Amy Bower

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, Center for Vision Loss, 2011[11]

References
  1. Kornei, Katherine (2018-02-17). "Ocean array alters view of Atlantic 'conveyor belt'". Science | AAAS. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
  2. "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. "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. Kanowitz, Stephanie; Mar 29, 2017. "Making graphics accessible to the visually impaired -". GCN. Retrieved 2019-11-05.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. "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. "News & Events : Dr. Amy Bower". www.whoi.edu. Retrieved 2019-11-05.



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