MS in Operational Oceanography students Joseph DiDomenico, Bodhi Fox, Matthew Learn, Jessica Leonard, Jason Seiple, and Clayton Smith have successfully defended their theses! Over the past twelve months, the cohort familiarized themselves with the many ocean technologies used at RUCOOL and DMCS. Students worked closely with our operational teams to learn firsthand, all while completing a research thesis under the guidance of our faculty. This work was presented today to the public first and then to their committees as well as the incoming cohort of MOO students. Thesis topics ranged from glider behavior and path planning to multiple applications of sonar and video processing, to the program’s first industry partnership on a water sampler development. Well done everyone!
Joseph DiDomenico – “BIVALVE: An Image-Based Validation Framework for Benthic Habitat Classification From Side-Scan Sonar Data”
Bodhi Fox – “The Remora: A Water Sampling Capability for the WasteShark Autonomous Surface Vehicle”
Matthew Learn – “Navigating Uncertainty: The Glider Guidance System 2 for Time-Optimal Path Planning With Multi-Model Ocean Current Forecast”
Jessica Leonard – “Using Slocum Gliders with Nontraditional Flight Behaviors to Accommodate unique Sampling Requirements”
Jason Seiple – “Tracking Hydrothermal Diffuse Flow with Multi-Beam Sonar: Insights from COVIS (2019-2023)”
Clayton Smith – “Seagrass Habitat Classification: A Comparative Analysis of Side Scan Sonar and Aerial Imagery”