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About

Eric Terrill is a leading ocean technology researcher whose work sits at the intersection of marine robotics, autonomous systems, and ocean acoustics. His research focuses on developing and deploying autonomous underwater and surface vehicles (AUVs and USVs) to address complex oceanographic and ecological challenges. Terrill has made significant contributions to the integration of advanced autonomy frameworks — notably implementing the Robot Operating System (ROS) on the REMUS AUV platform — enabling sophisticated sense-and-react capabilities for underwater robots (26 citations). His pioneering use of Wave Gliders for passive acoustic monitoring has transformed how scientists track marine life, from mapping fish chorus distributions across Southern California (24 citations) to improving acoustic biotelemetry detection of tagged animals in coastal environments (24 citations). Beyond biology, Terrill has applied robotic platforms to environmental water quality problems, using AUVs to characterize mixing and dispersion processes in drought-affected reservoirs. His more recent work explores machine learning approaches to acoustic transmission modeling in complex bathymetric environments, pointing toward sound-aware autonomous systems. Across his career, Terrill's research consistently demonstrates how intelligent autonomous platforms can unlock new dimensions of ocean observation and environmental stewardship.