OXFORD,
Miss. – The National Institute for Undersea Science and Technology is
hosting a grand opening this week for its new undersea vehicle
development shop at the University of Mississippi Field Station.
The
ribbon-cutting ceremony is set for 10 a.m. Wednesday (Oct. 8), followed
by tours of the facility and a reception. The new shop provides NIUST
with a central location to work on innovative technology development
for its three high-tech undersea vehicles.
“Bringing together our vehicles in one location at a facility dedicated to creating new instruments and sensors will be a significant boost to our creative capabilities and improve operational efficiencies,” said Ray Highsmith, the institute’s executive director.
The institute’s three undersea vehicles are the Eagle Ray, an autonomous undersea vehicle, a photographic AUV under construction and a remotely operated (tethered) vehicle. The Eagle Ray was designed for NIUST’s goals of seafloor exploration, research and technology development. The unique ROV was designed and built by NIUST to service a deep seafloor observatory being installed by NIUST, the U.S. Minerals Management Service and the U.S. Department of Energy 100 miles off the Gulf Coast in the Mississippi Canyon.
The new shop will help researchers consolidate innovative engineering and technology efforts for the vehicles. The air-conditioned shop provides a modern three-bay facility for working on the delicate electronic and computing systems needed to operate the vehicles.
Collectively, the new vehicles and new shop represent a major advance in NIUST’s ability to carry out its mission, Highsmith said.
NIUST is a partnership among UM, the University of Southern Mississippi and NOAA’s Undersea Research Program. The institute’s goals include developing and using advanced technologies to explore and study marine ecosystems; investigating new, living and nonliving resources from the sea; promoting coastal and ocean environmental health; advancing understanding of oceans and human health; enhancing seafloor surveying and observing systems; and developing new and more capable undersea vehicles
NIUST’s continuing development as a leader in ocean science represents progress in Mississippi’s efforts to utilize advances in science and technology for economic growth, Highsmith said.
To get to the UM Field Station, go east on Highway 30 from the Highway 7 intersection in Oxford for 1.3 miles. Turn left onto County Road 215 for about 2 miles. Turn right onto County Road 202 for about 5.5 miles and watch for the Field Station entrance on the right, just past Bay Springs Baptist Church.
For more information or for assistance related to a disability, call 662-915-5479. For more information on NIUST, go to http://niust.org/. For more information on the UM Field Station, go to http://baysprings.olemiss.edu/ .