Educational Background

BS University of Rhode Island 1983

MS University of Miami, Florida 1987

Ph.D Oregon State University 1995

Professional Experience

Dr. Wood was educated as a mechanical engineer with specialization in mechanical engineering design. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in Mechanical Engineering (PE #58815).

After completing his master’s degree in ocean engineering at the University of Miami RSMAS, where he developed an “Architecture of an Expert System for Oceanographic Mooring Design,” he worked as a Marine Research Specialist III at the University of Rhode Island in physical oceanography. At URI he facilitated in the deployment and retrieval of deep-sea moorings, and processed inverted echo sounder, current meter, pressure and acoustic-Doppler data.

He also worked for Hewlett Packard at the Palo Alto research laboratories where he investigated the plastic injection molding process throughout the HP Corporation for a future plastic injection-molding adviser.

Additionally, Dr. Wood lead a group for 4 years that programed the robotic software for Automatic Wet Processing Tools at Steag MicroTech in Pliezhausen, Germany.

Dr. Wood teaches Hydroacoustics, Ocean Engineering Design, Ocean Engineering System Design, Computer Applications in Ocean Engineering, Fluid Mechanics, and Underwater Robotics.

Current Courses

Ocean Engineering Design, Ocean Engineering System Design, Hydroacoustics, Computer Applications in Ocean Engineering, Underwater Archaeology Engineering Design, Instrumentation Design and Measurement Analysis

Selected Publications

• Baillon, P., Dixon, S., Faust, K., Herman, P., Seabring, H., Wood, S., "Project R3MORA: Resin 3D-Resin Printed Mission Oriented Research Assistant," IEEE/MTS, OCEANS 2023 Gulf Coast, Biloxi, Mississippi, USA, September 25-28, 2023.

• Baillon, P., Dixon, S., Faust, K., Herman, P., Seabring, H., Wood, S., "Stereolithography 3D Printed Resin Pressure Enclosures Applied in the Marine Environment," IEEE/MTS, OCEANS 2022 Hampton Roads, Virginia, USA, October 17-20, 2022.

• Holm, T., Wood, S.L., "Biomimetic Soft Robotics - Oscillatory & Undulatory Control of a Propulsive Wing Structure," IEEE/MTS, OCEANS 2021 San Diego, California, USA, September 20-23, 2021.

• Duffy, B., Jenkins, J., Brittain, S., Santiago, Wood, S., "Project EVE: The Core of a Neoteric Environmental Sampling Device, "IEEE/MTS, OCEANS 2021 San Diego, California, USA, September 20-23, 2021.

• Duffy, B., Jenkins, J., Brittain, S., Santiago, G., Clark, C., Tang, B., Wood, S.,  "Project EVE: Novel Launchsondes for Collecting Atmospheric Data," IEEE/MTS, OCEANS 2021 San Diego, California, USA, September 20-23, 2021.

• Byford, B., Wood, S.L., “Onboard Renewable Energy Charging Methods to Improve µAUV Deployment Life,” IEEE/MTS, OCEANS 2019 Seattle, Washington, USA, October 28-31, 2019.

• Bahr, G.S., Allen, W.H., Bernhard, P., Wood, S.L., “The Artificial Memory of Mr. Polly: Memory Simulation in Databases & the Emergence of Knowledge,” MIT Press, Leonardo Journal, Vol. 52, Issue 3, 2019. DOI 1162/LEON_a_01441

• Patent pending 2019: Application number is 20190006713.1. “A Short Take-off Unmanned Aviation Vehicle.” Applicant: Jiangsu Maritime Institute. Inventors: Yi Peng Pan & Stephen Wood.

