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Shout out to WHOI veterans, past and present!

In 1967, US Army Sergeant Arthur Lee Martin became the first African American to dive in the deep-sea submersible Alvin! In celebration of ALVIN’s 60th anniversary, Sgt. Martin came to WHOI during August’s Science Stroll to share insights from his long and successful career. Having faced significant barriers to becoming a civilian electrical engineer, he joined the military and served as a Navy instrumentation engineer during some of ALVIN’s early deep-water tests, including his own historic dive to the “Tongue of the Ocean,” a deep trench separating two Bahamian islands.

In his presentation to Science Stroll visitors, Sgt. Martin spoke about the importance of recruiting engineers and scientists from underrepresented communities. He received a commemorative plaque from WHOI President & Director Peter de Menocal and current ALVIN pilot Bruce Strickrott  and a tour of AVAST with his wife and children, led by CDEI’s Ben Weiss and Laura Motta.

Did you know that WHOI has a veteran’s employee resource group (ERG)? You can find out more information about the ERG and how to join, here. A breakfast for WHOI veterans will be held on December 3, from 8–10am in Clark 507; please contact Natalie Nevarez natalie.nevarez@whoi.edu with any questions!

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