Speaker

Edward R. Cassano is CEO and co-founder of Pelagic Research Services (PRS) (www.pelagic-services.com), an international, ocean services company that brings state-of-the-art deep sea assets, subsea research, navigation, project planning, and execution to the global offshore industry and the ocean research community. With 30+ years of experience in ocean conservation, marine management and complex offshore operations, Ed has participated in, and directed, ocean research expeditions throughout the world’s oceans. As a former commissioned officer for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Ed holds a Third Mate, Unlimited Tonnage, Any Ocean, U.S. Coast Guard license (inactive) and has served as commanding officer of a NOAA Research Ship. Ed has also been trained as technical SCUBA diver and is certified to operate the manned submersible DeepWorker. He held senior and executive management positions at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Aquarium of the Pacific and the Ocean Futures Society, served as Executive Director of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum and was the manager of the USA Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Ed designed and built the deep water ROV system “Odysseus” (a medium work class/science class hydraulic, 6000-meter rated ROV system), the same system that mobilized to rescue the crew of the OceanGate Titan, yet ultimately found and recovered the debris from the seafloor near the RMS Titanic.