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2026 DORIS Training Workshop

Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology

April 12 - 15, 2026

Ocean Discovery League, in partnership with the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS) and Blue Robotics, hosted a four-day hands-on training workshop April 12–15, 2026, at the Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) on Moku o Loʻe in Kāneʻohe Bay. The workshop introduced participants to the Deep Ocean Research and Imaging System (DORIS), a modular, low-cost deep-sea camera and sensor platform capable of reaching depths of 6,000 meters. Bringing together two dozen participants from research institutions, government agencies, nonprofits, educational programs, and community organizations across the Pacific Islands and the continental United States, the event marked a significant step toward expanding access to deep-sea exploration throughout the Pacific region.

 

DORIS was developed to directly address one of the central challenges in ocean science: the high cost and technical complexity of deep-sea exploration have historically restricted access to only a handful of well-resourced nations and research programs. Funded in part by NOAA's Integrated Ocean Observing System Ocean Technology Transition grant and developed in partnership with Blue Robotics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, DORIS is designed to change that dynamic. The first-generation system is engineered to reach 6,000 m at a target base price of less than $10,000, a fraction of the cost of traditional deep-sea research technology. Compact and untethered, the drop-camera system can be deployed from a small boat with no specialized engineering expertise required. 

 

The four-day program blended classroom instruction with extensive hands-on experience. Participants rotated through stations covering DORIS hardware orientation and mission planning; assembly, deployment, and retrieval exercises in shallow and deep water; data processing and imagery annotation using open-source tools and PacIOOS data platforms; and discussions of local ocean knowledge gaps and how deep-sea monitoring can address them. Facilitation was shared among ODL staff, Blue Robotics engineers, and PacIOOS coordinators. Speakers from the broader deep-sea science community, including researchers from the University of Hawaiʻi and the National Geographic Society's Pristine Seas program, contributed sessions on topics such as experimental design and the transition from shallow-water to deep-water research. At the close of the workshop, all participants reported being satisfied or very satisfied with the training and demonstrated measurable learning gains. Participants are now eligible to apply for a DORIS system loan to support field deployments at their home institutions.

 

The workshop is part of a larger effort by ODL to build a global network of deep-sea observers and to accelerate deep-ocean exploration. Looking ahead, ODL and Blue Robotics plan to continue refining the first-generation DORIS system based on user feedback before moving toward commercialization of a second-generation platform by 2027–2028, with the goal of scaling production to make systems available at low cost to researchers worldwide.

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PARTICIPANTS

8

LOCATIONS REPRESENTED

4

DAYS

"The workshop really opened up the possibilities for deep-sea research in a way I hadn't considered before."

— 2026 DORIS Workshop Participant

Workshop Participants & Facilitators

The April 2026 DORIS Training Workshop brought together a remarkable community of ocean scientists, resource managers, educators, and conservation practitioners from across the Pacific and beyond.

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Workshop Participants

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  • John Alokoa | Kosrae Conservation and Safety Organization, Federated States of Micronesia | John works as a Marine Program Assistant at KCSO, collecting vital reef data shared with the University of Guam marine lab for further analysis.

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  • Piera Biondi | Palau International Coral Reef Center, Palau | A marine scientist based in Palau, Piera combines long-term field surveys and data analysis to support marine conservation and sustainable fisheries management in the Pacific.

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  • Voneric Boktok | Marshall Islands Environmental Protection Authority, Republic of the Marshall Islands | Voneric serves as Water Quality Technician and RMI/PacIOOS Liaison, bringing a background in marine science and a commitment to deep-sea research and Pacific marine environmental understanding.

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  • Tripp Brower | Apparent Winds, United States | A USCG-licensed 100-ton captain with over 50,000 nautical miles at sea, Tripp serves as Executive Director of Apparent Winds, a nonprofit using a sailing vessel as a mobile platform for marine science research and storytelling.

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  • Mark Ellis | Polynesian Voyaging Society, Hawaiʻi | Mark serves as Director of Education for PVS and Adjunct Faculty at BYU–Hawaiʻi, sharing his passion for voyaging, culture, and community.

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  • Sarah Head | American Samoa National Marine Sanctuary, American Samoa | A marine biologist with a master's in marine science from Northeastern University, Sarah is a research scientist at the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa, looking to build her capacity in deep-sea exploration.

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  • Maverick Jagon | University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, Hawaiʻi | A Marine Science undergraduate with experience in coral reef conservation, marine outreach, and aquatic safety instruction across Hawaiʻi, American Samoa, and the Pacific.

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  • Diego Johansen | Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS), Hawaiʻi | Diego holds a B.S. in Marine Science from UH Hilo and was a 2025 cohort member of ODL's Accessing the Deep program, where he developed skills in low-cost deep-sea technologies.

