Oceanographer who Discovered the Titanic
Thursday, April 5, 2012
“The Last Great Frontier”
Robert Ballard's life experiences have mirrored the adventures found in his favorite childhood book, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. A recipient of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation's lifetime achievement award, he is among the world's most accomplished oceanographers, and is most renowned for his discovery of the RMS Titanic and underwater explorations of the Bismarck, Lusitania, and Britannic. Ballard told the stories of history's great transatlantic liners through wrecks he visited in his 1997 best-selling book entitled Lost Liners.
Today, Ballard is the president of the Institute for Exploration and an explorer-in-residence at the National Geographic Society. Every year, thousands of schoolchildren accompany him on an interactive expedition through the JASON Project, a program Ballard founded. He has also hosted National Geographic Television's Explorer program and served as an adviser on Stephen Spielberg's futuristic Sea Quest television show.
Robert Ballard's discovery of the Titanic and his other undersea expeditions are a testament to the pioneering spirit and the marvels of discovery. His combination of team leadership, raw intellect, ingenuity, and daring personality are proof that anything is possible.
Dr. Ballard is presently developing a joint MA/PhD. program in the new field of archaeological oceanography at the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography. He is a member of the NOAA Science Advisory Board and serves as one of 16 Commissioners on the President’s Commission on Ocean Policy. Dr. Ballard lives in Connecticut.
Follow Dr. Robert Ballard and his team as they explore the ocean on the E/V Nautilus here.
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