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Seafloor Mapping Program Alumni
mound

Where are They Now?

We try very hard to keep track of our 20+ Seafloor Mapping Program ("Beam Team") alums.
Many are still involved with some aspect of hyrdrographic survey (i.e., mapping), research or teaching,
while others have pursued alternate paths. Whatever path, we are proud of them all!

So far we've caught up with:

Seafloor Mapping Program
Beam Team '07

Beam Team '08

Beam Team '09
Zach Briggs Mike Reed Caroline Broderick
Brian Kennedy Brian Kennedy Timmon Drumm
Mike Reed Bob Hairston-Porter Christy Fandel
Chris Stubbs Stephanie James Lauren Ferrigni
Ransom White Andrew Kennedy Bob Hairston-Porter
Ray Creede Keith Meany Kristen Hughes
Loren Danese Josh Mode Stephen Long
Alison Deary Gabby Munn Brittney Marshall
Keith Meany Jimmy Skinner Tim McClinton
Josh Mode Katrina Wyllie Josh Mode
Dylan Murphy   Jeff Schwindaman
    Justin Sparta
    Katrina Wyllie

Seafloor Mapping Staff
Leslie "Doc" Sautter Scott Harris Dan Boles an

(Alum "blurbs" are in the order received.)


Chris Stubbs

2007 Beam Team;
Transect Program Leg 03 participant and
Leg 04 Asst. Scientist;
Geology Major, graduated 2006
Current Position: Grad student, UC Santa Barbara

Stubbs is developing and testing a new design for a seafloor lander housing an Imagenix multibeam sonar which will be used to study methane hydrate formation in the Gulf of Mexico during the summer of 2009.  The sonar will be adapted for repeated scanning to quantify methane bubbles from deep-water (1000-1500 m) hydrocarbon seeps.  The project is funded by the Department of Energy and the Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute.  He is also working with the RESON corporation to develop calibrations and methodologies for surveying full water-column returns.  He is enjoying grad school greatly and is perfectly happy to talk about opportunities concerning sonar work and/or grad school with any of Doc's students past or present! (08-19-08)

  


   

mike

See INSITE '08 Seafloor Mapping cruise with UW.

hydrateridge

Mike's commentary, "Once and Future Oceanographer"



 

Mike Reed
2007 Beam Team; 2008 Beam Team
Geology major, graduated 2008
Current Position: Hydrographic Survey Technician with TetraTech, Seattle

Michael is trying to perfect the art of being a climbing bum in the Tetons and hanging out with his family. He just returned from a two week research cruise with the University of Washington, helping to map and characterize potential seafloor sensor locations and fiber optic cable routes for the NSF's Ocean Observatory Initiative (OOI). The Regional Scale Node Observatory (formerly referred to as the NEPTUNE Program) will remotely examine the physical, geological and biological processes of the Juan de Fuca plate.

"I have recently been hired by a Geophysical company based in Seattle, Washington. TetraTech is an engineering and environmental consulting firm, that has helped clients with a variety of environmental concerns. Whether it be estimating pollution damage to rivers in Wisconsin or map potential oil drilling sites offshore. My job will involve multi-beam data collecting and processing, sediment analysis, geomorphological analysis and possible core drilling research. " (10-15-08)
   

Ransom White
Beam Team 2007
Transect Program Leg 03 participant
Geology major, graduated 2006
Current Position: Freelance hydrographic survey tech
and temp sedimentologist with SC DNR

"We are working on a contract for the British Government to chart areas of the North Sea, specifically the areas immediately East of the Orkney Islands, Scotland.  We are using a Reson 7125 equipped with 200 kHz and 400 kHz sonar heads.  Data will be used in marine navigation charts and/or scientific archives.  Our research is part of a 10 year contract to map areas including the Shetland Islands and other locations East of Scotland." (09-15-08)

  

ransom (Where are the dreads?)
ransom2
   

dan

  

Dan Boles
Co-Instructor, Beam Team '07
Transect Program Leg 01 participant
Geology major, graduated 2004
Current Position: Law student,
Univ. of South Carolina

Dan worked for NOAA's Hydrographic Division after graduating in 2004. He sailed on the NOAA Ship RAINIER as hydrographic survey tech to survey coastal Alaska, then on the NANCY FOSTER to do habitat mapping in conjunction with National Marine Fisheries Service's invasive species surveys, cetacean surveys, and coral reef degradation surveys. More recently, he worked on OSCAR ELTON SETTE as oceanographic survey tech in support of marine mammal research cruise, longline fishery survey, and cetacean tagging and tracking.

Currently, Dan's enrolled in Univ. of South Carolina's J.D./M.E.E.R.M. dual degree program, planning to graduate in 2010. He hopes to practice marine environmental law. (10-15-08)
   

Leslie "Doc" Sautter
Chief Scientist, Beam Teams '07, '08, and '09
Co-Chief Scientist, Transect Legs 01-04;
Current Position: Assoc. Prof. of Geology, CofC and Director, Project Oceanica

"Still here! Gorka and I have been seeking additional funds to continue Transects at CofC and to 'grow' it elsewhere. We are grateful that CofC's President Benson has agreed to fund Leg 05 in Fall/Spring 2009/10! Since our last program (Leg 04) I've been able to work with NOAA to acquire ship time on the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster and establish our Seafloor Mapping Program. We have a terrific partnership with the CARIS software company that enables us to train several students at a time. The semester-long training coupled with a few days at sea of data acquisition has led to two successful 'Beam Teams'! Our third Beam Team sails in Oct. 2008 and will be in class during the spring semester.

"It's exciting to have Dr. Scott Harris join our department! We have lots of new toys to expand our mapping capabilities (both seafloor and sub-surface!). We hope to continue to expand both the Seafloor Mapping and Transect Programs!" (10-16-08)

  

Doc
(Transect Program Leg 04 photo)

   

zach
(Beam Team '07 cruise photo)

 

Zach Briggs
Beam Team '07
Geology major, graduated 2007
Current Position: Grad student, Boston Architectural College

Zach moved to the Boston area in summer 2007 and did some graphic contract work for Doc Sautter, creating posters which document some of Project Oceanica's programs, including Seafloor Mapping. He began working towards a Masters of Architecture degree at Boston Architectural College last year and is already designing buildings with geology in mind! (10-16-08)
   

Brian Kennedy
Beam Teams '07 and '08
Current Position: Marine Biology major,
Geology minor, Honors College,
College of Charleston,
graduating May 2009

Brian is currently finishing up his marine biology requirements at CofC and will be graduating in May of 2009. After that he is looking for a research job and/or going to Grad school. He is currently working with Dr. Scott Harris, using the Geology Department's new side scan sonar and sub-bottom profiler to do a habitat assessment of an area on the 28 meter contour Northeast of the Charleston Jetties. Brian is also a NOAA Hollings scholar and spent summer 2008 with theNational Marine Fisheries’ Coral Reef Ecosystem Division in Honolulu, working on long-term monitoring of the US's coral reefs throughout the Pacific Basin.
(10-20-08)

  

brian

   

The College of Charleston Transect Program was funded by a
National Science Foundation Geoscience Education grant (GEO-0331155).
Additional support was generously provided by the NOAA Coastal Services Center
and the College of Charleston Dept. of Geology.

The Seafloor Mapping Program at CofC is supported by
generous ship time aboard the NOAA Ship NANCY FOSTER provided through NOAA Coastal Services Center,
and by an Academic Partnership with the multibeam software producer, CARIS, Inc.
Additional support for the "Beam Team" is provided by Highlands Geo (Mr. Graham Nickerson)
and the College of Charleston Dept. of Geology.

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