UW Photography

Scientists process oceanographic samples using tools and resources similar to those available through SEASAM.

The University of Washington has secured a major investment from the National Science Foundation to lead the next chapter of the Seafloor Sampling Facility (SEASAM), a national oceanographic resource that will be housed within the School of Oceanography. SEASAM will provide scientists across the United States with access to seafloor samples critical for addressing some of the most pressing questions in the geosciences as they connect to the marine environment.

Maureen Walczak, professor of oceanography in the UW College of the Environment, led the efforts to bring the facility to Seattle and will be its director. 

“The long-term impact of an oceanographic field program hinges on the successful recovery of high-quality samples — and few things are harder to sample well than the seafloor, thousands of meters beneath the ocean surface,” she said. “We are committed to bringing the strongest scientific and technical resources available from around the country to serve the diverse community of U.S. researchers requiring access to the seafloor, ensuring the success of NSF-funded research cruises and enabling excellent scientific outcomes regardless of institutional affiliation or career stage.”  

In addition to the University of Washington, the facility will be led by a national partnership that includes University of California San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Oregon State University and Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. SEASAM will support the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) and the Academic Research Fleet (ARF) by coordinating the collection, characterization and archiving of seafloor samples for a wide range of research projects.

Although hidden beneath miles of ocean, the seafloor holds critical clues to understanding our planet. Scientists study seafloor samples to investigate Earth’s origins, the evolution of life, and the unique chemical and biological processes that sustain deep-sea ecosystems and regulate the properties of ocean water. Seafloor research also helps scientists better understand natural hazards such as earthquakes and tsunamis, the role of the ocean in storing and releasing the carbon that influences Earth’s climate and the distribution of rare minerals that are increasingly important for modern technologies. By ensuring these samples are collected, preserved and made broadly accessible, SEASAM enables research and discovery otherwise inaccessible in the world’s oceans.

“Seafloor sampling exists at a unique intersection of planetary, environmental, geopolitical and economic research objectives, unified by the specialized engineering and technical expertise required to collect samples from among the most extreme environments on the planet,” said Walczak. “Our facility streamlines communication between, and access to, many of the most experienced teams in the country working to tackle these critical challenges. The intellectual and infrastructural resources of SEASAM will strengthen academic research outcomes and accelerate methodological innovation, benefitting scientific, industry and national security applications.”

SEASAM will serve as a centralized facility that combines specialized equipment with scientific and technical expertise. The facility will emphasize collaboration, workforce development and education by supporting both scientists and the technical teams vital to making oceanographic research possible, and will strengthen support for NSF-funded research while remaining adaptable to evolving scientific priorities and funding landscapes. The facility will help train the next generation of ocean researchers, ensure continued U.S. leadership in ocean science and expand opportunities for collaborative oceanographic research for years to come.