Courtesy of Sylvia Earle

Curiosity Expert: Sylvia Earle

Founder and President, The Sylvia Earle Alliance

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Dr. Sylvia Earle is an oceanographer, explorer, author, lecturer and experienced field research scientist. She is President of The Sea Alliance, a nonprofit whose mission is to create awareness of the ocean's importance to all life, explore global waters and inspire conservation action. She is the founder of Mission Blue, an initiative for NGOs to collaborate on global ocean awareness using Google Earth.

Dr. Earle founded Deep Ocean Exploration and Research (DOER Marine), which pioneers technologies for scientific ocean research and exploration. DOER designs, builds, operates and supports manned and robotic undersea vehicles for access, exploration and work in remote and hostile environments.

Author of more than 150 publications, Dr. Earle has led 60 expeditions worldwide and logged over 6,500 hours underwater in connection with her research. She is an "Explorer in Residence" at the National Geographic Society and was the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Chief Scientist from 1990 to 1992. Early in her career, she led the first team of women aquanauts during the Tektite Project. Among several diving records, she was the first person to dive solo to a depth of 1,250 ft (381 m) without being connected to a support vessel.

Her many honors include The Netherlands Order of the Golden Ark, the National Women's Hall of Fame, American Academy of Achievement, and medals from the Explorers Club, the Philadelphia Academy of Sciences, Lindbergh Foundation, National Wildlife Federation, Sigma Xi, Barnard College, New England Aquarium, Seattle Aquarium, Society of Women Geographers, and the National Parks Conservation Association. She received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival and in 2009, the prestigious TED Award.

Dubbed "Her Deepness" by the New York Times and a Hero for the Planet by Time magazine, Dr. Earle serves on several boards of directors and advisors, including those of The Aspen Institute, Conservation Fund, Mote Marine Laboratory, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Rutgers Institute for Marine Science, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the Ocean Conservancy. She holds a B.S. from Florida State University, a M.S. and Ph.D. from Duke University, and 17 honorary degrees from throughout North America.