Sylvia Earle, Ph.D.

Oceanographer, Author and National Geographic Explorer in Residence

Sylvia has led more than 100 ocean expeditions and logged over 7,000 hours underwater.  Named a “Living Legend” by the Library of Congress, she earned a BS from Florida State University and a Ph.D. from Duke University.  Sylvia helped develop early SCUBA gear, authored over 190 publications, including, The World is Blue: How our Fate and the Ocean’s are One, and in 1990 was the first woman named chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  Sylvia’s goal is to  “ignite public support for the protection of Hope Spots – special places that are vital to the health of the ocean, the blue heart of the planet.”