Lawrence W. Carpenter
Ph.D. student
School of Marine Science
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
College of William & Mary
Pianoman@vims.edu

Following an injury …… or two, I retired at the age of 38 after 20 years as a professional fire fighter in London (UK). After a year of intensive college science courses, I began my Bachelors at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and earned my B.Sc. with honors in June of 1999. In September of the same year, I moved to the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and started my Ph.D. program.

I am interested in 'all things deep sea', the physical phenomena that affect biology at these great depths and the equipment required to study these systems! In my research I use a variety of equipment which includes; autonomous underwater vehicles, submersibles and deep sea imaging systems. During my time here at VIMS, I have traveled to the Galapagos, Antarctic and dived (in Alvin) to more than 9000 feet below the Pacific to place monitoring equipment at a hydrothermal vent site.

My work here at NURC is part of my Ph.D. thesis and is one of the shallowest systems I have ever worked in! ………… but my times swimming with FETCH, my advisors Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, makes it all …… bearable!

How did I get into Marine biology ? ………… after 20 years of 'throwing water about', studying 'it' seemed the next logical progression !