Dr. Craig Young (Professor, Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, University of Oregon) is the project director for this grant and the Chief Scientist for the expedition. He is a deep-sea biologist who specializes in the reproduction and embryology of invertebrate animals. Craig has been working with deep-water animals using submersibles for more than 30 years. His role on this cruise is to coordinate all aspects of the expedition and to collect and culture the larvae of deep-sea animals.

Dr. Michelle Wood (Professor, Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Oregon) is a co-Principal Investigator of this project. An oceanographer, physiologist, ecologist and evolutionary biologist, Michelle is an authority on cyanobacteria and other tiny organisms that live in the open sea. Her role is to assess the potential foods for invertebrate larvae, to culture those foods for feeding experiments, and to measure the distributions of cyanobacteria with depth.

Dr. Richard Emlet (Professor, Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, University of Oregon) is a co-Principal Investigator. Richard is an ecologist, developmental biologist and evolutionary biologist with special interest in the larval forms of echinoderms and other invertebrates. Richard will culture larvae, participate in feeding experiments, and use high-speed video to determine how larvae capture tiny food particles.

Dr. Will Jaeckle (Professor, Department of Biology, Illinois Wesleyan University) is a co-Principal Investigator. Will is an invertebrate zoologist, larval biologist and physiologist who studies the energetics, nutrition and anatomy of larval forms. On this cruise, he will run feeding experiments, measure the metabolism of larvae, and collect a wide assortment of larvae from the water with plankton nets.

Dr. Paul Tyler (Professor, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton University, United Kingdom). Paul is one of the foremost deep-sea biologists in the world with more than 40 years of experience at deep-sea sites worldwide. He specializes in the reproductive biology of invertebrates. On this cruise, he will collaborate on aspects of larval biology and will also help teach a course to the graduate students. This cruise marks 20 years of close collaboration between Paul Tyler and Craig Young.

Dr. Sandra Brooke (adjunct Scientist, Marine Conservation and Education Foundation, Florida). Dr. Brooke is an experienced deep-sea ecologist who specializes in deep-sea corals. She will assist with many aspects of cruise logistics, will help with the teaching of the on-board course, and will collaborate on aspects of larval ecology.