WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:03.270 --> 00:00:05.150 Imagine yourself exploring the ocean. 00:00:08.860 --> 00:00:09.640 What do you see? 00:00:13.040 --> 00:00:17.350 Perhaps you see yourself on a ship, sailing across the water, 00:00:19.600 --> 00:00:21.009 or diving on a coral reef, 00:00:24.880 --> 00:00:27.009 or analyzing data in a laboratory. 00:00:29.509 --> 00:00:33.170 Maybe your imagination takes you to the most remote areas of the 00:00:33.170 --> 00:00:37.129 sea, far from shore, and thousands of feet below the surface. 00:00:39.229 --> 00:00:42.559 What are the tools that help you reach and study this distant environment? 00:00:47.310 --> 00:00:52.070 Humans have been navigating and exploring our ocean for millennia, but in recent 00:00:52.070 --> 00:00:56.070 decades, several tools have become hallmarks of modern ocean exploration, 00:00:58.089 --> 00:01:02.669 like research vessels that provide mobile platforms for science and exploration 00:01:02.669 --> 00:01:08.360 operations, sonar systems, that help us map the ocean floor in incredibly 00:01:08.360 --> 00:01:13.880 fine detail, underwater vehicles that provide a first hand glimpse 00:01:14.120 --> 00:01:15.810 at the wonders of the depths below, 00:01:20.250 --> 00:01:26.159 and telepresence technology that brings real time exploration to the eyes and 00:01:26.160 --> 00:01:28.640 ears of scientists and the public. 00:01:30.350 --> 00:01:34.970 But even these relatively standard methodologies are continually evolving as 00:01:34.970 --> 00:01:37.259 deep sea exploration technology improves. 00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:42.340 Today, the breadth of activities that we that contribute to ocean exploration 00:01:42.420 --> 00:01:46.550 is incredibly diverse, as are the tools that help us to accomplish it. 00:01:47.970 --> 00:01:52.180 Over the last few decades, these technologies have advanced exponentially, 00:01:52.620 --> 00:01:57.199 making ocean exploration more accessible, more efficient, and 00:01:57.199 --> 00:01:59.410 more economical than ever before. 00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:04.980 So to learn more, let's talk to an emerging ocean engineer, Jenna Enot. 00:02:05.415 --> 00:02:07.885 Hi Jenna, we're really glad to have you joining us today. 00:02:08.215 --> 00:02:09.935 Hi, I really appreciate you having me. 00:02:10.245 --> 00:02:11.885 So Jenna, tell me a little bit about yourself. 00:02:11.915 --> 00:02:14.495 What inspired you to study the ocean? 00:02:15.005 --> 00:02:17.825 So, I, I think I've always been a fish. 00:02:17.855 --> 00:02:21.744 Uh, I'm very fortunate, both my parents were scuba divers, and my dad 00:02:21.755 --> 00:02:23.764 had me swimming before I could walk. 00:02:24.025 --> 00:02:27.755 But I remember really vividly, I had the privilege to go on vacation to 00:02:27.775 --> 00:02:29.475 Puerto Rico when I was five years old. 00:02:29.855 --> 00:02:31.695 And I went snorkeling for the first time. 00:02:33.855 --> 00:02:37.355 I remember putting on the mask and looking underwater and it was like a 00:02:37.355 --> 00:02:39.995 whole new world I had no idea existed. 00:02:40.365 --> 00:02:44.144 And as we're swimming along this reef, I remember we looked to our 00:02:44.144 --> 00:02:46.185 right and saw a school of barracuda. 00:02:46.644 --> 00:02:49.245 They turned and swam off into the distance. 00:02:49.325 --> 00:02:51.574 And I remember thinking like, where are they going? 00:02:51.584 --> 00:02:55.125 What else is out there for those barracudas to just disappear? 00:02:55.125 --> 00:02:58.984 There's, there's so much more out there that we don't understand just yet. 00:03:00.355 --> 00:03:01.394 So now. 00:03:01.650 --> 00:03:04.710 You're actually an engineer who studies the ocean. 00:03:04.960 --> 00:03:07.840 Can you tell me a little bit about your background and why 00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:09.440 you specifically do what you do? 00:03:09.909 --> 00:03:14.920 My studies were primarily mechanical engineering with a bunch of ocean sciences 00:03:14.939 --> 00:03:16.600 and ocean dynamics tied into that. 00:03:16.609 --> 00:03:19.339 There are plenty of disciplines inside of ocean engineering. 