Coast Survey's navigation response team (NRT) from Stennis, Mississippi, completed hydrographic surveys in the Port of Gulfport, Mississippi, at the request of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Port of Gulfport is located just five miles from the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and 16 miles from international shipping lanes. The port also supports steel service industries and is designated a strategic seaport by the Department of Defense. NRTs help identify dangers to navigation after a storm, ensuring ports have the necessary information to reopen after severe weather. For more information contact
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Staff Updates
Michael Stephens
Michael Stephens joins the Operations Branch after six years in the environmental consulting industry. He brings a diversity of technical skills and experience, including dredged material evaluations, pre-design investigations of contaminated sediments, unexploded ordnance detection, in addition to bathymetric and remote sensing surveys for a wide variety of clients. He led projects up and down the Eastern Seaboard as well as in the Great Lakes. He lives in Baltimore and enjoys fishing, crabbing, and getting out on the bay in his free time. Prior to moving to Baltimore, Michael spent a year living and working in Key Largo, Florida, where he earned his Divemaster certification and U.S. Coast Guard Captain's License.
Evan Robertson
Evan Robertson recently joined the Atlantic Hydrographic Branch (AHB) as a physical scientist. After completing a master’s degree in oceanography, he embarked on a varied career that has taken him from ship to shore and mountain to sea. The first stop was as a hydrographic surveyor with a hydrographic surveys contractor where he gained the knowledge and experience of conducting surveys. Deciding that the required amount of ship time for a surveyor was more than desired, he then traveled to the mountains of Colorado and worked as a data manager at the National Centers for Environmental Information. Most recently, he was employed as a research specialist in the College of Science at Coastal Carolina University. He is excited to get back to hydrography, albeit with a more manageable amount of ship time. Outside of work, Evan enjoys spending time with his family, camping, hiking, and seeing live music.
Mary Atwood
AHB welcomes back
Mary Atwood as the systems administrator for Coast Survey IT at AHB. Mary is a lifelong resident of Tidewater. Currently she resides in Chesapeake with her husband and two sons. Mary has worked in IT for more than 20 years in both government and private sectors. In her spare time, Mary enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her family.
Charles Corea
AHB welcomes
Charles Corea. Charles graduated from the University of Maryland in 2012 and soon after began working as a contractor cartographer for the Marine Chart Division. For six years his duties included compiling and reviewing nautical charts for all of the branch divisions. In late Spring of 2019, he was hired as a physical scientist for AHB, as well as the dedicated physical scientist for NOAA Ship
Ferdinand Hassler. The position was unique because it allowed him to split his time aboard the
Hassler and the office. This fall, he will be transitioning to a permanent physical scientist position for AHB. He is looking forward to continuing his work there and also to his upcoming marriage in Spring of 2021.
John Stein
Josh Stein (ERT) departed on November 1 after a five-month internship with HSD Operations Branch working with the External Source Data (ESD) team. Josh provided crucial updates to the ESD Catalog, performed data discovery, and data prioritization, registration, and review. His hard work, self-directed learning, and flexibility made him an invaluable member of the ESD team during his time with us. Josh has transitioned to working for Spatial Front Inc (SFI) in a new role with the Department of Transportation, but we hope to see him back around NOAA before too long. Fair winds!