Thomas B. Sanford

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death of former employee Thomas B. Sanford on July 12.  He was 80.

Tom received his AB in Physics at Oberlin College in 1962, and his Ph.D. in Oceanography at MIT in 1967.

Tom began his career at WHOI in 1967 as an assistant scientist under Ferris Webster in the Physical Oceanography Department. In 1971, he was promoted to associate scientist. While at WHOI, Tom participated in 13 cruises, and was chief scientist on seven of those.  He left in 1979.

Tom invented/developed the Expendable Current Profiler – XCP.

At the time of his death, Tom was a senior principal oceanographer emeritus at the University of Washington in the Applied Physics Laboratory.

Tom lived life to the fullest, right up until the end. We will celebrate and enjoy the life we are given, and treasure the memories of all of our loved ones.

A memorial will take place in the fall, when COVID-19 will hopefully allow more people to gather.

Further information will be posted when available.