00:03:19.805 --> 00:03:24.095 But where I'm most interested is in marine robotics and maritime technology. 00:03:25.215 --> 00:03:30.775 To me, that means developing machines that allow us to access the ocean a little bit 00:03:30.805 --> 00:03:34.135 better, or easier, to learn more about it. 00:03:34.715 --> 00:03:36.995 The ocean is a very challenging environment. 00:03:37.034 --> 00:03:39.534 Dealing with the pressure, dealing with the salt water, 00:03:39.534 --> 00:03:41.325 which is corrosive to metal. 00:03:41.405 --> 00:03:43.455 It can damage your electronics. 00:03:43.715 --> 00:03:47.645 You typically don't think of water and electronics going together, but I like 00:03:47.645 --> 00:03:51.875 the challenge that it brings of trying to create machines that go in the ocean. 00:03:52.434 --> 00:03:56.465 And there's a lot of room for us to progress in that area. 00:03:56.695 --> 00:04:01.515 Sounds like it requires some incredible creativity and innovation. 00:04:01.905 --> 00:04:04.965 Were there any key experiences that you had that sort of 00:04:04.965 --> 00:04:06.675 solidified your career direction? 00:04:07.535 --> 00:04:11.445 I think one experience that was on an undergraduate robotics team, we were 00:04:11.445 --> 00:04:17.035 working towards making an uncrewed surface vessel, so a USB, a robotic boat, with 00:04:17.085 --> 00:04:21.405 relatively inexpensive parts, hobby robotics parts, and open source code. 00:04:21.754 --> 00:04:27.604 And having that experience and that opportunity to make mistakes, to fail, to 00:04:27.764 --> 00:04:32.544 burn up microcontrollers and short circuit your motors, And have it not be a huge 00:04:32.565 --> 00:04:34.544 cost, I think was really important for me. 00:04:34.825 --> 00:04:38.645 And it was meaningful to learn that you don't necessarily need years of experience 00:04:38.695 --> 00:04:43.864 and a million dollars of startup funds to get into robotics and to make USBs. 00:04:44.124 --> 00:04:48.324 We were making remote control boats and USBs out of insulation foam 00:04:48.324 --> 00:04:52.005 that you could buy at the hardware store and plywood and tupperware 00:04:52.005 --> 00:04:53.034 that you took from your kitchen. 00:04:53.354 --> 00:04:55.825 You don't need too, too much to get into it. 00:04:55.895 --> 00:04:56.784 You just have to start. 00:04:57.985 --> 00:05:01.864 So, Jenna, ocean exploration, as we've mentioned, is becoming 00:05:01.875 --> 00:05:05.755 cheaper, it's becoming faster, and more efficient than ever before. 00:05:05.965 --> 00:05:07.294 Can you tell me a little bit about that? 00:05:07.744 --> 00:05:08.664 Yes, absolutely. 00:05:08.664 --> 00:05:10.305 I think it's fascinating. 00:05:10.315 --> 00:05:14.025 We now have underwater technology and marine robots that can talk 00:05:14.025 --> 00:05:16.845 to each other in a very similar way that we talk to each other. 00:05:16.904 --> 00:05:18.884 They use sound to transmit information. 00:05:18.985 --> 00:05:22.465 signals to another machine where instead of having ears, they have 00:05:22.465 --> 00:05:25.945 something called an acoustic modem that interprets that signal and can use 00:05:25.945 --> 00:05:28.145 that to communicate with each other. 00:05:29.195 --> 00:05:33.354 I was fortunate enough to go out on the Explorer Vessel Nautilus this 00:05:33.354 --> 00:05:36.105 past October for, 19 days at sea. 00:05:36.265 --> 00:05:41.195 I was working with my lab and we have a Drix, which is an uncrewed 00:05:41.205 --> 00:05:43.705 surface vessel, a robotic boat. 00:05:44.575 --> 00:05:48.184 And with that on the surface of the water, we were using it to communicate with the 00:05:48.184 --> 00:05:52.114 Mesobot, which is an underwater vehicle. 00:05:52.165 --> 00:05:56.435 And with the two of those vessels, we were able to communicate back and 00:05:56.435 --> 00:06:00.005 forth for the Drix telling the Mesobot where to travel in the water column 00:06:00.325 --> 00:06:02.385 and the Mesobot verifying with Drix. 00:06:02.415 --> 00:06:02.765 Okay. 00:06:02.765 --> 00:06:03.455 I'm at that depth. 