IAG-MAS members

The Members of the Industry Advisory Group for Marine Autonomous Systems (IAG-MAS)

The IAG-MAS brings together leaders from over 20 organizations that specialize in manufacturing marine autonomous platforms and marine sensors as well as maritime service providers. Our group unites professionals with considerable technical, commercial, and manufacturing expertise in the marine autonomous system space – from AUV fleet operators to marine surveyors to environmental monitoring data scientists and maritime security executives. For more information on the IAG-MAS role and objectives, click here.

Let us introduce you to the members of GROOM II Advisory group.

Dr. Daniel Hayes is the Managing Director Cyprus Subsea Consulting & Services Ltd. As a Physical Oceanographer who holds a Ph.D. and MS in Oceanography from the University of Washington, he participated in both Arctic and Antarctic expeditions before relocating to Cyprus where he set up the national glider program. Dan shares his expertise as one of the leaders driven to establish a European and international glider infrastructure for science and industry. He has a long history of managing research and commercial contracts, as well as scientific and technical achievements in cooperation with colleagues around the world

Dr. Katherine Zaba is the Director of Glider Programs at MRV Systems, LLC. MRV Systems manufacturers autonomous profiling floats and is expanding into the autonomous underwater glider market via commercialization of the next-generation Spray2 (designed and developed by the Instrument Development Group at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography). Katherine specializes in observational physical oceanography, having received her Ph.D. from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in 2018. Her research interests include ocean boundary currents, El Niño-Southern Oscillation, marine heatwaves, physical-biological interactions, and autonomous underwater gliders.

Fietzek works as a Senior Business Development Manager Ocean Science at Kongsberg Maritime with a focus is on innovative applications for quantitative acoustic sensors and for comprehensive digital ocean data solutions. He is a convinced advocate for science-industry collaboration to mature the ocean observing enterprise, grow the New Blue Economy and maximize the impact of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. After having graduated in physics, he has been spending his entire career in the marine sector working for a research institute, a start-up, an SME and a global corporation.

Dr. Lionel Camus, head of Digital Solutions at Akvaplan-niva (Tromsø, Norway), holds a PhD in marine biology from the University of Plymouth (UK). Camus defines and implements strategies to use digital solutions across departments and sections to perform research or to provide services to customers. He currently manages a fleet of ca. 6 gliders (Sailbuoy, Seaglider M1, Slocum) and electrical drones (Otter, aerial drones, ROV, landers) rigged with advanced sensors (echo sounder, ADCP, hydrophone, multibeam etc.). Camus currently develops together with Kongsberg Maritime a cloud-based data portal “Blue Insight” to harvest, contextualize and analyse data from all of Akvaplan.niva mobile platforms and sensors. Collected data participates to improve ecosystem understanding (North, Norwegian and Barents Seas, Antarctic) for management decision making by the industry or authorities.

Aidan Thorn is Business Development Manager – Marine Robotics at Sonardyne. Through this role Aidan is responsible for achieving sustainable growth for Sonardyne across multiple markets in Marine Autonomous Systems and Vehicles. Prior to joining Sonardyne Aidan spent 21 years working for the National Oceanography Centre in a variety of industry facing roles, including as Marine Robotics Innovation Centre Business Manager. Aidan has also served on various industry groups, boards and committees.

Dr. Fritz Stahr is Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for MRV Systems, LLC. From 2005 to 2018, he managed the Seaglider^® Fabrication Center (SFC) within the Univ. of Washington’s School of Oceanography, making underwater gliders for both internal and external customers. Prior to starting SFC, Dr. Stahr taught oceanography and conducted research on seafloor hydrothermal vent systems using WHOI’s Autonomous Benthic Explorer. He holds a Ph.D. in Oceanography from the UW and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University. In his spare time, he teaches ocean technology courses at UW, helps operate the MATE ROV Competition, and volunteers with various ocean outreach organizations.