David Gallo

David Gallo, Ph.D. is an American oceanographer and Director of Special Projects at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution - a preeminent, globally recognized scientific laboratory. For more than 25 years, Dr. Gallo has been at the forefront of ocean exploration, participating in and being witness to the development of new technologies and scientific discoveries that shape our view of planet earth. He has been described by TED Conferences as “an enthusiastic ambassador between the sea and those of us on dry land.” With more than 8 million views his TED presentation “Underwater Astonishments” is among the top 5 TED Talks viewed to date.

In 1987 he joined Robert Ballards team at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution as Assistant Director of the Center for Marine Exploration. For the past 25 years David has been at the forefront of ocean exploration. He has participated in expeditions to each of the worlds oceans and was one of the first scientists to use a combination of robots and submarines to create detailed maps of deep-sea mountain ranges. Most recently he was co-expedition leader on a mapping mission to RMS Titanic and co-leader of the successful search for the missing aircraft, Air France 447.

David is passionate about exploring planet earth and about the relationship between humanity and the sea. He has lectured extensively nationally and internationally to audiences ranging from K to CEO including 10 TED and TEDx presentations. In addition he has participated in numerous documentaries and news programs including CNNs Larry King Live, Bloomberg TV, and the PBS program Need to Know. He was recently featured in the History Channel television series, Underwater Universe.

He has participated in expeditions to all of the world’s oceans and was one of the first scientists to use a combination of robots and submarines to explore the deep seafloor. Most recently he co-led an expedition to create the first detailed and comprehensive map of the RMS Titanic and he co-led the successful international effort to locate the remains of Air France flight 447.

Dr. Gallo is currently active in planning a series of challenging expeditions and is encouraging the development of new technologies for ocean exploration. He is a member of James Cameron’s Deep Ocean Task Force and the XPrize Ocean Advisory Board. Almost every expedition into the deep provides results that are often surprising, sometimes startling and in many cases revolutionary.

Dr. Gallo is becoming increasingly outspoken about the relationship between humanity and the sea. He feels strongly that instead of taking the oceans for granted we need to recognize the oceans critical role in providing the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. At the same time, Dr. Gallo feels that human activity has impacted the ocean on a global scale and with significant consequences. The oceans hold the clues to our past and the key to our future yet they remain mostly unexplored and poorly understood.

Dr. Gallo is personally committed to conveying the excitement and importance of ocean exploration to the public-at-large. He has lectured internationally to audiences ranging from children to CEO’s with the goal of awakening the little bit of Jacques Cousteau and Jules Vernes that resides in each of us. He has given more than 10 TED and TEDx presentations and has appeared in numerous documentaries (Discovery Channel, History Channel, National Geographic) and has been featured on numerous televised news programs (Weather Channel , PBS Need to Know, MSNBC Ed Show, and NBC Today show).

In recognition of his efforts in exploration and science communications, David was recently elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is a National Fellow of the Explorer’s Club, a member of the American Geophysical Union, and active on several boards including the Marine Environmental Research Institute, the One World One Ocean Campaign, and the Terramar Project.