Remote Research Reimagined
Schmidt Ocean Institute, a non-profit organization with a mission to advance oceanographic research, discovery and knowledge, is leading the charge in the future of ocean research.
Pioneering Research at Sea
Scientific research at sea provides us with crucial data that advances our understanding of Earth's ecosystems, informs environmental policies and even advances medical research.
Nov 04, 2024
The Schmidt Ocean Institute, a non-profit organization with a mission to advance oceanographic research, discovery and knowledge, is leading the charge in the future of ocean research.
Embracing new and innovative technologies to advance ocean research is a core pillar of Schmidt Ocean Institute's work, passed down by their co-founders Wendy and Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google (GOOGL).
Through their vision and leadership, Schmidt Ocean Institute utilizes technology to not only accelerate the rate at which ocean research is done but also innovate the very ways scientific research is conducted.
'Technology first' was our guidance when we started Schmidt Ocean Institute, and since 2009, new technology in the service of scientific research has driven the organization's mission.
Today's opportunities for deep sea exploration are unprecedented. Our research vessel, Falkor (too), takes scientists from around the world into unexplored areas of our ocean, enabling a new age of discovery.
The Research Vessel
Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel, the R/V Falkor (too), is a mobile laboratory made available to scientists at no charge in exchange for making their discoveries publicly available in real time. The ship houses numerous innovative technologies that are accelerating ocean research.
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Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel, the R/V Falkor (too), is a mobile laboratory made available to scientists at no charge in exchange for making their discoveries publicly available in real time. The ship houses numerous innovative technologies that are accelerating ocean research.
Technologies for the Future
Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute
Cutting-edge robotics aboard R/V Falkor (too) descend to depths beyond human reach, allowing scientists to capture data, imagery and even samples from the ocean floor for further study on board.
But what sets R/V Falkor (too) apart from other research vessels is its ability to process and analyze complex data at sea. With the help of Nasdaq-listed companies Intel (INTC) and Nvidia (NVDA), Schmidt Ocean Institute outfitted R/V Falkor (too) with state-of-the-art high-performance computing (HPC) and the best graphics cards on the market.
HPC enables scientists to make discoveries faster and research easier, all powered by Intel and rendered by Nvidia. With processing power not previously seen on a vessel at sea, the intel processor can create complex models, maps and more, rendered with a Nvidia chip, that used to require scientists to return to land to create. Now, scientists can stay at sea longer, processing data without having to go back to shore for further results.
Technology’s Human Impact
Accelerating ocean research with cutting-edge technology is already showing benefits to humanity. Since the 1990s, pharmaceutical companies have used research from coral reefs to create life-saving drugs that fight cancer, HIV, Alzheimer's and more.
On the Frontlines Advancing Biochemical Research
Using its technology to explore coral reefs off the coast of Puerto Rico, Schmidt Ocean Institute has organized expeditions with partner organizations to study reactive oxygen species dynamics, which may hold the key to treatments for neurodegenerative disorders, cancers and more.
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Using its technology to explore coral reefs off the coast of Puerto Rico, Schmidt Ocean Institute has organized expeditions with partner organizations to study reactive oxygen species dynamics, which may hold the key to treatments for neurodegenerative disorders, cancers and more.
Aug 15, 2024
Developing technology has the potential to springboard researchers into a whole new understanding of corals' biogeochemistry. With the funding of Schmidt Marine Technology Partners, Colleen Hansel's lab has been developing the first series of in situ Reactive Oxygen Species sensors that can be used in aqueous environments.
"DISCO was the first kind of ROS sensor that Colleen Hansel's lab developed and we used that as the mechanical framework to build SOLARIS... and SOLARIS essentially has the same internal skeleton, but it has a new body to tolerate these high-pressure environments."
Nasdaq is proud to support the companies working on the life-saving drugs of tomorrow, based on the ground-breaking research happening on the ocean floor today.
Pharmaceutical giants like Moderna (MRNA) and Amgen (AMGN) have been using ocean research to advance medicine since the 1990s.
