BEAM Educational Program gets INFOMAR support

Beam program

INFOMAR and the University College of Charleston -  BEAMS program.

The BEAMS Program is an undergraduate-focused training and research program with the mission to develop a strong and qualified workforce of ocean surveyors in support of the academic, research and operational marine communities. The program was founded in 2007 within the College of Charleston's Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences and was expanded in 2011 to include the University of Washington's School of Oceanography.

Our collaboration with BEAMS came about after focused development of international industry and research relations in 2015. 

Participating students learn to use multibeam processing software to generate bathymetric maps and acoustic backscatter imagery for seabed classification. Those who elect to reach full "BEAM TEAM" status progress to a research course offering sonar data acquisition cruise and must complete a full research project. Such projects have been completed using data gathered on-board the Celtic Voyager and Celtic Explorer during INFOMAR research cruises. These data can underpin further research and are regularly presented at international hydrographic conferences.

In 2015 two such projects won student prizes at the prestigious U.S. Hydro 2015 hosted by The Hydrographic Society of America.

More about the Beam program here

Selected BEAMS research posters.

2017 U.S. Hydrographic Conference