June 8th was the United Nations’ World Oceans Day. The Triton team is celebrating the sea by highlighting the many careers in marine energy research. It takes a diverse team of experts to advance our clean energy objectives and there are dozens of technical skill sets necessary to propel marine energy forward. From project managers and principal investigators who lead the initiative, to ocean engineers, research divers, subject matter experts, science communicators, skilled trades professionals, and research associates—every individual makes valuable contributions to bring the research to life.
Michael Richlen, the project manager for Triton, says, “marine science is an incredibly diverse field. There are so many roles for technical specialties, and projects truly benefit from people with varied skill sets and expertise to bring in new perspectives and approaches, which help solve some of our most challenging problems.”
Want to learn more about the many careers that make up the Triton team? Check out this collection of Triton Stories and resources that highlight careers in marine science and celebrate the wonders of the ocean:
Mechanical Engineer Chris Rumple tests both the setup and integrity of the hydrophone and flow shield in the shop at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory-Sequim. (Photo by Shanon Dell | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)
Flow noise describes the unwanted signal contamination that results from the flow of water past acoustic underwater sensors, like hydrophones. These non-acoustic pressure fluctuations are similar to the wind you hear when talking on the phone on a blustery day. Triton’s Flow Noise Project is developing and testing various types of shields to reduce the effects of flow noise that is generated by turbulence in the energetic flow of water around hydrophones that capture acoustic recordings. These flow shields will provide researchers with additional tools to make accurate underwater noise measurements around marine energy devices.
This winter, the Flow Noise team tested several flow shields in the tidal channel located in front of the Marine and Coastal Research Laboratory at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory-Sequim (PNNL). During these tests, hydrophones were outfitted with different flow shields and deployed in the tidal channel to assess how effective each one was at reducing the effects of flow noise. The different designs tested included an oil-filled shield, one made of ballistic nylon, and another made of stocking nylon. The hydrophones were co-located alongside an acoustic doppler velocimeter to measure current and turbulence and were compared to an unshielded control hydrophone. Results from these tests are being used to inform practical underwater noise mitigation strategies that can be used by both researchers and marine energy device developers to improve underwater noise characterization at high-energy test sites. These shields will also be put to work to support other environmental monitoring projects at PNNL.
Triton Celebrates International Women in Engineering Day
On June 23rd, people from around the world will celebrate women engineers from across all industries. Here we feature a few of Triton's brilliant and creative engineers helping to advance the marine energy industry through innovative engineering and environmental monitoring technology development. Meet Emma, Molly, and Alex.
Emma Cotter
Emma Cotter is an environmental engineer whose research aims to develop the tools necessary to monitor and understand the impacts of human interactions on the ocean. To do this, she uses a combination of ocean engineering, underwater acoustics, and data science. Emma joined PNNL two years ago following a postdoctoral position at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Along with her practical field experience, she uses her academic skills, including a BS in mechanical engineering from Case Western Reserve University and a PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Washington, to research environmental monitoring strategies in the marine energy space. For Triton, Emma brings her expertise into many projects, including the Flow Noise Mitigation and Integrated Collision Detection and Mitigation Project. One of the things Emma loves most about being an engineer is that she gets to solve new problems every day.
Molly Grear
Molly Grear is an ocean engineer and marine biologist. Her work is focused on testing and developing ocean technology and using her knowledge of biological processes and biomechanics to inspire engineering designs. Her PhD in civil and environmental engineering from the University of Washington focused on the possible collision risks between marine mammals and tidal turbines by testing and modeling the mechanics of whale skin and blubber. Molly has applied her technical skills and experience to advance Triton's electromagnetic fields and collision risk research, including the Integrated Collision Detection and Mitigation project. Molly enjoys generating innovative technologies to tackle challenging environmental problems related to marine energy in support of this exciting and promising renewable energy industry.
Alex Barker
Alexandrea (Alex) Barker holds both BS and MS in ocean engineering from Florida Atlantic University. For her senior design project, she developed a marine technology device and the project culminated in field testing a prototype. “I was one of two women in my class,” says Alex. Three teams, consisting of two students each, were formed for the year-long project. Two of the three team leaders were women, giving Alex her first-hand look at women leadership in the field.
Alex joined the Triton Initiative in 2022 as a research associate to support several projects. She brings her expertise in interdisciplinary engineering of ocean systems with an emphasis on autonomy. Initially drawn to this field by a passion for the ocean and a complimentary curiosity about how things work, her excitement has grown as she continues her marine technology research. Assisting in implementing various marine monitoring projects has allowed Alex to explore what she loves most about being an engineer. Among other projects at the PNNL, she is currently working with a particle motion sensor for Triton’s Acoustic Particle Motion project.
When asked about her hopes for future women engineers, she says, “I genuinely hope women continue to pursue STEM educations and careers.”
We hope these women continue to inspire the next generation of engineers to seek out opportunities and pursue their passions. Happy International Women in Engineering Day!
In Other Energy News: OES Publishes 2023 Tidal Current Energy Highlights
Ocean Energy Systems released a brochure highlighting thirteen tidal energy projects around the world. The brochure features projects that are generating clean power, delivering economic value to coastal communities, conducting important environmental monitoring, and fostering meaningful partnerships to progress the industry worldwide. To read more, download the full brochure here.
Triton is designed to support the development and testing of more precise and cost-effective environmental monitoring technologies for marine energy. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory leads Triton on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office.
Connect With Us
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA 99354
