My carreer
as a scuba diving instructor began in 1978, first in southern California
as an instructor for Santa Ana College, and later for Humboldt State
University. Soon, I began staffing Instructor Training Courses (ITCs),
and traveling to conduct training programs. I have worked in resort
settings, dive stores, scientific diving programs, as well as an independent
professional.
My informal education started
at an early age, in a variety of settings.
My formal education includes
receiving a BS in Geology, an MBA in International Marketing and a
Ph.D. in Education. Additionally, I spent three years in Marine Geochemistry
Ph.D. level studies..
Specializing in marketing
and business development services, both within and outside the dive
industry, I worked for over 20 years as a management consultant. I
have also performed services as an accident investigator and expert
witness, consulting on cases related to scuba fatalities and non-fatal
dive related incidents.
My scientific diving began
in 1978, when I was working on a
thesis for my degree in geology. I spent a year dredging for gold
in the Trinity
Alps in California, later analyzing the settling velocity of natural
alluvial gold particles. I subsequently studied the effects of water
chemistry and haloclines on rock chemistry in underwater cave systems
in the Bahamas.
Here
I am working on water chemistry in the field on Grand Bahama Island,
circa 1984, with Bill Back of the US Geological Survey
I have collected many
new species of animals from submerged caves. A small shrimp - Agostocaris
bozanici, a small to medium-sized amphipod Bahadzia
bozanici, and a Sea Star - Halcelia bozanici (described
by G. Hendler). are indeed named after me. In addition to my research
activities, I have overseen scientific diving programs in Antarctica
as part of the U.S. Antarctic Program,
the University of Southern California as Diving Safety Officer, and
on multiple diving control boards of various universities and academic
diving programs. I currently serve as an advisor to the diving
program of the U.S. National Park Service.
I began teaching technical
diving in the Bahamas in 1983, long before the term "technical
diving" was coined. Originally specializing in cave and decompression
diving instruction, I later branched out into teaching nitrox and
trimix use. I currently conduct rebreather, cave, nitrox, advanced
nitrox, decompression procedures, and trimix diving courses, as well
as instructor courses for SDI, TDI, and IANTD.
I have published extensively
on diving education topics, with heavy emphasis on cave and rebreather
diving (see my articles section for a sampling - under construction). I have edited/reviewed many
diving textbooks, including co-authoring the Antarctic
Scientific Diving Manual. I frequently speak at a wide variety
of diving seminars, onsite diving
programs, resort
experience programs, and dive
shows.
My mulit-media
participation includes a variety of television programs and video
magazines. In 1991 I was featured in a CBS episode about Antarctic
research which aired on LA Today News. Since then I have consulted
for Dive In! on their Ghost Ships of Bikini Atoll program,
a Discovery Channel Smithsonian World episode on cave diving
research, and a PBS 3-2-1 Contact! episode on cave diving.
I have been featured as an on-screen participant on Animal Planet Aquanauts (rebreathers) and History Channel Deep
Sea Detectives episodes (Secret Underwater Caves and More
Secret Underwater Caves). Currently I have been asked to host a new
reality show project called The
Nautilus Effect, which will take ordinary people and involve
them in undersea scientific exploration and research.
In addition, I have served
on the Board of Directors of NAUI for eight years, NSS Cave Diving
Section Board for seven years, IANTD Board of Advisors for five years, The IUCRR Board for six years, and the TDI Rebreather Advisory Board for two years.
My contributions to diving safety and education have been recognized
with many awards, including the Platinum
Pro 5000, Henry Nicholson, Silver Wakulla, International Safe Cave
Diving award, NAUI
Hall of Honor, and most recently the 2007
DAN / Rolex Diver of the Year.
