Misplaced Pages

Bruce Strickrott

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
American Deep Sea Explorer (born 1964)
Bruce Strickrott
Strickrott at Mystic Seaport
BornWilliam "Bruce" Strickrott
(1964-12-18) December 18, 1964 (age 60)
Takoma Park, Maryland, US
Alma materFlorida Atlantic University Boca Raton, Florida
Employer(s)Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
DSV Alvin Group
SpouseGenai Strickrott (née Corban)
Children2
Military career
Allegiance United States
Service / branch United States Navy
Years of service1986–1992
RankPetty Officer First Class
CommandsUSS Horne, USS Fox
Battles / warsOperation Earnest Will, Operation Desert Storm
AwardsGood Conduct Medal, Southwest Asian Service Medal
RelationsRobert Henry Barringer

William "Bruce" Strickrott (born December 18, 1964) is an American ocean engineer, US Navy Deep Submergence Vehicle Pilot and deep sea explorer. He is the Senior Pilot and manager of the DSV Alvin Submersible Engineering and Operations Group at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Mr. Strickrott is an honorably discharged US Navy veteran and a Fellow National of The Explorers Club.

Education and background

Strickrott grew up in Clifton Park, New York and attended Shenendehowa High School graduating in 1982. His initial exposure to deep sea science and exploration was from National Geographic magazine articles documenting Alvin's discovery of deep-sea hydrothermal vents and Dr. Robert Ballard's dives to the RMS Titanic in Alvin.

Strickrott enlisted in the US Navy in 1986 and after completing recruit training in San Diego, California, he was transferred to Naval Station Great Lakes where he qualified as a Fire Control technician. During six years of active duty he served on two Belknap-class guided-missile cruisers, the USS Horne (CG-30) and the USS Fox (CG-33). Strickrott was honorably discharged from the US Navy in 1992 as a Petty Officer First Class (E-6). After the Navy, Strickrott attended Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in Boca Raton, Florida studying Ocean Engineering. In 1996, he graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering and was subsequently inducted into the Tau Beta Pi and Phi Kappa Phi national honor societies.

In September 1996, Strickrott joined the DSV Alvin Group at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution as an ocean engineer and Alvin Pilot in Training (PIT). In December 1999 he officially qualified as a US Navy Deep Submergence Pilot, becoming the 56th civilian to earn the US Navy Deep Submergence Officer Insignia.

Career

Bruce Strickrott with DSV Alvin personnel sphere
Red octopus clinging to Alvin manipulator arm
photo by Bruce Strickrott

Diving and expedition

In August 2004, during an Alvin dive series along the Gulf of Alaska seamounts, Strickrott collected a very large new species of bamboo coral. The large coral is now displayed in the Smithsonian Institution Sant Ocean Hall

In 2014, Strickrott took over management of the Alvin Submersible Engineering and Operations Group (SEOG), and in 2022 led the effort to complete Alvin's major upgrade for operations to 6,500 meters. He was the Chief Scientist for the sea -trials dive expedition to the Puerto Rico Trench, that completed Alvin's US Navy Certification and first dives to the new depth. As of July 2024 Mr. Strickrott has completed over 400 dives in Alvin, accumulating over 3000 hours submerged.

In August 2018, during the Project Deep Search dive series, Bruce piloted Alvin when Dr. Erik Cordes discovered a previously unknown extensive deep sea coral reef, off the coast of South Carolina.

In April 2023, Strickrott piloted Alvin during the Galapagos Deep 2023 Expedition. The expedition discovered numerous pristine deep sea coral reefs in the Galapagos Marine Reserve.

Strickrott has participated on over 150 research expeditions with Alvin, aboard the R/V Atlantis (AGOR-25), as an Alvin pilot and Expedition Leader.

New species discovery

During his career as an Alvin pilot, Strickrott has had two species of deep sea animals named in his honor, in recognition of his piloting expertise and dedication to ocean science and exploration. Strickrott found a new species of deep sea hagfish in March of 2005, during Alvin dive number 4089 along the southern East Pacific Rise. The new hagfish was the first to be discovered at a Hydrothermal vent and is named Eptatretus strickrotti, "Strickrott's Hagfish".
Strickrott helped discover a new species of deep sea polychaete worm During his dives in 2009 and 2018, near Methane Seeps in the Pacific Ocean off Costa Rica. The discovery includes the new genus, Pectinereis. Researchers named the new polychaete worm, Pectinereis strickrotti, in recognition of his role in its discovery.

