About
Andrew Thaler is a deep-sea ecologist, conservation technologist, and ocean science educator. His work focuses on how humans use technology to interact with and experience the ocean. This is expressed through three separate tracts: Understanding the environmental consequences of deep-sea mining and developing policy and management frameworks to mitigate those impacts; Building low-cost, open-source tools for underwater exploration, including remotely operated vehicles and sensor platforms; and developing educational curricula, hands-on STEM workshops, and conservation technology challenges to empower stakeholders to develop their own research tools. The work naturally blends with other areas of conservation and technology, including implementing 3D-printing workshops, virtual reality experiences, and technology development training programs, as well as designing DIY educational tools and ocean STEM/STEAM programs.
He is the founder and lead developer of the OpenCTD project, the CEO of Blackbeard Biologic, and an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Studies and the University of Delaware.
Joined
December 2020
