Although not an early career ocean professional (ECOP), Dawn has inspired thousands of ECOPs with her work, mentoring many. The inclusion of this presentation in the ECOP-Ocean Week Canada series reflects the importance of intergenerational collaboration and sharing. 

Dawn was elected as a Fellow National of the Explorers Club in 2013 (as nominated by Sylvia Earle and Don Walsh). She is also a member of the 2021 inaugural class of Explorers Club 50 (EC50). After 17 years as a professor of geography and oceanography at Oregon State University, Dawn was appointed Chief Scientist of the Environmental Systems Research Institute (aka “Esri”), a world-leading geographic information system (GIS) software, services and R&D company in October 2011. Dawn has participated in dozens of oceanographic research expeditions throughout the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and Southern Oceans. In 1991 she became the first Black female to dive to the ocean floor in the deep submersible Alvin. On July 12, 2022 she became the first Black person of any gender to dive to Challenger Deep, the deepest point on Earth, and to successfully operate a portable sidescan sonar at that full-ocean depth. This was accomplished in the deep submersible Limiting Factor in collaboration with EC Medalist Victor Vescovo and his Caladan Oceanic team. She enjoys road cycling, 18th-century pirates, LEGOs, her golden retriever Riley, and SpongeBob Squarepants. Follow her on all social media @deepseadawn. 

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