Science Speaker Series - Featuring Charles Brooks

“Island Wakes and Coastal Observations: An Early Career in Oceanographic Engineering”

Join Charles Brooks for a deep dive into his travels and experiences as an oceanographic research technician and engineer as Scripps Institute of Oceanography (SIO). Brooks will share his deep connection to Nantucket, share his educational pathway, and traverse the experiences of his early career. Having traveled around the world before dropping anchor at Scripps Institute of Oceanography, Brooks is enthused to give insight into his role as a technician and working aboard the R/V Roger Revelle during a midlife refit. This presentation will feature some of Brooks’ most significant research cruises and experiences culminating in a cruise out of Guam in April 2022 that led him to his current position with SIO’s Coastal Observation Research and Development Center (CORDC). He will also discuss the work of the CORDC and his noteworthy role in sampling of island wakes and coastal monitoring in the form of a project called “Smart Mooring”.

While currently based in San Diego, Brooks' lifelong fascination and love for the ocean began by exploring the waters surrounding Nantucket Island. After numerous positions in the marine industry in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Brooks moved his career West to SIO as a research technician in the shipboard technical support group. Over four years, he learned to support shipboard oceanographic research while providing learning opportunities for early career scientists and students on SIO's coastal class research vessel. This role quickly expanded to lead technician of the global class research vessel, Roger Revelle, during which time he oversaw extensive mid-life shipyard renovations. Post-shipyard, Brooks supported research aboard Revelle in the far reaches of the Pacific. In his current position as an engineer and field researcher at the CORDC, Brooks' work now includes support of robotic systems, remote sampling platform development, and field research in the Western Pacific. Brooks' talk will cover his career path from New England to the far reaches of the Western Pacific while providing an overview of current research projects.