Gwyneth Packard is a Senior Engineer in the Oceanographic Systems Laboratory (OSL) at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) where she writes control code for the REMUS family of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). AUVs are untethered vehicles operating with little or no communication link back to an operator while underway. Gwyneth’s work is focused on improving vehicle decision making; increasing the vehicle’s self-perception, survivability, and the vehicle’s ability to adapt to its environment.

As a bi-racial woman in engineering, she has always worked to improve representation of women in traditionally male-dominated fields, and to increase representation of under-represented minorities throughout STEM fields. She connected with the cultural and diversity centers at every step in the path that led her through Physics, Physical Oceanography, and Computer Science. She has her B.S. in Physics from Pennsylvania State University, her Masters of Science in Physical Oceanography from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program, several years of industry work in Computer Science, and nearly eight years in her current lab.

She is currently serving as the Co-chair for the WHOI Committee On Diversity and Inclusion, serving asS liaison for WHOI’s membership in the Institute for Broadening Participation, and generally supporting these goals in her Department, Institution, and community.