1990 William Procter Prize for Scientific Achievement,
2000 Common Wealth Award
In a career spanning three decades, Robert D.
Ballard has come to be regarded as a spokesman for the oceans, having taken part in more than 100 deep-sea expeditions. His discoveries include hot springs deep in ocean waters and such famous shipwrecks as the ill-fated British ocean linerTitanic, the German battleship Bismarck and the U.S. aircraft carrier Yorktown. He also spearheads the JASON Foundation for Education, a distance learning program that takes young students on scientific expeditions around the world via the Internet. The author of 15 books, including two bestsellers, Ballard has helped produce more than six Emmy award-winning television documentaries. He received National Geographic's highest award, the Hubbard Medal, and was also the recipient of Sigma Xi's 1990 William Procter Prize for Scientific Achievement.