Dr. Jack Barth
Professor of Oceanography OSU
Chief Scientist R/V Roger Revelle

My main area of interest is physical oceanography. We use the SeaSoar vehicle to detail the subsurface temperature, salinity, density, chlorophyll and suspended particle distributions. With the shipboard ADCP we can measure the water velocity. Putting together all the pieces, physics, chemistry and biology is all the fun! As Chief Scientist I'm responsible for leading the scientific team aboard Revelle. I spend lots of my time orchestrating the various measurement programs. My main job is answering everyone's favorite question "What are we doing next?" :) One of the perks of my job is that I get to spend a fair bit of time on the bridge with the Captain and mates as we communicate about our science objectives and plans. I usually help watch for crab pots on the inshore ends of the lines, making last minute decisions about turning the ship or bringing the SeaSoar to the surface to avoid snagging fishing gear.
 

What was your most memorable cruise and why?

The summer before my first year at graduate school at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (don't ask how long ago that was!), I signed on for some early research. I had graduated from the University of Colorado with a degree in physics. I was excited to apply hard-core math and physics to understand ocean circulation, but hadn't really spent much time, if any, on the sea. I was told to pack my bag for sea and to go down to the beach in the little village of Woods Hole and wait. I was ready to go out on one of the small boats moored in the harbor. After a while, a seaplane appeared and landed in the small harbor. After winding its way through the boats and beaching, I jumped on board and we flew about 30 minutes or so to another tiny harbor on one of the nearby local islands. I was greeted by my soon-to-be major professor. Before packing our "research vessel", a 37' sailing sloop borrowed from another professor at MIT, we stopped at the dock and bought a 5 lb (!) lobster for lunch. We then spent a week at sea measuring temperature, salinity and currents south of Cape Cod. Needless to say I was hooked, and continue to enjoy great adventures exploring the seas from Oregon to Georges Bank to south of New Zealand.