Visiting Author: Dr. Robert D. Ballard | Avon Old Farms News | About Us | Avon Old Farms

The Visiting Author Program, made possible by support from the Parents of Avon, allows for the school to invite a prominent author to campus to become a member of the community for the day. A book by that author is first chosen to be an all-school read. The author then spends an entire day on campus—answering questions, giving presentations, and hopefully inspiring current students.

On Monday, the school welcomed this year’s visiting author, although referring to him as just an author doesn’t do him justice. Many people might know him as the guy who found the Titanic wreckage, but Dr. Robert Ballard is so much more. His illustrious career has merged the fields of exploration, oceanography, geology, archaeology, history, biology, and even military strategy.
 

In addition to locating the Titanic, he’s also led the teams that discovered the sunken vessels Lusitania, Bismarck, Yorktown, and PT-109—the World War II boat that was captained by a young John F. Kennedy. Ballard served in the military and continued his service even after leaving active duty by helping inform naval strategy. Through his exploration of the deepest parts of the ocean, he discovered new life forms that rewrote the definition of life on Earth and possibly other planets. He traced ancient trade routes in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, finding and recovering artifacts that dated back as far as 2000 BC. He pioneered the field of undersea exploration, developing robots that could handle the pressure and other dangerous elements of the deep sea.

Ballard’s book Into the Deep: A Memoir From the Man Who Found Titanic details his storied career, including all the well-known discoveries that made headlines as well as the lesser-known struggles he overcame along the way. He began his visit with a presentation to the entire school in which he recounted the details of his book, sharing photos and anecdotes along the way.
 

His first point of emphasis was to put into perspective just how unexplored our oceans are. “We have better maps of Mars than of our oceans. Astronauts walked on the moon before humans explored the biggest feature on our own planet,” he said, adding that the world’s tallest mountain and deepest canyon are both in Earth’s oceans.

He has dedicated much of his life to exploring below the surface. He told the audience of Avonians that he expects them to discover much more than he did.

“Your generation will be the true explorers of humanity because you’ll have the technology. Things are changing so fast now, the future will be very interesting.”

In fact, near the end of his presentation, Ballard shared current projects he and his team are working on that include internship and job opportunities for any interested students. “I want you on my team.”

For students like Dominik Sedlak-Braude ’25, who plans to pursue a degree in marine biology or a similar field in college, this was a priceless opportunity. “Being an avid surfer really drew me to the ocean and preserving it. If I could live and work near a beach that’d be great. I also want to work with something I care about,” Dominik says. “It was awesome to meet someone so prominent in the field and get to ask him a few questions one-on-one.”
 

Much like his life’s work, Ballard’s presentation blended science, history, and adventure. His visit allowed him to put his discoveries into context that the students and younger faculty members otherwise wouldn’t have had. For example, the theory of plate tectonics and why the ocean is salty seem now like common knowledge, but they were only theories before Ballard found the proof.

At the conclusion of his presentation, Ballard was presented with an Avon Old Farms hockey jersey, which he immediately put on. Although he lives in Connecticut, this was his first visit to campus. He was impressed with what he saw, with one element in particular standing out to him: Brotherhood.

“This place is great. I think the brotherhood is really strong. I’ve been a part of a lot of brotherhoods throughout my life, and I really believe in it.”

For the rest of the morning, Ballard participated in small group Q&A sessions where students peppered him with questions including if he knows of any potential solutions to environmental issues like sea-level rise and plastic in the ocean. He was also asked about how dyslexia and ADHD impacted his learning, something a significant percentage of current students can relate to.
 

“Dyslexics make great explorers because we are not afraid of the unknown—we prefer it. Those of you who have it know you learn differently, but it doesn’t have to be a disadvantage.”

Ballard was asked about his most famous discovery—the wreckage of the Titanic—and how he felt when he found it. “I remember I had to step outside. Think about it; Seeing a mother’s shoes side by side with a child’s shoes. I was looking at where a mother had died with her baby.”

He was also asked about a more recent oceanic incident—the fatal OceanGate submersible implosion that dominated headlines in June. “They crossed a line. It was an uncertified submersible. I knew the guy, knew him well, but he crossed a line.”
 

He even answered some questions from teachers as well, providing some tips on how to best teach science. “Always make things simple. If you can’t explain something to a five-year-old then you don’t know what you’re teaching. And make it fun. I think the key is to inspire them, and I hope I’ve done that with some students here today.”

While not every student is interested in following Ballard’s footsteps professionally, his message about the importance of perseverance is universal to all Avonians. “Failure is the greatest teacher you’ll ever meet. I’ve faced resistance throughout my career. When I get knocked down, I want to know how it happened. If you have the tenacity and determination, you can always keep going.” In other words, Aspirando et Perseverando.

Anyone interested in Ballard’s story can learn all about him by reading his memoir, Into the Deep.

Click to view photos from Dr. Ballard's visit

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