R. W. Hamilton, Ph.D.

:: R. W. Hamilton, Ph.D. - Science - 1995

Dr. Bill Hamilton is a physiologist with four decades of specialization in diving, aerospace, and environmental physiology. He is a leading expert in decompression, breathing gases, and the effects of pressure. His work includes the development and assessment of decompression and operating procedures for commercial, scientific, recreational, and military diving (including submarine free ascent), both in the U.S. and internationally.

In 1965, Dr. Hamilton served as both physiologist and subject in early laboratory "dives" which led to the first manned saturation exposure to the continental shelf pressure of 200 meters sea water (msw), and which included the development

of Oceans Systems Mark VI and Mark VIII commercial decompression tables. He also pioneered the study of neon as a component of breathing gases, studying human performance and decompression aspects of this gas to pressures as great as 400 msw, collaborating in its use offshore in an unprecedented series of deep commercial dives, and more recently in exploring its value when used with closed circuit breathing systems.

Among his many milestones, Dr. Hamilton became a leader in the development and commercial application of nitrox saturation-excursion procedures, including those in the NOAA Diving Manual as well as NOAAs Repex procedures for repetitive diving. He is also regarded as a pioneer in "technical diving," having created prototype deep diving tables and safety protocols for the cave and wreck diving communities that got the whole thing started.

Dr. Hamilton has received numerous awards, including the NOGI Award for Science, and three of the awards of the Undersea and hyperbaric Medical Society. As a prolific writer (his work is even in the Encyclopedia Britannica), consultant, and advisory board member to numerous scientific organizations, which include NASA, NOAA, the Navy, and DANs Decompression Advisory Board, Dr. Hamilton remains at the forefront of decompression and mixed gas technical. He is currently President of his consulting firm, Hamilton Research, Ltd., in Tarrytown, New York.