Karen Kohanowich
Karen Kohanowich | |
---|---|
Nationality | American |
Education | B.S., Geology, Vanderbilt University; M.S., Air Ocean Science, Naval Postgraduate School; M.S., Environmental Science and Policy, Johns Hopkins University; PhD, Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University; |
Employer | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Known for | U.S. Navy Salvage Diver, Aquanaut |
Karen Kohanowich is a retired U.S. Naval officer and ocean research and technology program manager for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER). She was NOAA's Acting Director of the National Undersea Research Program (NURP) from 2006 to 2009, and served in various roles at OER, including Acting Deputy and Undersea Technology director, until retiring in 2018. In July 2006, she became an aquanaut on the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations 10 (NEEMO 10) crew.[1][2]
Before NOAA, Kohanowich served as a salvage diving officer and oceanographer in the United States Navy for 23 years, retiring at the rank of Commander.[2][3][4] Kohanowich later commented, "What really got me into diving was that the standards for women were the same [as for men]. Women had to do the same number of sit-ups and push-ups. They had to climb up and down the dive ladders wearing the same 200-pound Mark V dive system."[5]
As a
NOAA and NEEMO
In 2005 Kohanowich retired from the Navy and joined NOAA as the deputy director of NURP.[3][4][7] She also served as VP for Government and Public Affairs for the Marine Technology Society from 2005 to 2009.[4]
In July 2006, Kohanowich became an
Education and honors
Kohanowich received a
In March 2011, when Kohanowich gave a Women's History Month lecture at the Office of Naval Research, Rear Admiral Nevin Carr commented of Kohanowich: "She is a trailblazer in her field and her achievements are a positive reflection of how important contributions from women have advanced the sciences, and benefitted the Navy."[9]
Kohanowich served as vice president for Government and Public Affairs for the Marine Technology Society from 2005 to 2010, and as Chair of the Washington, DC Chapter of the Society of Woman Geographers from 2014 to 2017 [3] She has been a member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame since 2001.[7]
References
- ^ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (July 21, 2006). "NOAA News Online (Story 2668)". NOAA. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
- ^ National Aeronautics and Space Administration (May 11, 2010). "NASA – NEEMO 10". NASA. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
- ^ Naval History & Heritage Command, United States Navy. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
- ^ LinkedIn Corporation. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
- ^ "Women Divers: Part of the Navy Team". Naval Undersea Museum, Naval History & Heritage Command, United States Navy. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
- ^ Wilson, Barbara A. "Military Women Divers". Barbara A. Wilson. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
- ^ a b "Women Divers Hall of Fame – Member Roster 3". Women Divers Hall of Fame. 2006. Archived from the original on March 7, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
- ^ a b NASA (July 22, 2006). "NASA – NEEMO 10 Mission Journal". NASA. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
- ^ Jones, Sierra (March 22, 2011). "News: Former Navy Diver to Discuss Undersea Research at ONR Women's History Month Event – Office of Naval Research". Office of Naval Research, United States Navy. Retrieved February 21, 2012.