Session description: The global ocean is vastly under-sampled. Whether considering benthic ecosystems, water column processes, biodiversity, seafloor morphology, mineral deposits, or fluid fluxes, only a tiny fraction of the oceans have been characterized at a level necessary to understand the world's natural resources, processes, and their interconnections. Ocean exploration, therefore, is a fundamental component of ocean science, leading to new discoveries, ground (sea) truthing of models, and guiding the direction of scientific inquiry. Ocean exploration may be carried out at the sea surface, in the ocean's interior, or beneath the seafloor, in the laboratory or within a model domain, on Earth or in the outer solar system. This session aims to bring together researchers, engineers, and science communicators engaged in ocean exploration, as well as those that are using these advances to broaden equity and diversity within the field. We welcome submissions detailing the latest advances in technology and novel operational concepts for ocean exploration, exploratory analysis of marine data sets, field- and lab-based ocean exploration results, and community efforts for exploration and engagement. We hope that this session promotes a dialogue and exchange of ideas that enhances the ocean science community’s capacity to rapidly progress ocean exploration in the service of scientific advancement, human health and wealth, resource management and conservation, inclusivity and anti-colonial science, and technological innovation.

Proposed presenters (not yet invited): Bob Ballard (President of Ocean Exploration Trust) - Inspiring the next generation of Ocean Explorers; Alan Leonardi (CEO of Consortium for Ocean Leadership) - National Strategy for Ocean Exploration; Jyotika Virmani (President Schmidt Ocean Institute) - philanthropic ocean exploration; Randi Rotjan (Boston University) - Anti-colonial ocean exploration; Chris German (WHOI) - New technology for ocean exploration on earth and ocean planets; Margaret Leinen (President Scripps Institute of Oceanography) - Ocean exploration and the blue economy.

Connection to field site: Two of the conveners and one of the speakers will be at sea on an ocean exploration expedition . The ship, E/V Nautilus, has a high bandwidth connection to shore and will be actively diving on 2000m to 4500m deep seamounts around Hawaii. We will include a live look-in at the deep ocean with the potential for live interaction of the participants and the ROV pilots.