This award provides support for the upgrade of a scientific diving facility and related diving capabilities. The Scripps Inst of Oceanography (SIO) Scientific Diving Program, established in the early 1950's, is the oldest and one of the largest academic diving programs in the U.S. In 1977 its Manual for Diving Safety was adopted as the template for the American Academy of Underwater Sciences Standards for Scientific Diving, now the standard for scientific diving safety programs nationwide. The proposed improvements will allow the SIO Scientific Diving Program to continue to meet the high level of training required of it's scientific community as well as provide safer and more effective support to the diverse body of students, faculty, staff, and visiting researchers.
Broader Impacts
The SIO Scientific Diving Program has often set the standards for diver training and safety and has disseminated useful knowledge to the wider community. Diving is an essential tool for many of the ongoing research programs and those expected for the future. Graduate students are trained to use diving and small boats for their research. The program also supports the local aquarium, which is involved in substantial public outreach.
