Otto Rutten
Decades of Change in the Florida Reef Tract: An Oral History Project
Florida is home to the only barrier reef in the continental United States. This project uses oral history interviews of coral reef stakeholders in Florida to showcase major changes in the reef tract over the past few decades. The stakeholders interviewed include scientists, fishermen, and SCUBA (Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) divers.
Otto Rutten is the Associate Operations Director at the Aquarius Reef Base underwater laboratory in Key Largo, Florida. Born and raised in Key Largo, Rutten developed a passion for marine biology from a young age, inspired by watching Jacques Cousteau on television. Despite his early fascination with marine science, Rutten pursued engineering at North Carolina State University and later worked for the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries while completing a master’s program at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW). Rutten’s career with the Aquarius Reef Base began in 1994, following the lab's relocation from St. Croix to Key Largo after Hurricane Hugo. His diverse roles at Aquarius have included assistant science director and science coordinator, eventually leading to his current position. Rutten’s expertise and dedication have been pivotal in the successful operation of this unique underwater research facility, which supports both scientific exploration and NASA astronaut training missions. Through his work, Rutten has fulfilled his dream of contributing to marine science in the Florida Keys.
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