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  • Hannah Joss | Coral Reef Research Foundation, Palau | A research ecologist and GIS specialist, Hannah maps marine habitats around Palau and holds both a BSc and MSc, with hundreds of scientific dives and drone pilot certification.

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  • Nover Juria | National Weather Service Office, Republic of the Marshall Islands | A Weather Service Specialist and Climatologist with over 15 years of experience, Nover holds a master's degree in Environmental Studies with a focus on climate change from Sophia University, Tokyo.

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  • Lehua Kamalu | Polynesian Voyaging Society, Hawaiʻi | A voyager, captain, and navigator of Hawaiian voyaging canoes, Lehua made history in April 2022 by leading the first voyage from Hawaiʻi to Tahiti, both captained and navigated by a woman.

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  • Keoni Kattil | Marshall Islands Conservation Society, Republic of the Marshall Islands | Keoni works as a Coral Reef Monitoring Officer, bringing two years of hands-on reef conservation experience and a deep passion for preserving the culture and natural heritage of Majuro Atoll.

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  • Alfred Lebehn | National Oceanic Resource Management Authority (NORMA), Federated States of Micronesia | Alfred serves as IT/GIS Manager at NORMA, managing network infrastructure and GIS mapping tasks while bringing a lifelong connection to the Pacific Ocean.

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  • Sean MacDuff | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service / Mariana Trench Marine National Monument, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands | Sean brings extensive experience managing large-scale marine protected areas, fisheries, and marine research programs at the local, state, and federal levels.

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  • Kenzie Manning | Windward Community College, Hawaiʻi | Kenzie coordinates the Marine Option Program and teaches biology and marine biology, with a mission to grow Hawaiʻi's local STEM workforce in marine science and natural resources.

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  • Kelsey McClellan | Northern Marianas College, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands | Kelsey is Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor for the Natural Resource Management Program at NMC, where she is developing a deep-sea ecology course and working to expand NRM to a four-year degree program.

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  • Lianalynn Muña | 500 Sails, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands | Lianalynn is a traditional canoe sailor and program assistant with 500 Sails, a nonprofit dedicated to reviving and perpetuating the maritime cultural traditions of the Mariana Islands.

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  • Camille Quichocho | Bureau of Statistics and Plans, Guam Coastal Management Program, Guam | An indigenous Chamorro scientist, Camille is passionate about helping her community become stewards for the natural resources that sustain them.

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  • Kiera Rumbough | Apparent Winds, United States | Co-founder of Apparent Winds, Kiera studied marine science and biology at the University of Miami and is passionate about the deep connections between culture and climate.

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  • Trenton Skilling | Kosrae Conservation and Safety Organization, Federated States of Micronesia | Trenton serves as Marine Program Manager at KCSO, supporting marine conservation, reef monitoring, and sustainable fisheries, and contributed as a diver on the National Geographic Pristine Seas expedition documenting FSM marine ecosystems.

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  • Kana Uchino | Polynesian Voyaging Society, Hawaiʻi | A Hawaiʻi-based author and marine educator, Kana brings a passion for connecting communities with the ocean through storytelling and education.

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  • Lauren Van Heukelem | Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS), Hawaiʻi | Lauren supports PacIOOS technical operations and data services as part of the Regional Ocean Data Sharing Initiative (RODSI).

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  • Valentine Vaeoso | Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS), American Samoa | Valentine contributes to PacIOOS regional ocean observing efforts, representing American Samoa's connection to the broader Pacific data-sharing network.

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  • Nicole Yamase | Federated States of Micronesia | Nicole brings deep roots in Pacific Island ocean knowledge and a commitment to expanding deep-sea research capacity across the Micronesian region.

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Workshop Instructors & Facilitators

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  • Dr. Katy Croff Bell | Founder & President | Ocean Discovery League

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  • Ali Chene | Communications & Education Coordinator | Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS)

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  • Dr. Whitney Goodell | Director of Deep Sea Research | National Geographic Society Pristine Seas

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  • Michelle Guraieb | Community Program Coordinator | Ocean Discovery League

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  • Nicole Guiles | Communications Specialist | Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS)

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  • Meagan Hattori | Engagement Coordinator | Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS)

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  • Brian Hoover | Mechanical Design Engineer | Blue Robotics

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  • Rusty Jehangir | CEO & Founder | Blue Robotics

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  • Dr. Sara Kahanamoku | Assistant Researcher | University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa / Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program

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  • Lauren Kaiser | Data Management Specialist | Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS)

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  • Dr. Brian Kennedy | Chief Scientist | Ocean Discovery League

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  • Dr. Breanna Motsenbocker | Ocean Solutions Engineer | Blue Robotics

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  • Susan Poulton | VP Strategy & Communications | Ocean Discovery League

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  • Tony White | Applications Engineer | Blue Robotics

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This program was funded by NOAA Ocean Technology Transition grant NA24NOSX012C0039.

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