College Park, Maryland

The 2024 theme is Deep-Sea Exploration with an emphasis on hydrothermal vents. First discovered in 1977 near the Galápagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador, hydrothermal vents are a critical area of ocean exploration. ROVs are necessary to aid researchers in exploring the harsh environments that surround hydrothermal vents where extreme temperatures and pressures, toxic chemicals, and reduced visibility are the norm.