Name:  Al Kalvaitis   

Q: Where in NOAA do you work now?
A: NURP

Q: When did you begin your work with NOAA?
A: When NOAA was formed. I began my humble career at the National Oceanographic Instrumentation Center (NOIC) which was then a part of NOS. It was located at the Washington Navy Yard. NOIC was reorganized several times and finally dissolved in the early 1980's.

Q: Looking back, what events stand out as the most memorable during your time with NOAA?
A: As a program officer in an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) I was involved in the design, test, and deployment of a 400 foot long, 8 foot diameter instrumented pipe off Oahu. That was truly a memorable career experience. After I came to NURP in 1985, I was responsible for overseeing the design and fabrication of the world's only undersea laboratory, Aquarius. I feel personal and professional satisfaction that it has become an important research platform for NOAA and the Nation.

Q: From your point of view, what have been the most significant changes NOAA has experienced during the past 30 years?
A: NOAA has been an agency that has adapted readily with trends and technology and has adapted these, i.e. the PC and the web.

This page updated on: Monday, 07-Jan-2002 21:41:56 GMT
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