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Robert Ballard | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Ballard in 2023 | |
| Born | Robert Duane Ballard June 30, 1942 Wichita, Kansas, U.S. |
| Education | University of California, Santa Barbara (BS) University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (MS) University of Rhode Island (PhD) |
| Employer | University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography |
| Known for | Ocean exploration and underwater archaeology; discoveries of the wrecks of the RMS Titanic, the battleship Bismarck, the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, and John F. Kennedy's PT-109 |
| Awards | Kilby International Awards (1994) The Explorer Medal (1995) Hubbard Medal (1996) Caird Medal (2002) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service | |
| Years of service | 1965–1995 |
| Rank |  Commander |
Robert Duane Ballard (born June 30, 1942) is an American retired Navy officer and a professor of oceanography at the University of Rhode Island who is noted for his work in underwater archaeology (maritime archaeology and archaeology of shipwrecks) and marine geology. He is best known by the general public for the discoveries of the wrecks of the RMS Titanic in 1985, the battleship Bismarck in 1989, and the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown in 1998. He discovered the wreck of John F. Kennedy's PT-109 in 2002 and visited Biuku Gasa and Eroni Kumana, who saved its crew.
Ballard discovered hydrothermal vents, where life goes on powered by nutrient chemicals emitted by the vents rather than the sunlight that drives most life on Earth; he said "finding hydrothermal vents beats the hell out of finding the Titanic", and his mother commented "It's too bad you found that rusty old boat... they're only going to remember you for finding [it]".[1] Ballard also established the JASON Project, and leads ocean exploration on the research vessel E/V Nautilus.[2][3][4]
- ^ Weston, Phoebe (May 9, 2024). "I discovered hydrothermal vents, but I'm only known for finding the Titanic". The Guardian.
- ^ Sea Research Foundation (2011). "About Robert Ballard". nautiluslive.org. Archived from the original on May 19, 2019. Retrieved April 27, 2012.
- ^ "Our Mission". JASON Learning. Archived from the original on November 18, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
- ^ "Sulfur". Elements. BBC. October 11, 2014. Archived from the original on December 26, 2021. Retrieved December 26, 2021.. Download here Archived February 6, 2023, at the Wayback Machine.