- Samuel J. Lake
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Like most marine scientists I have been fascinated with the ocean since I was a little kid; even though I grew up 700 miles from the nearest ocean. Living in southwestern Ohio definitely limited the time I was able to spend at the ocean, but it did not stop me from making the most out of every vacation. At age 14 I obtained my open water certification thanks mostly in part to my mother who started diving in the late 70’s.
My fascination with the ocean and marine science grew with every dive, which ultimately led me to Coastal Carolina University, where I received degrees in Marine Science and Biology. During my time at Coastal I studied many important ocean processes from two dimensional surface modeling and shark distribution along the South Carolina coast to the buoyancy ratio and wave dynamics necessary to do an off-the-lip 180 on a surf board.
Currently, I am attending the Virginia Institute of Marine Science where I am working with fellow scientists to develop a better understanding of what processes control the development of low oxygen water within the Chesapeake Bay. During the Aquarius mission I will be topside collecting and processing data along with taking the occasional plunge into the blue to collect data from the ocean floor.
