Robert Ballard

Deep-Sea Explorer, Discoverer of the Titanic, Host of National Geographic’s Explorer, and President, Ocean Exploration Trust

In-Person Fee Range
$20,001 to $50,000
(Inquire for virtual fee)

Travels From
Connecticut, United States

Deep-Sea Explorer, Discoverer of the Titanic, Host of National Geographic’s Explorer, and President, Ocean Exploration Trust

Best known for his 1985 discovery of the TITANIC, Dr. Robert Ballard has succeeded in tracking down numerous other significant shipwrecks, including the German battleship BISMARCK, the lost fleet of Guadalcanal, the U.S. aircraft carrier YORKTOWN (sunk in the World War II Battle of Midway), and John F. Kennedy’s boat, PT-109.

Deep-Sea Explorer

While those discoveries have captured the imagination of the public, Dr. Ballard believes his most important discoveries were of hydrothermal vents and “black smokers” in the Galapagos Rift and East Pacific Rise in 1977 and 1979 along with their exotic life forms living off the energy of the Earth through a process now called chemosynthesis. 

National Geographic

In addition to being a National Geographic Society Explorer-In-Residence and a commissioner on the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, Dr. Ballard is the president of the Ocean Exploration Trust (OET). 

Education

Ballard was born June 30, 1942, in Wichita, KS but moved to California at a very young age and grew up exploring the shore in San Diego.  Dr. Ballard has a Ph.D. in marine geology and geophysics from the University of Rhode Island.  He spent 30 years at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, where he helped develop telecommunications technology to create “tele-presence” for his education initiative, which allows hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren to accompany him from afar on undersea explorations around the globe each year.  In 2001, he returned to the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island where he is presently a tenured Professor of Oceanography and Director of the Center for Ocean Exploration.

Awards

Dr. Ballard has 21 honorary degrees and six military awards. He was also a Commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve, serving in the Navy from 1967 to 1997.  He received the National Geographic Society’s prestigious Hubbard Medal in 1996 for “extraordinary accomplishments in coaxing secrets from the world’s oceans and engaging students in the wonder of science.”   In 2014, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Ballard has published numerous books, scientific papers, and a dozen articles in National Geographic magazine.   Dr. Ballard also has been featured in several National Geographic television programs, including the record-breaking “Secrets of the TITANIC.”

Discoveries

His discoveries also include sunken remains of ships along ancient trade routes in the Mediterranean Sea; two ancient Phoenician ships off Israel, the oldest shipwrecks ever found in deep water; and four 1,500-year-old wooden ships, one almost perfectly preserved in the Black Sea.  Dr. Ballard’s Black Sea project seeks evidence of a great flood that may have struck the region thousands of years ago.

Book

His 1997 best-selling book, Lost Liners, tells the story of the great transatlantic liners through memorable wrecks he has visited.  Dr. Ballard was also a special advisor on Steven Spielberg’s futuristic Sea Quest, DSV television show.
 
An explorer, discoverer and historian, Dr. Ballard’s fascinating journeys can teach us a great deal about our past, and they have encouraged others to take tremendous strides in the survey of the undiscovered mysteries of the deep sea.

Living the Dream

Dr. Ballard speaks about how he has turned his dreams into reality by taking risks and learning how to face failure and turn it into success.

The Personal Account of How the Titanic Was Found, and a Look into the Future

Dr. Ballard shares his incredible story of the significant discovery of the Titanic, the advanced technology he used for this world famous expedition, and what’s ahead for the future in deep sea exploration.

Deep Sea Exploration

Dr. Ballard shares his conclusions of his numerous expeditions to search for, locate and document sites of historical significance and the emerging science of deep water archeology.

All Robert Ballard Books

Lost Liners: From the Titanic to the Andrea Doria The Ocean Floor Reveals Its Greatest Ships
Purchase Book
The Discovery of The Titanic
Purchase Book
The Lost Ships of Robert Ballard–An Unforgettable Underwater Tour by the World’s Leading Deep-Sea Explorer
Purchase Book

Check Robert Ballard Availability

Recent Books

Lost Liners: From the Titanic to the Andrea Doria The Ocean Floor Reveals Its Greatest Ships
Purchase Book
The Discovery of The Titanic
Purchase Book

Your Speakers

Please add any speakers you are interested in to your list. You can send this list to us to inquire about availability.

Clear All

No Speakers in List

Scroll to Top