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After earning a B.S. from Purdue University and an M.A. from the College of William and Mary, Bruce H. Robison returned home to California and Stanford University, where he completed a Ph.D. program in 1973. He then spent two years conducting post-doctoral research on deep sea fishes at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, before accepting a position at the University of California, Santa Barbara. In 1987 he joined the newly formed Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), where he is presently a Senior Scientist. Robison's research interests are centered on the biology and ecology of deepsea animals, particularly those which inhabit the oceanic water column. He has pioneered the use of undersea vehicles for these studies and he led the first team of scientists trained as submersible pilots for research in midwater. As pilot or observer, Robison has spent a good portion of his career in deep water, aboard more than a dozen different submersibles. At MBARI, his research team has focused on the development of remotely operated vehicles as research platforms for deep sea research. Robison's midwater research program is presently addressing the ecology of gelatinous animals in the deep sea. This group includes ctenophores, medusae, and siphonophores, animals which cannot be investigated accurately with conventional sampling methods, but which play dominant roles in mesopelagic ecology. Related studies include trophic structure, physiology, and the behavior of midwater animals including fishes and squids. Behavioral studies are also investigating the ways that animals use bioluminescence in the deep sea, with both laboratory and in-situ observations.
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It chose me. In undergraduate school a wise counselor showed me that I could combine the subjects I did best in (biology, English) with the things I loved to do (surfing, swimming, scuba diving). For a Southern California beach kid who thought he should be an engineer, that was a profound revelation. What would you recommend for students wanting to pursue a similar career? Don't make that decision too early. Work hard in school and make sure that you investigate other career options. What do you like best about your profession? That it provides both intellectual and physical challenges. I love going to sea. What web sites and references would you recommend for viewers interested in your work that was featured in The Shape of Life series? Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute Bioluminescence Web Page at University of California, Santa Barbara Robison, B.H. 1995. Life in the Ocean's Midwaters. Scientific American, 273(1):60-64. Robison, B. and J. Connor. 1999. The Deep Sea. Monterey Bay Aquarium Natural History Book Series, Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation, 80pp. |
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