Collaborative Research: Beginnings: Advancing Marine Technology Careers through Immersive Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Deployment Experiences

About This Grant

This ExLENT Beginnings Tack project addresses a critical national need by developing, delivering, and assessing an experiential training program in the rapidly evolving field of marine technology. Coastal communities, home to 40% of the US population, are vital to the nation's economy and depend on the skilled marine technology workforce to monitor, maintain, and rebuild essential coastal infrastructure. Yet demand for these services is outpacing workforce growth. Importantly, advances in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming the field. Smart deployment of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) now enables real time decision making and complex, observation-dependent tasks. While these AI enabled technologies offer tremendous potential, existing professionals need opportunities to upskill, and students entering the field must be equipped for success in this new technological landscape. This initiative brings together a cross-sector partnership that includes colleges and universities, marine technology manufacturers, industry employers, and regional entrepreneurship leaders driving the water-based economy. Grounded in this strong foundation, the project immerses participants in hands-on learning, offering meaningful opportunities to deploy AUV projects for clients in authentic real-world settings. The project pursues two overarching goals: 1) create opportunities for skill development in emerging areas of marine technology, with an emphasis on artificial intelligence and smart deployment of AUVs, and 2) strengthen students' and early career professionals' confidence in their career preparation. To support these goals, the initiative offers a six-week hybrid course that integrates online and in-person instruction, emphasizing both the theoretical foundations and practical applications of smart AUV deployment. A team of collaborating researchers with expertise in marine technology, AI, autonomous systems, and aquatic ecology facilitates this experience for 72 participants over three years. Participants complete 4-weeks of foundational training followed by two weeks of hands-on project-based work aboard a research vessel. During the immersive phase, small groups plan and execute AUV deployments aligned with model client needs, such as lake bottom surface mapping, water chemistry analysis, and shipwreck investigations. An external evaluator collects both formative and summative data to inform continuous refinement of the project and to contribute new insights to the marine technology education literature. Dissemination occurs through local and national venues, including publications and professional conferences. Collectively, this work contributes to the development of a collaborative, adaptable model for advancing both technological innovation and workforce preparation in the field. The NSF ExLENT Program, supported by the NSF TIP and EDU Directorates, seeks to support experiential learning opportunities for individuals to increase their interest in and their access to career pathways in emerging technology fields. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.