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Iselin at the Helm

Columbus O’Donnell Iselin served as WHOI’s second director from 1940 to 1950 and following founding director Henry Bigelow. Iselin was Bigelow’s student at Harvard and originally came to WHOI at the age of 25 to captain the Institution’s first research ship,  Atlantis. Iselin, who again served as the Institution’s director from 1956-1958, is pictured here at the WHOI pier circa 1964. The dockside building named after him—Iselin Marine Facility—houses the port office as well as mechanical, electrical, welding, and machine shop services used for the fabrication of oceanographic research equipment.(Photo courtesy of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Archives)