Bart Buesseler Email & Phone Number

Norfolk, Virginia, United States

I am currently the Chief of the Atlantic Hydrographic Branch in Norfolk, Virginia. In this role I manage the branch that qualifies hydrographic data from our NOAA field units, contract partners, and external data providers. This qualified data then becomes publicly available, feeds into the National Bathymetric Source, and ends up on Nautical Charts to support commerce flowing into and out of and along the east coast.

Newport, Rhode Island, United States

I was previously the Executive Officer onboard NOAA Ship OKEANOS EXPLORER, America’s Ship for Exploration. In this role I am the second in command, managing the ship’s ~$2M budget, port services & logistics, 20 civilian professional mariners, and wardroom of five commissioned officers. This is a highly dynamic position that focuses largely on the “behind the scenes” coordination that enable the ship’s mission to be safe and successful. While the work itself isn’t glamorous, being able to support such an engaging mission as ocean exploration is deeply satisfying.

Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Prior to returning to sea onboard NOAA Ship OKEANOS EXPLORER, I was the Navigation Manager for Alaska. In this role I was the liaison between Coast Survey HQ and the Alaskan maritime community. This required taking feedback from local mariners regarding chart requests, discrepancies, or desired products back to HQ while making sure the mariners are aware of new developments and improved products. In this role I was able to leverage my previous experience sailing in Alaskan waters on RAINIER and FAIRWEATHER to understand the unique challenges of the region. The role also gave me the opportunity to collaborate extensively with other NOAA line offices, as well as state and local partners.

Ketchikan, Ak

My second sea tour was as the Operations Officer of NOAA Ship FAIRWEATHER, sister-ship of the NOAA Ship RAINIER (my first assignment), which also primarily operates in Alaskan waters. In this role, I was responsible for planning the day to day schedule for the ship, four survey launches, and approximately 45 personnel onboard. This assignment proved to be quite challenging as we were given a set amount of days to complete a mission; always operating within the constraints of equipment, available personnel, and the volatile Alaskan weather. The difficult and dynamic nature of the assignment forced me to refine my skills for thinking on my feet and adjusting schedules on the fly. Most importantly, however, this assignment me taught me how teamwork is essential to success. I was supported in my position by both the professional mariners serving on FAIRWEATHER, as well as my fellow officers in the wardroom. They provided invaluable feedback and energy which kept me on track throughout my time onboard. I thoroughly enjoyed and am incredibly proud of what we accomplished during my time on FAIRWEATHER. Some of the more notable accomplishments were:- Recapitalized the aging sonar systems on the ship’s survey launches with new, state of the art multibeam sonar systems. - Completed an innovative multi-mission project during the summer of 2016 where the ship’s survey launches and survey team were deployed to Unalaska Island to survey the harbor while the ship conducted a bathymetric fisheries cruise. This allowed the missions to be accomplished simultaneously, greatly increasing operational efficiencies. - Acquired over 10,717 linear miles of survey to update 802 square nautical miles of Alaskan waters. - Earned my Senior Watch Officer (SWO) qualification.

Solomons, Md

My first land assignment with NOAA was as the Officer in Charge (OIC) of R/V BAY HYDRO II, a 54-foot, $3 million dollar survey and research vessel operating primarily in the Chesapeake Bay. The boat had a crew of three (including myself) and we were responsible for all aspects of day to day operations including maintenance and upkeep of the vessel. This assignment had me out on the water every day and gave me not only fantastic small boat experience but also great appreciation for the impact that our mission had for local communities. The three primary missions of the BAY HYDRO II that I was responsible for were:- Perform hydrographic surveys of the Chesapeake Bay to update nautical charts and increase the safety of maritime traffic. Additionally, BAY HYDRO II is a response platform, able to respond to any emergencies along the east coast to provide hydrographic support (such as in the wake of maritime accidents, identified chart discrepancies, or hurricanes).- Serve as a test platform for NOAA’s Hydrographic Systems and Technology Branch (HSTB), conducting valuable research and development work for new technologies aiming to increase data quality and processing efficiency for the entire NOAA hydrographic fleet. - Conduct outreach operations with the general public, local fishermen, and government officials to build awareness of the mission and benefits provided to the maritime community.

Newport, Oregon

My adventure with NOAA started as a Junior Officer aboard NOAA Ship RAINIER, a 232-foot hydrographic research vessel homeported in Newport, Oregon during the winter and surveying up in Alaskan waters during the summer. Being a Junior Officer onboard involves three core components: - First being a watch officer providing for the safe navigation of the vessel. - Second, supporting the ship’s primary mission of Hydrography (charting depths) by assisting with the collection and processing of field and control data. - Third, by assisting in the management of the vessel by assuming the collateral duties of damage control, Imprest (ship’s fund), small boats, GPS-Control, sound speed, and discharge paperwork.Achievements included:- Earning my underway Officer of the Deck (OOD) qualification letter. (Oct. 2012)- Earning my NOAA Hydrographer in Charge (HIC) qualification. (Oct. 2012)- Managing two hydrographic survey sheets, covering 104 square nautical miles of Alaskan waters.- Earning my NOAA Working Diver qualification. (Jan. 2011)- Earning my NOAA Divemaster qualification. (Jan. 2013)

Fenton, Mi

I worked in the Advanced Manufacturing Engineering department on the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) program. My primary focus was the design and implementation of a single cell test stand for quality control purposes. Utilizing this test stand I completed my undergraduate thesis involving the impact of specific points in the production process on SOFC cell performance.

Flint, Mi

Worked as part of a three instructor team to provide freshmen at Kettering with the information they needed to succeed. As a current student at the time, I represented the student's viewpoint and shared my continuing experiences with the freshmen. I was responsible for creating and presenting on topics pertaining to student life such as how to interact with faculty, overview of study habits, and current campus happenings. On days when one or both of the other co-instructors were unable to attend, I was responsible for running the class.

Carson City, Nv

Worked in the instrumentation department. We were responsible for the instrumentation of every vehicle prior to testing, maintaining the instrumentation during testing, and removing all instrumentation at the conclusion of testing. This was my first exposure to real world testing and it taught me many valuable lessons. Some of our more exciting testing included explosive testing on military vehicles, which involved a significant amount of instrumentation support work.

Portland, Or

Worked as a liaison between the State of Oregon and Freightliner. I was responsible for assuring that all tenants of an agreement between the two parties were fulfilled. This involved tracking the performance and miles driven of a test fleet operating within the state.I was also assigned other tasks including:•A statistical analysis of fuel economy as part of a project working with the EPA's "Smart Way" program. The program was looking to identify low cost, effective means for improving Class-8 truck fuel efficiencies. •A thorough analysis of biodiesel, looking at risks and opportunities it provided. This also involved research into the current and future production capacities, and what Freightliner could expect. After the presentation was submitted, it made it to the desk of the VP of engineering.•An analysis of apparently random warranty claims. There was a known issue, however the cause could not clearly be established. I evaluated all available data in search of any indications of trends.