The people of MARSSAM are seagoing oceanographers and marine geologists. Our group has many decades of seagoing experience and our managers and facility advisors are all experienced principal investigators who have led many of their own coring cruises. The goal of our structure is to help you get the most productive use of your at-sea time. The following researchers and technicians manage our facility and make sure the cruises we support are successful.
Directors:
Advisory Panel:
Research Technicians:
Paul Walczak
Lead coring technician for MARSSAM, with 15+ years of seagoing experience collecting all manner of marine geology samples in support of 50+ expeditions aboard 15+ UNOLS and international vessels. Resident master of the ratchet strap.
Chris Moser
Semi-retired former lead coring technician for MARSSAM, has worked with the facility for nearly 40 years. Among the most experienced coring techs still sailing on UNOLS vessels, his always sunny disposition is further improved by gifts of candy and/or hot cocoa.
Dale Hubbard
Part of the MARSSAM coring team for nearly 20 years. Expertise in complex multi-disciplinary expeditions and jumbo piston coring. Has sailed in support of marine geology in every ocean, and has witnessed more than he ever wanted to.
Chris Fanshier
Joined MARSSAM in 2019, and in the ensuing years has supported research cruises around the globe and built significant expertise in every type of coring supported by our facility. Deeply competent and always cheerful, his spirit hasn’t been broken. Yet.
Ben Freiberg
In a longstanding MARSSAM tradition, was entrained into the group upon the 2019 completion of his masters’ degree in Geology and Geophysics at OSU. Splits his time between coring and supporting the PacWave facility. Has broad expertise across many types of seafloor sampling, and always glad to give something new the ol’ college try.
Maziet Cheseby
Has been involved with the MARSSAM group for nearly 20 years, first as a coring technician and eventually as archival specialist serving as liaison with the Marine and Geology Repository. Navigates curatorial needs of various expeditions, and supports seagoing instrumentation such as the multi-sensor core logger and CT-scanner. Keeps the shipping companies we contract with in line by ‘going Jersey on them’, as necessary.
Dan Wildrick
Our newest MARSSAM technician, joined the group after interning on a series of research cruises while completing his degree in Oceanography. Quickly proving an invaluable member of the team, Dan now has experience in most of the seafloor sampling devices supported by MARSSAM, and has supported cruises from the tropical Pacific to Baffin Bay. Still has a good strong back.