The National Institute for Undersea Science and Technology (NIUST) was established in 2002 in partnership with NOAA's Undersea Research Program (NURP) to develop and apply new technologies that enhance undersea research. NIUST is made up of three divisions: the Ocean Biotechnology Center & Repository (OBCR), the Seabed Technology Research Center (STRC), and the Undersea Vehicles Technology Center (UVTC) which broadly encompass the fields of biotechnology (e.g., biomedical and agrochemical products) and engineered technologies (e.g., instrumentation development) in the marine environment. NIUST is providing cutting edge technologies to NURP and their constituencies to further the nation's research capabilities in nearshore, deep water, and extreme marine environments.

Dr. Vernon Asper, Professor of Marine Science, is the Director of the UVTC program. The overall goal of the program is the development of viable technologies involving interactive communication, systems command and control, data assimilation and processing, and artificial intelligence appropriate for the operation/deployment of ROVs and AUVs. The Center has purchased an AUV from International Submarine Engineering (ISE) LTD. The AUV carries a Kongsberg EM2000 multibeam echosounder and other equipment and sensors as needed. Please visit the center web site www.usm.edu/niust.