After a comprehensive search, the Marine Technology Society (MTS) Board has selected Chris Ostrander to lead MTS as the organization’s new executive director.

It is a time of growth and acceleration for MTS, fueled by significant advancements in the new blue economy, and Ostrander’s exceptional background in both marine technology and organizational leadership will propel MTS into the future.

An oceanographer and business development executive, he has more than 15 years of experience in building and leading complex organizations, advancing mission-driven partnerships, and guiding durable growth for a range of academic, government and private organizations.   

Ostrander previously served in a range of leadership roles at the University of Utah, spanning technology licensing and commercialization, industry partnerships, foundation and corporate philanthropy, and research administration. Before his time at the University of Utah, he served as the assistant dean and director of strategic initiatives for the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. While in Hawaii, he was the co-founder and director of the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS). He has launched three companies and helped entrepreneurs and institutions raise more than $450 million in research and philanthropic capital.

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