MBARI
Search
Close

You might be interested in:

News

MBARI mourns the passing of former board member Robert Spindel

Behind the Scenes

The late Robert Spindel served on MBARI’s Board of Directors and provided invaluable guidance on the institute’s efforts to develop innovative new technology for studying the ocean. Image: © 2012 MBARI

MBARI mourns the passing of former board member Robert Spindel

A member of MBARI’s Board of Directors for 16 years, Spindel provided invaluable expertise to help guide technology development at MBARI.
A headshot shows a former member of the MBARI Board of Directors with receding gray hair wearing a gray shirt and tie. The background is a textured gray screen.
Robert Spindel was a leader in ocean engineering and technology who served on MBARI’s Board of Directors from 1999 to 2015. Image courtesy of University of Washington

Robert Spindel, who served on MBARI’s Board of Directors from 1999 to 2015, passed away on January 8 at the age of 80. During his 16-year tenure on MBARI’s Board, Spindel shared his research expertise and extensive knowledge of underwater acoustics and electrical engineering to help guide the institute’s work to develop cutting-edge technology for studying the ocean.

“MBARI was privileged to have the guidance of Robert Spindel as a member of our Board of Directors. A leader in ocean engineering, he was a tireless advocate for innovation in marine technology,” said MBARI President and CEO Chris Scholin.

Born on September 5, 1944, Spindel earned a BE in electrical engineering from The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art and an MS, MPhil, and PhD in electrical engineering from Yale University.

Spindel began his career in oceanography as a postdoctoral fellow at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in 1971. He joined WHOI’s scientific staff in 1972 and was the chair of the Department of Ocean Engineering from 1982 to 1987. In 1987 he joined the University of Washington’s Applied Physics Laboratory, where he served as its director until 2003.

Five members of MBARI’s Board of Directors speak with two MBARI staff members on a dock. Two Board members in the center of the frame are wearing dark jackets and khaki pants with brown shoes. Two Board members in the foreground are wearing navy blazers and dark gray pants. The MBARI staff member in the center is wearing a light blue shirt, navy blue pants, and brown shoes. The MBARI staff member on the right is wearing a gray-blue shirt, khaki pants, and brown shoes. In the background are several ships docked in Moss Landing harbor, with a light blue sky overhead.
During his 16 years on MBARI’s Board of Directors, Robert Spindel (second from left) was instrumental in guiding development of our innovative ocean exploration technology. Image: Todd Walsh © 2012 MBARI

Spindel’s primary research interests were underwater acoustics and acoustical oceanography. He authored or co-authored more than 100 scientific and technical publications, and earned several accolades for his contributions to ocean science and engineering. 

As a member of MBARI’s Board of Directors, Spindel was integral in the planning and development of the institute’s Strategic Plan and provided valuable input on our Technology Roadmap. He championed a novel “plug-and-work” strategy for interoperability across a fleet of innovative instruments that remains critical to MBARI’s efforts to deploy advanced technology for monitoring ocean health. Spindel also chaired MBARI’s external review panel, where his engineering expertise provided valuable insight to extend the reach of MBARI programs and discoveries to the wider scientific and engineering communities.

Read more about Spindel’s life and career here.

For additional information or images relating to this article, please email pressroom@mbari.org.

More News