Mapping the Deep - by Dawn J Wright (Paperback)

About the Book

Mapping the Deep takes you on an adventure into the depths of Challenger Deep, showcasing one woman's perseverance and innovation needed for ocean exploration.

Book Synopsis

Embark on an extraordinary journey into the depths of the ocean.

Oceanographer Dawn Wright made history in 2022 when she became the first Black person to visit Challenger Deep, the deepest and most unexplored place on Earth--a trip that took her over 10,000 meters beneath the Pacific Ocean's surface. We know less about the ocean floor than we do about the surface of the moon. To date, barely one-fifth of the seabed has been mapped in high resolution. As an ocean scientist and explorer, Dawn has made it her mission to change that.

Mapping the Deep takes you on an extraordinary adventure with an extraordinary woman into the depths of Challenger Deep, showcasing the perseverance and innovation needed for ocean exploration. With a focus on Dawn's historic dive, her personal journey, and the cutting-edge technology that made the expedition possible, this book highlights the crucial importance of mapping the ocean and its profound impact on our planet's future. Prepare to be inspired--from the fascinating history of the area and the incredible stories of its explorers to the diverse marine life that lives within.

Through a blend of history, fascinating facts, and beautiful images, Mapping the Deep offers a unique perspective on the challenges and triumphs of deep-sea exploration.

From the Back Cover

Embark on an extraordinary journey into the depths of the ocean.

Oceanographer Dawn Wright made history in 2022 when she became the first Black person to visit Challenger Deep, the deepest and most unexplored place on Earth--a trip that took her over 10,000 meters beneath the Pacific Ocean's surface. Remarkably, we know less about the ocean floor than we do about the surface of the moon. Barely one-fifth of the seabed has been mapped in high resolution to date. As an ocean scientist and explorer, Dawn has made it her mission to change that.

Mapping the Deep takes you on an extraordinary adventure with an extraordinary woman into the depths of Challenger Deep, showcasing the perseverance and innovation needed for ocean exploration. With a focus on Dawn's historic dive, her personal journey, and the cutting-edge technology that made the expedition possible, this book highlights the crucial importance of mapping the ocean and its profound impact on our planet's future. From the fascinating history of the area and the incredible stories of its explorers to the diverse marine life that resides within, prepare to be inspired.

Through a blend of history, fascinating facts, and beautiful images, Mapping the Deep offers a unique perspective on the challenges and triumphs of deep-sea exploration.

Dr. Dawn Wright, chief scientist of Esri, is a
specialist in marine geology, geography, and oceanography. To many, she is @deepseadawn--a
name earned after completing numerous trips to the bottom of the ocean. In 1991
she became the first Black woman to dive to the ocean floor in Alvin, a
deep-sea submersible vehicle.

Review Quotes

"Written lucidly and accompanied by an engaging collection of photographs, diagrams, explanatory asides and illuminating personal anecdotes, Mapping the Deep is perfect for anybody with a thirst for exploration - especially young adults looking for inspiring role models."

--Neil Simpson "Dialogue Earth"

"Mapping the Deep is
a highly visual, narrative telling of the people and technologies involved in
mapping the ocean floor ... It places Wright's life's work in the context of
several threads, including among key women in marine mapping and oceanography."

--Neah Ingram-Monteiro "Western Association of Map Libraries"

"When Dawn Wright submitted her master's thesis in the 1980s -- a geophysical survey of the Pacific Ocean's Tonga Trench using sea-floor data collected by others -- it was grudgingly approved. But her professor advised her afterwards that she had no future in oceanography and should consider a non-scientific profession....Today, she is a distinguished oceanographer and chief scientist at Esri, a software company in Redlands, California, renowned for creating geographical information systems. In 2022, she became the fifth woman and the first Black person to visit Challenger Deep, the deepest place on Earth's sea bed, nearly 11,000 metres beneath the Pacific Ocean's surface.... Her charming life story, with many appealing images, is written by four Esri Press colleagues in collaboration with Wright. It shows how, in her words, "we can turn the unknown deep into the known deep".--Andrew Robinson "Nature, 2024's best Books in brief (https: //doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-04117-3)"

""Deepsea Dawn," is an oceanographer who is an authority on the mapping of the seafloor. Her new book Mapping the Deep: Innovation, Exploration, and the Dive of a Lifetime, documents not only her groundbreaking research but also her personal journey to the great ocean depths. Being the first African American and one of a handful of women to make such dives, she has broken multiple barriers and served as an inspiration to many." - The Explorers Journal