Film & Television

Strickrott has been featured in a number of documentary films and programs including:

  • Volcanoes of the Deep Sea (2020)
  • Bruce and Alvin (2021)
  • Acid Horizon (2021)
  • Discover Wonder, the Octopus Garden (2021)
  • Changing Seas, Episode 1303 Alvin: Pioneer of the Deep (2021)

Further reading

References

  1. "Bruce Strickrott has been Inducted into the Prestigious Marquis Who's Who Biographical Registry". 24-7pressrelease.com. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  2. Stevens, Jane. "Expedition's End". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  3. Daley, Beth. "He keeps a discerning eye on the ocean floor". boston.com. The Boston Globe. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  4. Nevala, Amy. "Alvin's pilots, a tight knit group with the 'right stuff' to guide a submersible on the seafloor". WHOI.edu/oceanus. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  5. Nevala, Amy. "Ever get scared in the sub?". whoi.edu/oceanus. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  6. Etnoyer, Peter (5 January 2007). "Alvin has pilots?". Deep Sea News. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  7. Dykman, Lauren. "First Descent: thoughts, feelings, and memories from my dive in Alvin". paocweb.mit.edu. MIT. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  8. Trauthwein, Greg. "Submersible Technology Advances at Speed at WHOI". maritimemagazines.com. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  9. Fraser, Doug. "$8M upgrade will give WHOI research sub Alvin access to 98% of the ocean". capecodtimes.com. Gannet. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  10. Etnoyer, Peter. "A new species of Isidella bamboo coral (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea: Isididae) from northeast Pacific Seamounts". researchgate.net. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  11. Shapiro, Aurelie. "What do you do if you see bamboo?". NOAA Ocean Explorer. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  12. Etnoyer, Peter (30 September 2008). "New hall of the oceans at the Smithsonian". Deep Sea News. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  13. Oberhaus, Daniel. "The Oldest Crewed Deep Sea Submarine Just Got a Big Makeover". wired.com. Condé Nast. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  14. Chase, Kelly. "Lessons on small space living from a submarine pilot". capecodandtheislandsmag.com. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  15. "Alvin makes an exciting coral discovery". WHOI.edu. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  16. Freeman, David (29 August 2018). "Huge deep-sea coral reef discovered off the South Carolina coast". NBC new.com. NBC News. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  17. Landrum, Lauren (28 August 2018). "Scientists discover hidden deep-sea coral reef South Carolina coast". cnn.com. CNN. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  18. Driscoll, Sean. "Famed submersible Alvin returns to WHOI". Cape Cod Time.com. Cape Cod Times. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  19. Lippsett, Lonny. "Rebuilding Alvin: Bruce Strickrott". WHOI.edu/oceanus. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  20. Lippsett, Lonny. "Rebuilding Alvin: Humphris & Strickrott". WHOI.edu/oceanus. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  21. Robbins, Gary (7 July 2023). "The mini-sub that carried the firsr humans to the Titanic in San Diego looking for fresh discoveries". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  22. Davis, Dexter. "Alvin and the shipmunks". wp.wwu.edu. Western Washington University. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  23. Nevala, Amy. "Would a Hagfish By Any Other Name Smell as Sweet". Would a Hagfish By Any Other Name Smell as Sweet. whoi.edu/oceanus. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  24. Gouveia, Aaron. "Hagfish". Cape Cod Times.com. Cape Cod Times. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  25. Levenson, Michael (19 February 2007). "Hagfish named after discoverer". Boston.com. Boston Globe. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  26. Villalobos-Guerrero, Tulio; Huč, Sonja; Tilic, Ekin; Hiley, Avery; Rouse, Greg (2024). "A remarkable new deep-sea nereidid (Annelida: Nereididae) with gills". PLOS ONE. 19 (3): e0297961. Bibcode:2024PLoSO..1997961V. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0297961. PMC 10917260. PMID 38446781.
  27. Baisas, Laura (6 March 2024). "Newly discovered deep-sa worm moves like a 'living magic carpet'". popsic.com. Bonnier. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  28. Fox, Alex (6 March 2024). "New deep-sea worm discvered at methane seep off Costa Rica". UCSandiego.edu. UCSD. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  29. McCarron, Heather (27 March 2024). "Deep-Sea Discovery Falmouth submersible pilot spots new worm species - which now bears his name". Cape Cod Times. Falmouth, MA. pp. 1A, 8A.
  30. Badasie, Charlena. "Underwater Worm Discovered is New Creepy Species". giantfreakinrobot.com. Josh Tyler. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  31. Baskin, Ellen (10 September 2003). "High-tech film shows little known world". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  32. "Woods Hole Film Festival, Film and Science Initiative". Woods Hole Film Festival. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  33. Chester, Mark (October 2021). "See what I mean: Alvin and Bruce". The Enterprise. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  34. "Acid Horizon". Abacus Media Rights. Abacus Media. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  35. ""Discover Wonder: The Octopus Garden" Wins Best Short Film at the International Ocean Film Festival". SIMoN. 2021-04-02.
  36. "Alvin: Pioneer of the Deep". Changing Seas.
Categories: