After 10.5 years in the military, nine of those as an Army Engineer Diver, I decided to separate from the military. I had a fantastic career doing something I absolutely loved but now wanted to remain in one place and become more stable. Many former Army divers are now actively employed in the commercial diving realm, a few on the gulf, several others in Buffalo, New York, Nevada, New Jersey, Maine, and Virginia. I resigned myself to the fact that finding steady work with limited travel as a diver in my area of the Gulf would be a fantasy. I was working as a diver part time for a company but the work was of course not steady, I thought I could keep diving, part time and get a normal job to pay the bills. I had saved up a month of vacation time prior to my separation from the military as a cushion giving me time to find employment. As I was nearing the end of the month I noticed an add in the local paper for a diving technologist at Florida State University, and applied for the position.

I was accepted for the position and have been exposed to limitless possibilities as a result. The position involves basic SCUBA instruction, equipment maintenance, advanced diving instruction, and safety oversight on university projects. With ongoing research and a never ending stream of ideas for studies the only shortage within the program now is time.

 The Florida State University Academic Diving Program was formally established in 1975, but has been supporting diving operations within the university since the 1950’s. The ADP mission statement is  “to support excellence in underwater research through the use of diving technology, and to promote the academic experience of Florida State students through diving education.” The Academic Diving Program also provides training and safety oversight for all diving conducted under the auspices of the University.

The ADP has a large inventory of varied types of diving apparatus and is called on to support projects in oceanography, archaeology, biology, and geology.

Training in basic SCUBA diving and life support techniques are available to all students and are a prerequisite for moving on to advanced training as a recreational instructor or a Science diver.

Advanced training includes surface supplied diving utilizing Kirby Morgan SL-17 hardhats as well as KMB-18 band-masks. The ADP also conducts training on the Interspiro MK-20 in both the surface supplied mode and SCUBA mode.

Advanced training for science divers also includes learning to use the vast array of data collection devices on hand to include underwater still and video cameras, underwater digital still and video cameras, underwater metal detectors, hand held sonar and pinger assemblies, an R.O.V., and others.

The ADP conducts classes in specializing in underwater biology techniques as well as those specializing in underwater archeology.

ADP dove Antarctica to observe and study marine life, sulfuric lakes in the jungles of Palau to take sediment samples, Bamfield, Canada to study sea urchins, and into underwater caves to study hydrology, geological formations, fauna, and archaeological remains. Florida State divers dove from an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico to study the scrawled file-fish, manta ray migration, and coral spawning, while FSU archaeology students have investigated a number of historic shipwrecks.

FSU has supported major research projects involving many divers, such as the Warm Mineral Springs Archaeological Project and Duke University's Surface Interval Oxygen physiological study.

The ADP is a member of The American Academy of Underwater Sciences; the AAUS standards are the driving force in creating and maintaining the university science diving standard. A diving control board comprised of a majority of science divers determines the procedures the scientists will follow while diving under the auspice of Florida State University. The projects the university conducts must be reviewed and approved by the director of the ADP who also serves as the university diving safety officer.

The ADP also has a small inventory of dive gear of historical significance, plans are being made for a display showcasing this equipment and restorations are currently in progress. The ADP maintains a web-site at www.adp.fsu.edu which is also undergoing changes, check back often.

There is nothing worse than the feeling of despair that comes with exchanging a dry-suit for a business suit. If your time working in the water has come to an end consider the limitless possibilities available to an experienced diver enabling you to stay wet. Contact manufacturers about positions as equipment representatives, equipment repair technicians, consider consultation, photography, instruction, supervision. There are a lot of opportunities within the medical field with the acceptance of PP o2 treatments.

Jeffrey M. Lane

Diving Technologist

Florida State University

Army Deep Sea Diver 93-01, diver pre-qualification course instructor 96-99, NDSTC instructor 99-01, ADC certified air diving supervisor, diver, life support technician, YMCA/CMAS SCUBA Instructor.