ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɛvən hiː ɡɹˈædjuːˌeɪɾᵻd wɪð ɐ dˈuːəl ˈɛs.ˈɛm. ɪn ˈoʊʃən ˌɛndʒɪnˈɪɹɪŋ ænd mᵻkˈænɪkəl ˌɛndʒɪnˈɪɹɪŋ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɛvən, fˈɑːloʊd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti nˈaɪn baɪ ɐn ˌɛssˈiː.dˈiː. ɪn ˈoʊʃən ˌɛndʒɪnˈɪɹɪŋ.
In 1977 he graduated with a dual S.M. in Ocean Engineering and Mechanical Engineering in 1977, followed in 1979 by an Sc.D. in Ocean Engineering.