Amy Bower

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Amy Bower is an American physical oceanographer. She is known for her research on ocean circulation and for being one of very few blind oceanographers.

Career[]

Bower is a senior scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.[1][2] As of March 2020, she was the chair of the Physical Oceanography Department.[3] She attended Tufts University as an undergraduate and the University of Rhode Island for her PhD.[2][4]

Research[]

Bower investigates ocean circulation, including thermohaline circulation (the so-called ocean conveyor belt), using research floats.[1][5][6] She also goes on research cruises to retrieve the floats.[4] Bower's research covers the Arctic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, among other locations.[7]

Disability and advocacy[]

Bower is legally blind, having lost much of her sight in the past twenty years to juvenile macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa, and still has some light perception.[2][4][8] She advocates for improved accessibility tools and equal access to information for blind scientists.[8] She started a partnership with Perkins School for the Blind to allow young blind students to fully participate in science classes and meet blind scientists, such as herself.[9][10] "If they don’t ever meet a blind scientist, they’re never going to think that they can be one,” she told Tufts Now.[2] Bower uses a service dog for navigation.[11]

Awards[]

  • Massachusetts Unsung Heroine Award, 2010[9]
  • Chrysalis Award, , 2011[11]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Kornei, Katherine (2018-02-17). "Ocean array alters view of Atlantic 'conveyor belt'". Science | AAAS. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
  2. ^ a b c d "A Blind Scientist's Vision". Tufts Now. 2016-04-21. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
  3. ^ "$8.3M award to WHOI extends observational record of critical climate research". www.newswise.com. Retrieved 2020-08-26.
  4. ^ a b c "Blind-Sided: Losing Sight Out of Nowhere, Why?". ABC News. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
  5. ^ Mooney, Chris. "Everything you need to know about the surprisingly cold 'blob' in the North Atlantic ocean". Washington Post. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
  6. ^ "Deep Floats Reveal Complex Ocean Circulation Patterns". Eos. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
  7. ^ "Projects : Dr. Amy Bower". www.whoi.edu. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
  8. ^ a b Kanowitz, Stephanie (March 29, 2017). "Making graphics accessible to the visually impaired". GCN. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
  9. ^ a b "WHOI's Amy Bower Wins Unsung Heroine Award". WHOI. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
  10. ^ "Sight unseen: This teacher brings science to life for blind students". Christian Science Monitor. 2019-12-02. ISSN 0882-7729. Retrieved 2020-08-26.
  11. ^ a b "News & Events : Dr. Amy Bower". www.whoi.edu. Retrieved 2019-11-05.


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