00:06:04.095 --> 00:06:04.865 Uh, the Drix. 00:06:05.225 --> 00:06:08.575 You can see it zipping out in front of the Nautilus now. 00:06:08.585 --> 00:06:13.195 It is used for, uh, mapping or, as we did in October, 00:06:13.225 --> 00:06:14.675 communicating with the Mesobot. 00:06:14.765 --> 00:06:18.694 And that is used to study different animals, different biology, 00:06:18.734 --> 00:06:23.485 the water particles within the Mesopelagic Zone, that middle region. 00:06:23.755 --> 00:06:27.555 And I think one thing that is important about that animation is at the very end, 00:06:27.565 --> 00:06:30.135 you can see the Nautilus begin mapping. 00:06:32.280 --> 00:06:35.010 And it leaves the robots to occupy themselves. 00:06:35.010 --> 00:06:39.590 And since we have the capability for them to operate autonomously, it allows 00:06:39.620 --> 00:06:43.380 the mothership to continue exploring on its own, which essentially doubles 00:06:43.450 --> 00:06:45.070 the surface that we're able to cover. 00:06:45.770 --> 00:06:46.409 So we've 00:06:46.430 --> 00:06:50.430 talked a little bit about efficiency, and we've talked a little bit 00:06:50.470 --> 00:06:52.610 about advanced capabilities. 00:06:53.180 --> 00:06:57.140 And today's innovative engineers are also making the ocean. 00:06:57.500 --> 00:07:00.470 more accessible through the use of some of these tools. 00:07:00.880 --> 00:07:02.940 Can you share an example of what that 00:07:02.940 --> 00:07:03.180 means 00:07:03.300 --> 00:07:03.600 to you? 00:07:03.900 --> 00:07:04.530 Absolutely. 00:07:04.550 --> 00:07:09.060 So in previous years, everyone that participated in ocean sciences 00:07:09.070 --> 00:07:14.039 or on seagoing expeditions had to be on board, which is a very 00:07:14.039 --> 00:07:15.479 physically demanding environment. 00:07:15.769 --> 00:07:21.189 It's not necessarily the ideal scenario for many people, but with technology 00:07:21.189 --> 00:07:24.615 today, We are able to collaborate with people all over the world. 00:07:25.025 --> 00:07:29.925 So, on our most recent expedition in October, while we on the vessel 00:07:29.934 --> 00:07:35.235 were over a hundred miles south of the Hawaiian Islands, we were able 00:07:35.235 --> 00:07:39.295 to collaborate with co workers on the east coast of the United States. 00:07:39.599 --> 00:07:46.000 With my co worker KG taking control of the Drix from New Hampshire and our colleague 00:07:46.090 --> 00:07:51.419 Annette guiding the Mesobot operations from Woods Hole out of Massachusetts while 00:07:51.419 --> 00:07:56.049 we were in the center of the Pacific Ocean and even while we were on the mothership, 00:07:56.140 --> 00:07:59.010 the Drix was over 23 miles away. 00:07:59.039 --> 00:08:02.919 And it allowed us to include in the conversation the people that couldn't 00:08:03.190 --> 00:08:08.169 make it to sea for any circumstance, whether it's family or personal, they were 00:08:08.169 --> 00:08:12.409 able to be a part of our mission, which I think is really, really invaluable. 00:08:12.450 --> 00:08:15.250 It's incredibly invaluable and it's become so inclusive. 00:08:15.389 --> 00:08:17.860 It's just, just fantastic. 00:08:18.189 --> 00:08:21.250 So Jenna, what do you find most interesting about current 00:08:21.299 --> 00:08:22.689 ocean exploration technologies? 00:08:24.310 --> 00:08:28.469 There's such a wide variety of the ways that we can study the ocean. 00:08:28.810 --> 00:08:33.155 And I am so frequently inspired by Even just the, the students and 00:08:33.335 --> 00:08:34.845 the people that I'm surrounded by. 00:08:35.174 --> 00:08:38.835 We can use satellites to detect the surface temperature of the 00:08:38.835 --> 00:08:41.274 ocean on a huge spatial scale. 00:08:41.605 --> 00:08:46.555 We are developing soft robotics so that ROVs, remotely operated vehicles, 00:08:46.555 --> 00:08:49.835 can better collect biological samples from the bottom of the ocean. 