University of Rhode Island volcanologist Steven Carey is participating in a scientific investigation of hydrothermal vents in the crater of an ancient underwater volcano off the coast of Greece. He is helping to direct remotely operated vehicles deployed from the exploration ship Nautilus to collect water and sediment samples, and he is discussing the findings with shipboard scientists.

But Carey isn’t aboard the Nautilus. He’s not even in Greece or elsewhere in Europe. He is sitting in the Inner Space Center at URI, where he can participate in the research expedition from thousands of miles away without having to spend weeks at sea.