Willem Weertman
Willem Weertman is SeaOrb’s founder, a marine researcher, scientific diver, and software builder. He holds an M.S. in the Environment from Alaska Pacific University and a B.S. in Oceanography with a minor in Marine Biology from the University of Washington, where he is a doctoral candidate in Psychology’s Neural Systems and Behavior program. His research uses computer vision and machine learning to study sunflower star behavior and ecology and turn underwater imagery into quantitative data for research and conservation.
GitHub · @weertman Instagram · @veertman Photography · Subtidal Productions
Mitchel McCloskey
Mitchel McCloskey is SeaOrb’s co-founder, a marine researcher, scientific diver, and restoration ecologist. He holds an M.S. in Environmental Science from Alaska Pacific University and a B.S. in Biology, with a concentration in Aquatic Science and a minor in Chemistry, from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. He previously led the San Juan Islands Conservation District’s eelgrass program, managing restoration projects throughout the islands. His work spans scientific diving, marine field operations, aquarium systems, and octopus behavior, combining field and laboratory experience to support coastal research and conservation.
Brad Harris
Brad Harris holds a B.Sc. in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from Texas A&M University, and a M.Sc. and a Ph.D. in Fisheries Oceanography from the University of Massachusetts. He is an Associate Professor at Alaska Pacific University, an Honorary Fellow at Ulster University in Northern Ireland, UK, and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Massachusetts School of Marine Sciences. He's a member of the Bering Sea Fishery Ecosystem Plan Team, North Pacific Fisheries Management Council, and serves on the Scientific and Statistical Committee of the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council, the Working Group on Scallop Assessment of the International Council for Exploration of the Sea, and the Working Group on Fishing Technology and Fish Behavior of International Council for Exploration of the Sea / Food and Agriculture Organization.
Ben Wilkins
Ben Wilkins is a fisheries ecologist, scientific diver, educator, and research administrator based in Anchorage, Alaska. He holds an M.S. in Environmental Science from Alaska Pacific University and a B.A. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Colorado Boulder. He is Program Manager for the Fisheries, Aquatic Science, and Technology (FAST) Lab and an Adjunct Professor and Diving Safety Officer at Alaska Pacific University. His work combines fisheries ecology, scientific diving, habitat modeling, and emerging technologies to support marine research and management, drawing on extensive field experience conducting underwater surveys and vessel-based research throughout Alaska’s coastal waters.