Tom Opishinski received a BSc Degree in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (University of Rhode Island, 1992) and an MS Degree in Ocean Engineering (University of Rhode Island, 1996). Since 1992, when Mr. Opishinski spent a summer at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution he has gained extensive experience in environmental monitoring, instrumentation, data acquisition, telemetry systems, GIS and software programming. In 1999 Mr. Opishinski founded Interactive Oceanographics which specializes in the development of integrated hardware and software systems for marine and freshwater applications. Mr. Opishinski became involved with the CCRE program in 1996 and in 2006 initiated an environmental monitoring program with the Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce in the Indian River Lagoon.