• Wood, S.L, Grant, J., Pierson, P., Williams, M., Vegh, V., Bahr, G.S., “Ocean Energy Turbine Blade Analyses,” IEEE/MTS, OCEANS 1018 Charleston, South Carolina, USA, October 22-25, 2018.
• Wood, S.L & Bahr, G.S., “Autonomous Sub-Surface Covert Littoral Node (CLN),” IEEE/MTS, OCEANS 1018 Charleston, South Carolina, USA, October 22-25, 2018.
• Wood, S.L & Bahr, G.S., “Ordnance Recovery Crawler,” IEEE/MTS, OCEANS 1018 Charleston, South Carolina, USA, October 22-25, 2018.
• Patent Pending, 2018, Application Number: 62581840 Layer by Layer Superhydrophobic Fluoropolymer Coated Metal Substrate for Dropwise Condensation.
• Bahr, G.S., Wood, S., Blood, J.W., “Design Engineering for Universal Access: Software and Cognitive Challenges in Computer Based Problem-Solving,” DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-40238-3_2, book chapter in: Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction. Users and Context Diversity, pp.16-25, 2016.
• Wood, S.L., Bahr, G.S., & Ritter, M., “Cognitive Tools for Design Engineers: A Framework for the Development of Intelligent CAD Systems,” i-com - Journal of Interactive Media, vol: 14, iss:2, 2015.
• Bahr, G.S., Wood, S.L, “The big data between your ears: human inspired heuristics for forgetting in databases,” Human Memory-Inspired Multimedia Organization and Preservation Workshop in Proc. ICME 2015, in press.
• Bahr, G.S., Wood, S.L, “TimeGlue for cognitive schema extraction and big data reduction,” Human Memory-Inspired Multimedia Organization and Preservation Workshop in Proc. ICME 2015, in press.
• Bahr, G.S., Wood, S.L., Escandon, A., “Design Engineering and Human Computer Interaction: Function Oriented Problem Solving in CAD applications,” HCI International, August 2015, Accepted.
• Wood, S., Hendricks, A., Corbet, M. “Automated Buoyancy Control System for a Remotely Operated Underwater Crawler,” Oceans'15 MTS/IEEE Genoa, Italy May 18-21, 2015.
• Wood, S., Cañedo, D., Le Merdy, T., “Application and Effectiveness of a Portable Hydrodynamic Testing Facility,” Oceans'15 MTS/IEEE Genoa, Italy May 18-21, 2015.
• Patent US 8,806,865 B2: Ocean Wave Energy Harnessing Device. Inventors: Kelly Dunn, Deric Hausmann, Stephen Wood, Aug. 19, 2014.
• Wood, S., Mierzwa, C., “State of Technology in Autonomous Underwater Gliders,” in "The State of Technology in 2013," MTS Journal, Vol. 47, Num. 5, September/October 2013.
• Paradis, R., and Wood, S., “Inexpensive Expendable Conductivity Temperature and Depth (CTD) Sensor,” Oceans'13 MTS/IEEE San Diego, California, USA, September 23 -26, 2013.
• Wood, S., Harris, W., Ismail, T., Malone, J., Nanney, M., Ojeda, J., Pugatch, B., Vandedrinck, S., "Hybrid Robot Crawler / Flyer for use in Underwater Archaeology," Oceans'13 MTS/IEEE San Diego, California, USA, September 23 -26, 2013.
• Sultan, I., Wells, B., Wood, S., “Development of a Wireless Control and Monitoring System for Wave Energy Converters,” Oceans'12 MTS/IEEE Hampton Roads, Virginia, USA, October 14 - 19, 2012.
• Christian, M., Wells, B., Baboolal, S., Maloney, P., Wood, S., "Wing Wave: Feasible, Alternative, Renewable, Electrical Energy Producing Ocean Floor System," Oceans'12 MTS/IEEE Hampton Roads, Virginia, USA, October 14 - 19, 2012.
• Maristany, L., Waters, N., Wells, B., Suarez, M., Gestewitz, R., Wiest, A., Wood, S., "GECCO Ocean Energy System," Oceans'12 MTS/IEEE Hampton Roads, Virginia, USA, October 14 - 19, 2012.
• Jenkins, S., Scott, C., Strom, J., Bond, M., Gardner, H., Bell, J., vonBampus, E., Wood, S., "Hydrodynamic Tesla Wheel Flume for Model and Prototype Testing," Oceans'12 MTS/IEEE Hampton Roads, Virginia, USA, October 14 - 19, 2012.
• Wood, Farrell, J., Wood, S., "An Automated Purge Valve for Marine Salvage," Oceans 2009, Bremen Germany, May 11 - 14, 2009.
