Global Deep Sea Capacity Assessment Results
Presenters: Dr. Katy Croff Bell, President & Founder, Ocean Discovery League; Dr. Maud Quinzin, Capacity Assessment Project Manager, Ocean Discovery League
Sponsors: NOAA Central Library and NOAA Ocean Exploration
Abstract: Exploration and research in the 93% of our planet's ocean that lies deeper than 200 m is typically conducted by only a handful of countries with the required financial and personnel resources. But just how many countries actually have the capacity to access and work in the deep ocean? This knowledge is essential to make deep-sea exploration and science more inclusive and equitable.
The Global Deep Sea Capacity Assessment is a baseline survey of the technical and human capacity for deep sea science and exploration in every coastal nation with deep waters (200m+) around the world. The assessment, conducted throughout 2021, was led by Dr. Katy Croff Bell, National Geographic Explorer and Founder of Ocean Discovery League. This assessment is the broadest survey ever conducted on current capabilities to explore and study the deep sea, including more than 120 countries, of which 100 were developing economies and Small Island Developing States. In addition to the survey responses, the results include detailed research conducted by a global team of research assistants.
Keywords: deep sea, exploration, survey
Bios: Dr. Katy Croff Bell is the Founder and President of the Ocean Discovery League and a National Geographic Explorer. She is on a mission to break down the barriers to the deep sea by combining low-cost technologies, AI-driven data analysis, and capacity building to make access to the deep sea more efficient and accessible to all, especially those historically excluded in the field. Her background in ocean engineering, maritime archaeology, and geological oceanography, and leadership of dozens of expeditions around the world uniquely position her to create efficient, equitable systems to broaden access to the deep sea. Bell was previously the Founding Director of the Open Ocean Initiative at the MIT Media Lab and as Executive Vice President of the Ocean Exploration Trust, she led the development of exploration, research, and educational outreach activities for E/V Nautilus, including management of scientists, engineers, educators, and students from 30+ countries working together to conduct telepresence-enabled expeditions around the world.
Dr. Maud Quinzin is an ocean lover, feeling better at sea than on land. Her work centers on sustainability and proactively addresses the biological biodiversity crisis, while she explores approaches that support social and environmental justice. Evolutionary and Conservation Biologist trained in Western Science, she is learning about traditional knowledge and practices with local and indigenous knowledge holders to collaboratively propose holistic remediation against environmental conflicts and threats. She is notably looking at how technologies developed for the exploration and protection of the living world can influence our societies and how societies influence those technologies. For that, her work with indigenous communities to combine traditional knowledge with scientific developments aims at fully understanding local ecosystems and guiding the development of transformative technologies that encourage systemic changes essential for human and non-human lives to thrive.
