Captain Don Walsh USN (RET), PhD is an oceanographer, explorer, and former submarine captain. A graduate of the US Naval Academy, he holds graduate degrees from Texas A&M (MS and PhD) and San Diego State University (MA). His professional life has been almost entirely in the design, manufacture, and operations of undersea systems. In 1960, he was designated US Navy Submersible Pilot #1 and was also the first submersible pilot in the US. His half century of contributions to undersea engineering were recognized in 2001 when he was elected to the US National Academy of Engineering. He has served as an Honorary President of the Explorers Club.

In addition to his undersea work, he has been involved with polar operations since 1955. He has made more than 25 expeditions to the Arctic, including 3 to the North Pole and 27 to the Antarctic including a 74-day circumnavigation of the continent. His contributions to the US Antarctic Program were recognized in 1974 when a geographic feature, the “Walsh Spur”, was named after him.