Bob Ballard: An Explorer's Life -

"I am an explorer and mapmaker," Ballard says, continuing to push the boundaries of what is known about the 70% of our planet that lies underwater.

Born in Wichita, Kansas in 1942, Ballard’s path to the deep sea began in San Diego. His fascination with the ocean was ignited at age 12 by the Disney film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea . He grew up dreaming of being Captain Nemo, a goal he pursued through a unique combination of military service and high-level science. Bob Ballard: An Explorer's Life

Spent decades at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and later joined the University of Rhode Island. The Titanic and the "Secret" Mission "I am an explorer and mapmaker," Ballard says,

His discovery was made possible by revolutionary "telepresence" technology—unmanned, camera-equipped robots like and Jason that allowed him to see the seafloor without being physically present in a submersible. Beyond the "Rusty Old Boat" He grew up dreaming of being Captain Nemo,

Earned undergraduate degrees in chemistry and geology from the University of California, Santa Barbara .