Featured Scientist of the Month

Meet January 2025’s Scientist: The Ocean Explorer

Scientist of the month: Dr. Syliva Earle swimming with a barracuda fish

Meet a REAL Ocean Superhero: Dr. Sylvia Earle!

Who Is She?:

Dr. Sylvia Earle is known as “Her Deepness,” She is one of the world’s most amazing ocean explorers! She’s spent more than 60 years studying and protecting our oceans. She grew up in Florida, where the ocean was basically her backyard – and guess what? A wave knocked her down when she was just 3 years old, but instead of being scared, she fell in LOVE with the ocean! 🌊

Where Does She Work?:

Everywhere there’s ocean water! From the surface to the deepest depths, Dr. Earle has explored oceans all around the world. She’s even lived underwater in special research stations, piloted incredible submarines, and walked on the ocean floor deeper than Mount Everest is tall!

What Is She Famous For?:

  • Set a world record by diving SOLO to 1,000 meters deep (that’s like being an underwater astronaut!)
  • Led more than 100 ocean expeditions (that’s more adventures than most pirates!)
  • Spent more than 7,000 hours underwater (that’s like living underwater for almost a whole year!)
  • Became the first female chief scientist of NOAA (the people who study weather and oceans)
  • Created special protected areas in the ocean called “Hope Spots” (like national parks, but underwater!)

Coolest Discoveries and Inventions:

  • Helped design Deep Rover, a super-cool submarine that lets scientists work 3,000 feet underwater while staying dry
  • Led the first team of all-women aquanauts (that’s like being an underwater astronaut!) during Project Tektite II
  • Found new ways to study deep-sea creatures without hurting them
  • Took amazing underwater pictures that showed people parts of the ocean they’d never seen before

Her Ocean Superpower:

Dr. Earle has an amazing way of helping people understand why the ocean is so important! She says, “No water, no life. No blue, no green.” That means that everything on Earth – including YOU – needs healthy oceans to survive!

Fun Facts About Dr. Earle:

  • She’s written LOTS of books about the ocean
  • She helped Google create special ocean maps for Google Earth
  • She’s been on thousands of dives but still gets excited every single time she sees something new underwater
  • She’s nicknamed the “Sturgeon General” because she works so hard to keep our oceans healthy
  • She brings her research to help protect the oceans to important people all around the world

Her Mission:

Dr. Earle is working super hard to protect our oceans! She wants to make sure that when YOU grow up, the oceans will still be full of amazing creatures and beautiful coral reefs. She created something called Mission Blue to help protect special ocean places all around the world!

The Deep Rover Submarine
Dr. Earle in the Deep Rover Submarine