Willard Bascom

Willard Newell Bascom (1916–2000) was an engineer, adventurer, and scientist, as well as a writer, photographer, painter, miner, cinematographer, and archeologist, who first proposed using Neoprene for wetsuits to fellow scientist Hugh Bradner. He authored several books, which include the topics of waves, geology, archaeology, poetry, and oceanography. In his book Deep Water, Ancient Ships, he first proposed the hypothesis that anoxic water in the Black Sea would preserve ancient Black Sea shipwrecks. He led the first test drillings for Project Mohole, and was project director from 1960-1962. Bascom was a consultant to the Advisory Committee on Government Organization. He also served as the technical director of the Advisory Committee on Civil Defense of the National Academy of Science and National Research Council. He is the original author of Waves and Beaches, originally published in 1963 and reissued in 1979 (Anchor).