Jennifer Jencks

How is it possible that we’ve done a better job mapping Mars and our Moon than our own planet? When mapping our seafloor is such an expensive and challenging endeavor, shouldn’t governments, researchers, academia, and everyday mariners work together for the betterment of mankind? Well, they are. As a Physical Scientist at NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information in Boulder, Colorado, I am actively involved with improving data sharing practices in a variety of national and international seafloor mapping projects. For the last several years I have served as the Director of the International Hydrographic Organizations (IHO) Data Center for Digital Bathymetry and chair the IHO Crowdsourced Bathymetry Working Group. Before joining NCEI, I worked offshore for the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program and later for a geophysical consulting firm. I have a B.S. In Geological Engineering from the University of Mississippi and M.S. In Ocean Engineering from the University of Rhode Island. My first love is the New Orleans Saints.