• Wood, S.L., Autonomous Underwater Gliders, Intelligent Underwater Vehicles, I-Tech Education and Publishing Kirchengasse 43/3, Vienna, Austria, EU, 2009.
• Wood, S.L., Autonomous Self-Mooring Vehicle - Characterization of a lagoon environment using a portable autonomous self-mooring vehicle, Sea Technology, Volume 50, No. 1, January 2009.
• Maul, G.A., C. G. Messing, J. K. Reed, R. G. Gilmore, L. Harris, S. Jachec, K. Johnson, S. Wood, G. Zarillo, 2008. Project 3: Central East Florida Shelf Array. Florida COOS Consortium Contract, Report No. RM078 (USF No. 47 10 1074) to Florida DEP. 31 pp., 2008.
• Waldmann, C.; Richter, L.; Wood, S., Deep Sea Crawlers for scientific Applications an Overview about the State-of-the-Art, EGU General Assembly, 2007-A-11248; GI3-1TU3O-006, Vienna 2007.
• Wood, S.L., Rees, M., Pfeiffer, Z., "An Autonomous Self-Mooring Vehicle for Littoral & Coastal Observations," Oceans 2007, Aberdeen Scotland, June 18 - 21, 2007.
• Wood, S.L., Allan, T., Kuhn, S., Caldwell, J., "The Development of an Autonomous Underwater Powered Glider for Deep-Sea Biological, Chemical and Physical Oceanography," Oceans 2007, Aberdeen Scotland, June 18 - 21, 2007.
• Wood, S.L., "Modular Amphibious Research Crawler - Characterization of the coastal environment using a portable remotely operated crawler," Sea Technology, Volume 47, No. 2, February 2006
• Wood, S.L., Nulph, A., Howell, B.P., "Application of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles - Characterization of the Physical Environment for Development of Environment Based Navigation Systems," Sea Technology, Volume 45, No. 12, December 2004
• Wood, S.L., "Robot Programming Languages - Robot Systems," Chapter in: The CRC Handbook of Mechanical Engineering, 2nd Edition 2004.
• Howell, B.P., Wood, S.L., "Passive Sonar Recognition and Analysis Using Hybrid Neural Networks," OCEANS 2003. Proceedings, (IEEE Cat. No. 03CH37492), Volume: 4, 22-26 Sept. 2003, Pages: 1917 - 1924.
• Frey, C.L., Wood, S.L., "Development of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle for Sub-Ice Environmental Monitoring in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska", OCEANS 2003. Proceedings, Volume: 2, 22-26 Sept. 2003, Pages: 1161-1173.
• Wood, S.L., 1996. Function Driven Design Selection of Plastic Injection Molding Features, ASME Design for Manufacturing Conference, DFM A W2, Los Angeles, CA.
• Wood, S.L., 1996. Design Reasoning Using Plastic Injection Molding Primary Features, ASME Design for Manufacturing Conference, DFM M4, Los Angeles, CA.
• Ullman, D.G., S.L. Wood and D. Craig, 1990. The Importance of Drawing in the Mechanical Design Process, Computer and Graphics, (14)2.
• Wood, S.L., 1988. Architecture of an Expert System for Oceanographic Mooring Design, Presented at OMAE (Offshore Mechanics and Arctic International Conference), Houston, Texas.

Research

Research & Project Interests

Dr. Wood’s research interests include Ocean Energy Systems and Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) technology, specifically the areas of navigation, path planning and control, using neural networks, fuzzy logic, artificial intelligence and expert systems.

His research includes:

• Ocean Energy System Development using surface and subsurface forces due all types of waves, and from ocean currents such as the Gulf Stream.
  
  
• AUV development of various configurations for the collection of environmental and oceanographic data; acoustic and visual imaging, neural network and fuzzy logic navigation
  
  
• Satellite communication between different types of systems and instruments and Florida Tech
  
  

Other research areas include oceanographic mooring design, and intelligent system development for ocean engineering.