About
Seafloor Science & ROV Camp is a hands-on, STEM-oriented day camp where campers take part in deep-sea exploration activities involving rovers, underwater ROVs, sensors, plankton, sonars, scientific drilling, marine geology, and more. The program centers on underwater robotics, seafloor habitats, sensor technology, programming, marine geology, and ecology, and it mimics a research ship mission held in a classroom setting. Campers are challenged from the start with teamwork-based activities and creative problem solving as they explore ocean science from scientific, technical, and environmental perspectives.
• Ages: 8–14 years old
• Schedule: One-week-long STEM summer day camps; each camp runs for one week.
Seafloor Science & ROV Camp offers one-week sessions for two age groups: children ages 8–10 (entering grades 3–5) and children ages 11–14 (entering grades 6–9). Hands-on STEM activities use the scientific method and ocean technologies in a real-world framework of discovery, and activities emphasize purposeful engagement, vision and planning, teamwork and execution, and discovery and problem solving. As ocean explorers, campers take part in teamwork activities that develop leadership skills, cultivate creative solutions to technical challenges, and introduce a range of career possibilities.
The camp is a product of Oceans and Robotics Inc. and draws on over 30 years of ocean exploration background to provide a hands-on learning experience with a low student-to-instructor ratio. Its mission is to encourage scientific and technological engagement through the development of teamwork skills, STEM capabilities, and understanding of the oceanic environment using hands-on, technology- and phenomenon-based learning activities. The program’s vision is to create a sustainable, nationwide program that sparks excitement for learning about marine environments and helps young people, especially those who might not otherwise experience these types of activities, to see themselves in the role of explorer, scientist, and engineer.
SS-ROV Camp was started in 2013 through the collaborative efforts of Dr. Geoff Wheat and his team of program developers with funding from the University of Mississippi, NIUST, NASA, NSF-USC (C-DEBI), and the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Since 2015, they have provided annual SS-ROV summer day camp sessions in Monterey, Los Gatos, San Jose, Saratoga, Aptos, and Gilroy. As of 2021, they have helped 768 children discover new aspects of science and technology, awarded 54 scholarships, and provided paid internship positions to 69 students, bringing real-life, hands-on science and engineering to communities in California.
The leadership team includes Dr. C. Geoffrey Wheat, a Research Professor at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, an Adjunct Scientist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, and a visiting Professor at Moss Landing Marine Labs, whose motivation for starting Seafloor Science & ROV Camp and related programs comes from his desire to provide children with fun and challenging learning opportunities in STEM fields. Claudia Paul is a graduate of the College of William and Mary with a B.S. in Environmental Science and has worked in laboratories for two decades on a wide range of sea-going projects. Kellie Ventimilia-Vicent graduated from California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo with a B.S. in Child Development, an M.S. in Instructional Science and Technology from CSUMB, and a teaching credential; she is a teacher at Marshall Elementary School and was previously involved with teacher education programs at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Jason Nicholson is a graduate of the University of California Santa Cruz with a B.S. in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, an M.A. in Education, and a teaching credential; he is a science teacher at Monterey High School and co-director of the Monterey Academy of Oceanographic Science.
Participant comments include: “My favorite type of under-water vehicle is an AUV because you control it by programming it!” (Mississippi, 2015), “I didn’t know that I could do it and it turned out to be a whole lot of fun!” (Los Gatos, 2016), and “ROVs are the coolest things you’ve ever seen! You use a joystick, and it’s like an underwater, real-life video game!” (Monterey, 2018).
Last updated June 16, 2026.
• Ages: 8–14 years old
• Schedule: One-week-long STEM summer day camps; each camp runs for one week.
Seafloor Science & ROV Camp offers one-week sessions for two age groups: children ages 8–10 (entering grades 3–5) and children ages 11–14 (entering grades 6–9). Hands-on STEM activities use the scientific method and ocean technologies in a real-world framework of discovery, and activities emphasize purposeful engagement, vision and planning, teamwork and execution, and discovery and problem solving. As ocean explorers, campers take part in teamwork activities that develop leadership skills, cultivate creative solutions to technical challenges, and introduce a range of career possibilities.
The camp is a product of Oceans and Robotics Inc. and draws on over 30 years of ocean exploration background to provide a hands-on learning experience with a low student-to-instructor ratio. Its mission is to encourage scientific and technological engagement through the development of teamwork skills, STEM capabilities, and understanding of the oceanic environment using hands-on, technology- and phenomenon-based learning activities. The program’s vision is to create a sustainable, nationwide program that sparks excitement for learning about marine environments and helps young people, especially those who might not otherwise experience these types of activities, to see themselves in the role of explorer, scientist, and engineer.
SS-ROV Camp was started in 2013 through the collaborative efforts of Dr. Geoff Wheat and his team of program developers with funding from the University of Mississippi, NIUST, NASA, NSF-USC (C-DEBI), and the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Since 2015, they have provided annual SS-ROV summer day camp sessions in Monterey, Los Gatos, San Jose, Saratoga, Aptos, and Gilroy. As of 2021, they have helped 768 children discover new aspects of science and technology, awarded 54 scholarships, and provided paid internship positions to 69 students, bringing real-life, hands-on science and engineering to communities in California.
The leadership team includes Dr. C. Geoffrey Wheat, a Research Professor at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, an Adjunct Scientist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, and a visiting Professor at Moss Landing Marine Labs, whose motivation for starting Seafloor Science & ROV Camp and related programs comes from his desire to provide children with fun and challenging learning opportunities in STEM fields. Claudia Paul is a graduate of the College of William and Mary with a B.S. in Environmental Science and has worked in laboratories for two decades on a wide range of sea-going projects. Kellie Ventimilia-Vicent graduated from California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo with a B.S. in Child Development, an M.S. in Instructional Science and Technology from CSUMB, and a teaching credential; she is a teacher at Marshall Elementary School and was previously involved with teacher education programs at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Jason Nicholson is a graduate of the University of California Santa Cruz with a B.S. in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, an M.A. in Education, and a teaching credential; he is a science teacher at Monterey High School and co-director of the Monterey Academy of Oceanographic Science.
Participant comments include: “My favorite type of under-water vehicle is an AUV because you control it by programming it!” (Mississippi, 2015), “I didn’t know that I could do it and it turned out to be a whole lot of fun!” (Los Gatos, 2016), and “ROVs are the coolest things you’ve ever seen! You use a joystick, and it’s like an underwater, real-life video game!” (Monterey, 2018).
Last updated June 16, 2026.
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