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Each time a merchant ship takes to the sea, navigational charts are used to guide the
watercraft from port to port. And the science of surveying the ocean floor is not only important
to merchants, but to anyone boating for recreation as well. Fisherman, recreational boaters need
accurate charts that are up to date and this science provides those capabilities. The University
of Southern Mississippi has teamed up with industry partners to provide the next generation
of ocean mapping. According to Barbor, who is a 28 year Navy veteran and retired Rear
Admiral. He says the program provides critical scientific data that's crucial to going to
sea. The field of hydrographic science has existed in some form since man ventured on
to the water, but Barbor says that to date, only 25% of the ocean floor has been accurately
surveyed. With this demand for certified hydrographers, graduates are employable right after completing
the program. Employment's an easy sell, but it's also fascinating if you like the sea,
if you like activities associated with the maritime industry, this is where you've got
to be. Recent graduates were among the first responders to ensure international disaster
aid could be conveyed by ship after the tsunami in Indonesia and the earthquake in Haiti and
provided clearance surveys for opening Gulf Coast harbors after Hurricane Katrina. We
tell the scientists that are making models that predict currents where that bottom is
and that becomes a part of their equation in determining what the currents are. The
master's program began in 1999, located on the University's Stennis Space Center campus
in Hancock County. So far 133 students from all over the U.S. and 17 foreign countries
have received advanced hydrographic degrees at Southern Miss.