The Diving Research & Safety Program oversees all diving operations at the University of Rhode Island (URI), including education, outreach, and research activities following standards as set forth per the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS). This program falls under the Division of Research and Economic Development as a department. Curricular and regulatory functions are generously supported by annual funding from the College of Environment and Life Sciences and the Office of the Provost. The College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Engineering, and the Graduate School of Oceanography also provide additional support. The program is directed by Anya Hanson, Director and Diving Safety Officer, and Alexandra Moen, Associate Diving Safety Officer and Associate Teaching Professor.
The program oversees two facilities at the URI Tootell Aquatic Center and the Narragansett Bay Campus. Both facilities support multi-disciplinary instruction and international research collaborations. The facilities house an air compressor fill station with 6 storage DOT bottles of compressed gas, safety equipment (e.g. oxygen delivery systems), and all scuba diving equipment for a maximum of 12 divers including diving thermal protection, life-support equipment (e.g. cylinders, regulators, buoyancy compensator devices, dive computers, pressure gauges), accessories (weights, masks, snorkels, fins, compasses, depth gauges) and office equipment. Additional resources at GSO include the following underwater research equipment: dive flags, reels, slates, lift bags, surface marker buoys, dive knives, transects, quadrats, t-bars, corers, dive lights, 2 blue-water diving rigs, drysuits, 2 closed-circuit inspiration rebreathers, full-face masks, a safety recall system, diver safety alert systems, service kits for maintenance, storage bags, instructional first aid supplies (e.g. mannikins, oxygen masks, training AEDs, first aid kits), save-a-dive kits, dive logs, and dryer. The program also has photography equipment: Olympus TG-5 and TG-6 cameras and housings, Sea & Sea underwater strobes, Light & Motion video lights, Sony video camera and housing, and Canon 5D Mark IV camera, housing and additional accessories. All equipment is serviced and maintained internally to high industry and manufacturer standards using a magnehelic, cylinder inspection tools, tumbler, and other manufacturer-specific tooling.
Additional components of both facilities include access to showers and restrooms (locker rooms at Tootell), gear cleaning bins, dehumidifiers, and ample storage for URI and divers’ personal equipment. A Ford F-250 vehicle transports divers to/from field sites. An NSF-funded portable van designed to support ship-based research diving operations aboard the R/V Endeavor or other UNOLS ships is available.