00:08:50.135 --> 00:08:55.145 There are just a million different little, uh, intricate pieces that go into the 00:08:55.194 --> 00:08:57.275 larger umbrella of ocean technology. 00:08:57.444 --> 00:09:00.545 Where do engineers get their inspiration for these? 00:09:03.064 --> 00:09:06.545 I find a lot of inspiration in the technology that we're 00:09:06.574 --> 00:09:08.865 capable of on land or in space. 00:09:09.175 --> 00:09:14.584 We have maps of Mars and the moon, and we consider space to be our final frontier. 00:09:15.454 --> 00:09:17.334 We don't have maps of our own ocean, necessarily. 00:09:17.420 --> 00:09:18.670 This is the planet that we live on. 00:09:19.050 --> 00:09:21.490 I think a lot about self driving cars, and there's a lot of 00:09:21.500 --> 00:09:23.120 resources for developing them. 00:09:23.400 --> 00:09:28.810 But there's not the same for the ocean, because, I mean, like my 00:09:28.810 --> 00:09:32.850 thesis right now is working on obstacle detection for boats. 00:09:33.009 --> 00:09:37.579 And with cars, it's really easy to collect a data set of car obstacles. 00:09:37.610 --> 00:09:40.470 You drive around a city block and you see pedestrians and stoplights 00:09:40.470 --> 00:09:43.800 and street signs, but collecting video of marine obstacles. 00:09:43.985 --> 00:09:48.065 is a lot more difficult because you can't really drive around an ocean block. 00:09:48.085 --> 00:09:49.515 It's, the ocean is vast. 00:09:49.515 --> 00:09:52.285 It takes ages to, to collect a dataset like that. 00:09:52.625 --> 00:09:58.164 I think we draw a lot of inspiration from nature, like animals, bats and 00:09:58.165 --> 00:10:04.425 dolphins have been using echolocation for millennia longer than we have. 00:10:04.425 --> 00:10:07.865 And we only in the past hundred years figured out how to use it to 00:10:07.885 --> 00:10:08.985 measure the depth of the sea floor. 00:10:09.310 --> 00:10:13.090 So I think if we turn to nature, we can get a lot of 00:10:13.300 --> 00:10:14.730 inspiration from that as well. 00:10:14.820 --> 00:10:18.210 And there's really no better way to sense your environment quite like animals do. 00:10:18.649 --> 00:10:19.649 Nature knows best. 00:10:19.990 --> 00:10:22.080 Switching gears just a little bit, Jenna, what 00:10:22.080 --> 00:10:27.460 do you think are the most important topics for students and teachers 00:10:27.490 --> 00:10:31.709 to know about when it comes to current ocean technologies? 00:10:32.990 --> 00:10:36.860 I think what's most important to know is that there isn't one 00:10:37.339 --> 00:10:39.420 correct way to ocean sciences. 00:10:39.480 --> 00:10:42.390 There isn't one fast track highway to get you there. 00:10:42.630 --> 00:10:45.589 I think what's beautiful about ocean sciences is that 00:10:45.589 --> 00:10:47.430 there is a place for everyone. 00:10:47.970 --> 00:10:49.030 That's a wonderful point, 00:10:49.069 --> 00:10:49.349 Jenna. 00:10:49.890 --> 00:10:56.494 So, given your experience so far in your lengthy career, What is 00:10:56.525 --> 00:11:00.425 one big takeaway that you wish you knew as a younger person? 00:11:00.935 --> 00:11:06.604 It took me a long time to be comfortable not knowing and not understanding. 00:11:06.644 --> 00:11:10.064 There, there's no such thing as learning without failure. 00:11:10.144 --> 00:11:13.914 And with those things that you don't know or don't understand, I 00:11:13.914 --> 00:11:16.204 encourage you to be curious instead. 00:11:18.005 --> 00:11:20.985 Jenna, those are beautiful words for us to end on. 00:11:21.045 --> 00:11:23.515 Thank you for talking with us and for sharing your 00:11:23.515 --> 00:11:25.125 expertise and your perspective. 00:11:25.465 --> 00:11:28.835 I'm really excited to see what kind of amazing things you design 00:11:28.855 --> 00:11:31.795 and accomplish as you continue in this cutting edge profession. 00:11:33.084 --> 00:11:34.094 Thank you for having me. 00:11:37.025 --> 00:11:39.045 Jenna, what keeps going through my head, and I don't even know if you know 00:11:39.045 --> 00:11:43.915 this song, but every time people talk about barracudas, I just go, Barracuda!