Shirley Pomponi
President's Panel for Ocean Exploration Oral History Project
In the second half of 2020, Joanne Flanders conducted a series of Oral History interviews on behalf of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER) around the topic of ocean exploration, with the objectives of providing interviews to the NOAA Voices Oral History Archives and initiating a collection on the topic. OER is also interested in using elements of the interviews in its own outreach and education products, including those created to inspire the next generation of explorers. Five ocean explorers participated including several members of the President's Panel for Ocean Exploration, a group whose recommendations led to the creation of OER 20-years ago. In the future, additional interviews will be conducted by OER, and possibly by other NOAA programs as well who are involved with the topic
On September 30, 2020, Joanne Flanders interviewed Dr. Shirley Pomponi for the Ocean Exploration and Research Collection. Dr. Pomponi discusses her extensive career in ocean exploration, natural product discovery, and her work with human-occupied vehicles. Born in Wilmington, Delaware, in 1949, and raised in Penns Grove, New Jersey, Dr. Pomponi shares insights into her Italian-American heritage and early influences, including her parents' experiences during World War II and her mother's work as a nurse for migrant worker children.
Dr. Pomponi details her educational journey, graduating summa cum laude from the College of St. Elizabeth and earning a Ph.D. in biological oceanography from the University of Miami. She describes how a field trip to St. Croix during her undergraduate studies inspired her passion for marine science, leading to research on bioeroding sponges and their chemical processes. Her professional trajectory includes roles at Florida Sea Grant, Horn Point Environmental Lab, and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, where she became a pioneer in sponge taxonomy and sustainable compound production.
Dr. Pomponi highlights her leadership in drug discovery programs, integrating sponge taxonomy with natural product chemistry to explore pharmaceuticals derived from marine organisms. She reflects on her involvement in the President’s Panel on Ocean Exploration and the establishment of the Cooperative Institute for Ocean Exploration, Research, and Technology (CIOERT), emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing ocean science and the blue economy. Throughout the interview, Dr. Pomponi underscores the critical role of biodiversity in ocean exploration and the sustainable use of marine resources.
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