CEF Mellon Dissertation Fellow Hayley Brazier had the honor of being highlighted in last week’s AroundtheO for her unique dissertation research. Hayley is a doctoral student in the UO Department of History completing her dissertation on a previously unexplored topic: the history of fixed seafloor infrastructure in the northeast Pacific Ocean. Even more exciting are her plans to present this history in the form of both a book and a public art exhibit, which will feature engaging and colorful paintings of seafloor technologies and deep-sea creatures.
Hayley, who seeks to inspire interest in the undersea world, explains the connection between society’s dependence on deep-sea infrastructure revealed in her research and unprecedented disasters, much like the COVID-19 pandemic. Remaining virtually connected to our communities largely depends on the cables in her research, which carry 95% of the world’s international internet and telephone traffic. The article concludes with Hayley calling on us to appreciate, along with essential frontline workers, the technicians and engineers that maintain this deep-sea network of internet infrastructure.
Read all about Hayley’s brilliant work here!
