The Marine Tech Group provides support for all the marine technology needs of Marine Operations. The services include sailing aboard the University of Miami research vessel (F.G. WALTON SMITH), participating in the National Science Foundation's Tech Exchange Program and supporting the Rosenstiel School' Royal Caribbean cruise line's (RCCL) Shipboard Program called OceanScope.
The F.G. WALTON SMITH operates with one marine tech aboard while the vessel is at sea. Marine techs can support other UNOLS vessels through the NSF Tech Exchange Program. In 2017, the techs provided 103 days in support of other UNOLS research vessels and 29 days on private research vessels.
Marine techs also provide support for the equipment that Rosenstiel School has on four RCCL ships as part of the OceanScope project. These ships are Adventure of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Equinox and Flora.
At sea, the marine technician’s objectives fall into the following major categories:
- Maintaining shared-use equipment in optimum condition, continuously monitoring instrumentation, and data acquisition quality.
- Assuring safe and proper equipment usage. Technicians train scientific personnel in the operation of instrumentation they may be unfamiliar with while on board. It is the technician's responsibility to monitor the operation of instrumentation to ensure proper and safe operation for the present and future cruises.
- Maintaining the ship's computer network, including data collection, communications and multiple peripherals in various shipboard areas.
For more information about the Marine Tech Group, please contact us at MTGTech@rsmas.miami.edu
