Dr. Robison said that his presentation will inform people of the significance of deep underwater ecosystems.

“These are the largest ecosystems of the earth, and we are just now beginning to understand them,” he said. “Humans have a big influence on these ecosystems and it is important that we understand how the ocean works in order to live harmoniously.

He added that while it is important for the public to realize the importance of underwater ecosystems, there have been restrictions in the past to gathering information about life under the seas.

“The majority of living space on earth is water,” Robison said. “Living systems tend to occupy every possible habitat within the ocean. The problem is that it is very difficult for the common pubic to see it. But technology has allowed us some breakthroughs.”

Dr. George Jackson of the Department of Oceanography is the College of Geosciences departmental representative on the Distinguished Lecture Series committee, and therefore nominated Dr. Robison and corresponded with him to make the lecture happen. Dr. Jackson said that he was particularly eager to bring Dr. Robison to the University because of his visionary approach to ocean explorations.

“When you go to University lectures, it’s important to feel a sense of discovery. The history of studying oceanography has been determined by technology and (Dr. Robison) is on the forefront of exploring. He has extended new observational methods into the deep sea. He has the vision and excitement to find out new things,” Dr. Jackson said.

Dr. Robison added that some of these animals were captured on video, which he will share with the audience during the presentation.

“The images are really striking,” he said. These are some of the most amazing animals. Some are so outlandish that even we were surprised. We have some images that will knock the audience’s socks off.”

Nancy Sawtelle of the Provost’s Office is a coordinator for the Distinguished Lecture Series. Sawtelle says that the purpose of the series is to enrich the overall community, both within and outside the University, through information and involvement.

“This lecture series has a broader appeal,” she said. “We want lectures that the whole community would be interested in and would be able to understand. We don’t want speeches that tailor to one specific college or department only. And we also want it to be a beneficial tool to those who are not directly associated with the University.”

There is an added element of community involvement at this particular event, said Sawtelle, as Dr. Larry Johnson of the Department of Veterinary Anatomy College of Veterinary Medicine has been working with the natural sciences honor society Sigma Zi to spearhead an essay and visual arts competition among children in the 5th through 8th grade. Students from schools within a 75-mile radius of Bryan/college station have been invited to submit an essay or drawing that is relevant to the materials presented in the speech. The winner will attend the reception dinner with Dr. Robison. 

Dr. Robison’s current research centers on a mid-water research program that addresses the ecology of gelatinous animals in the deep sea including ctenophores, medusae, and siphonophores. He focuses on animals which play dominant roles in mesopelagic ecology but cannot be accurately examined with conventional sampling methods. For more information on Dr. Robison’s work, go to http://www.mbari.org/staff/robr/