Explorer talks at Convocation

Deep-sea explorer Robert D. Ballard, who has led or participated in more than 100 deep-sea expeditions, including those leading to the discovery of the Titanic and the Bismarck, will be the featured speaker at this year's New Student Convocation ceremony, welcoming the members of the Class of 2005, scheduled at 11 a.m., Monday, Aug. 27, in the Bob Carpenter Sports/ Convocation Center. During the program, he will be awarded an honorary degree.?

Referred to as the worlds' best known, deep-sea explorer, Ballard has led or participated in more than 110 underwater expeditions and logged more hours in the deep than any other marine scientist in the world. In 1985, his research team made their its famous discovery, the wreck of the R.M.S. Titanic. As a result of this successful venture, Ballard founded the JASON Foundation for Education, so that thousands of students around the world could share in the excitement of the live exploration.

He is president of the Institute for Exploration and a senior scientist emeritus in the Department of Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Earlier this year, a National Geographic Channel documentary entitled Pearl Harbor: Legacy of Attack featured Ballard, who visited the historic underwater Hawaii graveyard, and historian Stephen Ambrose. Both are National Geographic "Explorers in Residence." For the TV special, Ballard shot the first photos inside the U.S.S. Arizona since it went down in Japan's air attack on Dec. 7, 1941.

Ballard is the author of scientific publications as well as numerous books, including several London Times and New York Times best-sellers, has appeared on PBS and network television specials and is a sought after speaker and lecturer.

Among his numerous honors are the Emmy Award for best documentary for Last Voyage of the Lusitania, 1995 Academy Award nomination for best documentary film, Webbie Award for Education in 1996 and International Television Association Excellence in Media Award.

He also has received the Underwater Society of America Science Award, American Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award, Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems Pioneer Award and the Order of Magellan from the Circumnavigators Club.

Ballard is the recipient of honorary degrees from a number of institutions, including Maine Maritime Academy, Tufts University, University of Bath, England, Lehigh University, Massachusetts Maritime Academy and Skidmore College.

A U.S. Navy veteran, Ballard received his bachelor's degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara. He attended graduate school at the University of Hawaii Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Southern California Graduate School in Marine Geology and received his doctorate in marine geology and geophysics from the University of Rhode Island Graduate School in Oceanography.

New Student Convocation also will include welcoming remarks by UD President David P. Roselle, presentation of the Class of 2005 flag by Corinne Bria, president of the Delaware Undergraduate Student Congress, recognition of the undergraduate colleges and the singing of the University's alma mater by Yun Chul Ko, AS 2003.

Bus transportation will be provided to the Bob Carpenter Center for students, faculty and staff beginning at 10 a.m. Buses will pick up passengers at the Smith Hall overpass, MBNA America Hall, the Perkins Student Center and the Trabant University Center.

Immediately after the Convocation, lunch will be provided on the Bob Carpenter Center Concourse for those in attendance. Return transportation will be provided to the Smith Hall overpass.

For more information, contact the Office of Alumni and University Relations via e-mail at [AlumNet@udel.edu] or by phone at 831-8741