MINIONs: Concept to Reality and Beyond

#Lagrangian #floats #MINIONs
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Jackson Sugar will provide a description of the low-cost distributed network of subsurface Lagrange floats known as MINIONs.

MINION (MINiature IsOpycNal) floats are small, inexpensive devices weighted to be neutrally buoyant at a pre-selected depth in the ocean twilight zone. These devices will carry camera and lighting systems and will photograph particles of carbon-rich detritus called “marine snow” as it falls from above. Each float drifts with the currents and is programmed to surface at a specific time. The development of MINIONs is led by Melissa Omand, from the University of Rhode Island. 


  Date and Time

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  • Date: 03 Jul 2025
  • Time: 10:00 PM UTC to 11:00 PM UTC
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  • 218 South Ferry Road
  • Narragansett, Rhode Island
  • United States 02882
  • Building: Ocean Sciences and Education Building
  • Room Number: 2nd floor, next to Pell Library
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  • Starts 13 May 2025 04:00 AM UTC
  • Ends 03 July 2025 10:00 PM UTC
  • No Admission Charge

  Speakers

Jackson Sugar of Boston Engineering

Topic:

MINIONs

Jackson Sugar will describe the low-cost distributed network of subsurface Lagrangian floats known as MINIONs.

MINION (MINiature IsOpycNal) floats are small, inexpensive devices weighted to be neutrally buoyant at a pre-selected depth in the ocean twilight zone. These devices will carry camera and lighting systems and will photograph particles of carbon-rich detritus called "marine snow" as it falls from above. The development of MINIONs is led by Melissa Omand, from the University of Rhode Island. 

Biography:

Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Jackson was drawn to URI because of the International Engineering Program to continue improving his Mandarin Chinese. During his time as an undergraduate he studied in China, was involved in various research projects, sailed on multiple research cruises, led his senior capstone design team and served as the CTO and captain of the URI Hydrobotics team. As a graduate student under Dr. Melissa Omand, Jackson worked closely with Melissa to develop her vision for a variety of custom tools and sensors including the low-cost distributed network of subsurface lagrangian floats known as MINIONs. Jackson completed his masters in 2020 and continued to support the project as an associate engineer, deploying MINIONs and supporting science during the 2021 NASA EXPORTS mission. Jackson now lives in Massachusetts and works as a senior mechanical engineer at Boston Engineering. 

Email:

Address:Beverly, Massachusetts, United States




Agenda

5:30 pm Room opens 

6:00 pm Introduction

6:05 pm Technical talk