Presented by Ben Rae,
Manager Governance Policy and Outreach, CSIRO
RV Investigator was designed by RALion (a joint venture between Robert Allan Ltd. and Alion Science and Technology). It was constructed in Singapore and is owned and managed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), through Australia’s Marine National Facility.
RV Investigator is a 94 metre purpose-built research vessel, capable of travelling 10,800 nautical miles in a single voyage, carrying up to 40 scientists and support staff, from the equator to the Antarctic ice-edge. The $120 million ship was completed in 2014, and supports atmospheric, oceanographic, biological and geoscience research. The Marine National Facility operates an annual financial year schedule from July to June.
As Australia has only one blue-water research vessel available for work around our vast marine estate, Investigator strives to be all things to all Australian marine scientists. Technically impressive and with an enviable suite of equipment, the ship will dramatically improve our national marine knowledge, putting Australia at the forefront of ocean research globally.
This presentation shall provide an overview of the project to build Investigator; the team employed to manage and deliver the vessel; a focus on the suite of sophisticated acoustics that allow users to map, in detail, the sea bed at full ocean depth; and how the acoustic instrumentation has allowed the Marine National Facility to map significant wrecks of national interest (such as the Carlisle, a collier which sunk in 1890, the scan is shown above left).
Ben Rae has been with the CSIRO since 2010 and was heavily involved in the Future Research Vessel Project which saw the design, build and delivery of Investigator. Ben now manages all governance and policy matters related to the operation of the vessel and also coordinates outreach activities including Indigenous engagement, educator on board and floating classroom programs, women on board and STEM activities.
Time: 12.00-1.00pm, Tuesday 3 July 2018
Place: Royal Society Room, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Customs House, 19 Davey St entrance.
Phone the Maritime Museum on 6234 1427 for more details or email [email protected]
John Wadsley | Maritime Heritage Coordinator, Maritime Museum of Tasmania Corner Argyle and Davey Streets, Hobart TAS 7000 POSTAL ADDRESS: GPO Box 1118 Hobart Tas 7001
