Robert D. Ballard

Facts United States oceanographer June 30, 1942 a former United States Navy officer and a professor of oceanography at the University of Rhode Island who is most noted for his work in underwater archaeology: maritime archaeology and archaeology of shipwrecks

Facts He is most known for the discoveries of the wrecks of the RMS Titanic in 1985, the Battleship Bismarck in 1989, and the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown in 1998 He discovered the wreck of John F. Kennedy's PT-109 in 2002

Life Ballard grew up in Pacific Beach, San Diego, California He has attributed his early interest in underwater exploration to reading the novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

School In 1965, Ballard graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, earning undergraduate degrees in chemistry and geology His first graduate degree (MS, 1966) was in geophysics from the University of Hawaii's Institute of Geophysics where he trained porpoises and whales

Military Joined the US Army in 1965 called up to active duty in 1967 but requested to fulfill his obligation in the United States Navy He retired from the Navy as a commander in 1995 after reaching the statutory service limit.

Academics In 2004, Ballard was appointed professor of oceanography, and currently serves as Director of the Institute for Archaeological Oceanography, at the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography.

Example Exploring the Titanic***