Meanwhile, biotechnology companies, which are disrupting and advancing the pharmaceutical industry, are taking a more granular look at the power of coral reefs.
Advancing Humanity’s Reach
At Nasdaq, we believe that the power of transparency builds trust in free and fair markets, driving progress in the financial world.
Transparency is also a fundamental pillar of scientific research and exploration. By making the organization’s discoveries publicly available, Schmidt Ocean Institute hopes to advance critical research and increase transparency into the opaque ocean world.
To promote public engagement with its work, Schmidt Ocean Institute uses YouTube, a streaming platform owned by Nasdaq-listed company Alphabet (GOOGL), to share live deep sea dives that reveal discoveries of new sea mounts, thermal vents, new species of marine life and whole ecosystems free for the world to see.
Explore Schmidt Ocean Institute's pioneering research, held on the world’s most popular free streaming platform.
Mapping the Ocean Depths
Right now, scientists across the globe are creating a complete map of the Earth’s ocean floor.
Through the global Seabed 2030 project, the Nippon Foundation and the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans have committed resources to fully map Earth's ocean by 2030 and created a database for scientists across the globe to submit their mapping efforts.
A complete map of the ocean floor is an essential endeavor that will accelerate ocean research for years to come.
Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute
These incredible discoveries by Schmidt Ocean Institute underscore the importance of a complete map of the seabed in our quest for understanding Earth’s final frontier.
Mapping the Ocean Floor
Mapping the ocean floor gives scientists a clear picture of the state of our planet and establishes a benchmark that can inform future exploration, experiments, analysis and education.
Mapping previously uncharted parts of the ocean floor has also revealed a whole new world ripe for discovery. As mapping progresses, Schmidt Ocean Institute and other research teams are discovering new species and underwater land masses.
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Mapping the ocean floor gives scientists a clear picture of the state of our planet and establishes a benchmark that can inform future exploration, experiments, analysis and education.
Mapping previously uncharted parts of the ocean floor has also revealed a whole new world ripe for discovery. As mapping progresses, Schmidt Ocean Institute and other research teams are discovering new species and underwater land masses.
Aug 16, 2024
What does it take to truly see the seafloor? Turns out, you must listen! Researchers on board R/V Falkor are testing a sonar system new to scientific seafloor mapping: Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Sonar (InSAS). Combining bathymetric data with acoustic imagery allows scientists to paint an incredibly detailed picture of the seafloor using sound beams. InSAS is capable of unmatched resolutions, fine enough to depict individual animals dwelling in the depths, and it has the potential to be a game changer in the study and management of Ocean environments.
Schmidt Ocean Institute has contributed to the global effort to map the seafloor. More than 26% of the seabed has now been mapped in full resolution, and already new underwater mountains and marine species have been discovered.
In international waters off the coast of Guatemala, the organization has found an underwater mountain twice as high as the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.
A Community of Researchers Connected by Technology
Across the globe, scientists are utilizing various cutting-edge technologies to explore new terrain on the ocean floor.
Schmidt Ocean Institute's R/V Falkor (too) has scientific echosounders and multibeam mapping system that are optimized for producing high-resolution seafloor images down to depths of 11,000 meters (taller than Mount Everest). The Institute has mapped more than 2,250,000 square kilometers of ocean floor since 2014, an area five times the size of the state of California.
Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute
The Future of Oceanographic Research
As innovation continues to advance what we can study at sea, the possibilities are endless. We are just beginning to learn how ocean research can benefit all of humanity.
We have seen how life-saving medicines are found in coral reefs. With new species discovered every year, what new frontiers in healthcare can we explore?
Mapping the ocean floor leads to discovering new land masses. What will a full map teach us about our planet?
Climb aboard the R/V Falkor (too) to see what new horizons lie beneath the ocean's surface.
Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute
How Intel and Nvidia Continue Advancing Ocean Research
Page Last Updated: March 31, 2025