opportunity to deepen humanity’s connection to the ocean has never been greater.
As we look towards 2026 and beyond, we’re excited for the prospect of coming together to test new technologies and bring the ocean to new audiences around the globe. The longer we explore, the more apparent it becomes that, when it comes to advancing ocean exploration, collaboration will be key to future efforts. I, for one, can’t wait to see what comes next.
This spotlight appeared in ON&T Magazine’s 2026 February Edition, Exploring the Deep, to read more access the magazine here.
