…Wherein we’ll learn about the LISST-VSF and some arriving and departing employees.

(Part X can be found here: https://www.sequoiasci.com/article/the-history-of-sequoia-part-x/ )

The LISST-VSF
In 2011, Sequoia finished an SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research grant) and developed a full-angle VSF measuring device, the LISST-VSF. This project was funded by the Obama-era American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) pool of money, appropriated by Congress in 2009. The LISST-VSF is used almost exclusively by the ocean optics community, and a wealth of papers have been published over the years: https://www.sequoiasci.com/library/technical-papers/?fwp_papers_instrument=lisst-vsf

One more Ph.D.
Dr. Wayne Slade, who completed his Ph.D. with Dr. Emmanuel Boss at University of Maine, joined Sequoia in the summer of 2011. His tasks: Stay on top of the ocean science community developments, look for external funding for instrument development and new methods and technologies that could be useful for Sequoia. He immediately started applying for (and getting awarded) SBIR’s and other grants. Wayne’s first commercial products was the FlowControl, released in 2011, followed by the LISST-Horizon and the Hyper-bb in 2019. The Hyper-bb has been a great success for Sequoia and Wayne, with users all over the world using it to measure hyperspectral backscatter.

Leaving and returning
Ole left Sequoia in October 2013 to return to his native Denmark and work for the MacArtney Underwater Technology Group in its Danish headquarters. But that enabled Sequoia to hire back David Dana as VP Engineering; he started in September 2013. The picture shows the Sequoia staff at Ole’s last day at Sequoia in 2013.

In Part XII we’ll learn about the LISST-ABS and the LISST-200X.