Renowned Ocean Explorer & Scientist
Robert Ballard
Speaking Fee: 4786
Travels From: Available Upon Request
Robert Ballard At A Glance:
On more than 120 deep-sea expeditions, Robert Ballard has made many major natural discoveries, such as the deep-sea vents. Oh, and he found the Titanic.
Robert D. Ballard, Ph.D. – is Founder and President of the Ocean Exploration Trust; Professor of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography. He is an Explorer-At-Large at the National Geographic Society, Commissioner for the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, and a Research Scholar at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He served in the U.S. Navy for more than 30 years and continues to work with the Office of Naval Research. A pioneer in the development of deep-sea submersibles and remotely operated vehicle systems, he has taken part in more than 155 deep-sea expeditions. In 1985, he discovered the RMS Titanic, and has succeeded in tracking down numerous other significant shipwrecks, including the German battleship Bismarck, the lost fleet of Guadalcanal, the U.S. aircraft carrier Yorktown, and John F. Kennedy’s boat, PT-109. He has also discovered hydrothermal vents and “black smokers” in the Galapagos Rift and East Pacific Rise in 1977 and 1979. The author of numerous books, scientific papers, and articles, he has been featured in several National Geographic television programs, including “Secrets of the Titanic” a five-part mini-series, “Alien Deep with Bob Ballard.” and, in 2019, “Expedition Amelia.” He was a special advisor to Steve Spielberg on the futuristic television show seaQuest DSV. His honors include 22 Honorary Doctorates, National Geographic’s highest award, the Hubbard Medal, and a National Endowment for the Humanities Medal. He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2014. Dr. Ballard’s autobiography, INTO THE DEEP, will be released Father’s Day 2021 and National Geographic television special, “Bob Ballard: An Explorer’s Life” will air June 14.
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Adventures in Deep Sea Exploration: Living the Dream
In his talk, through the use of stunning high quality images and personal accounts, Dr. Ballard will present his most recent work in deep water archaeology and the technology of tele-presence. He discusses motivating people to think outside the box, learning how to deal with failure-that failure is just a step along the way to success, motivating children to choose careers in math, science and engineering; and how to live your dream. Ballard is a dynamic speaker who will have your audience on the edge of their seats wanting to start a whole new career in exploration!
The audience wished he could have gone on all day. He was the best speaker we had all season!— Ringling College Library Association
Robert Ballard was an absolute "Home Run"!!!! Everyone loved him. He was the talk of the weekend.— Campbell Soup Company