Dave Karl
Professor,
Oceanography Dept.
University of Hawai'i at Manoa

See a video clip of Dave talking about why he loves his work

What he does: Curious about how animals can survive in extreme environments, Dave Karl travels from seafloor hot springs to Antarctic ice.

How he got into science: Dave loved oceanography while growing up in Buffalo, but didn't get to see an ocean till he was 18! His mother, a librarian, fed him books about oceans all those years. Fish fascinated him at first, but in grad school he wound up studying microscopic life.

Favorite Accomplishments: Dave joined the first expeditionto explore undersea mountains where hot water flows to the surface. The team discovered them teaming with life. And Dave and his colleague where the first to find bacteria living in the "barren" lakes beneath Antarctic ice.

In his free time: You'll find Dave hiking, ocean kayaking, or riding his Harley around O'ahu.

Quote: "It's the travel, exploration and discovery that keeps me going"