July 14, 2007 "As we had done on many weekends prior, we had gone to northern Florida to enjoy our passion for cave diving. We had a wonderful morning dive at Little River Spring, near Ellaville. While refilling our tanks, our buddy told us he wanted to show us a very special cave system that few people had ever entered. "This cave system was known only as 'The Crack,' aptly named, as right inside the cave opens into a massive vertical fissure that drops to 160 feet (49 meters) deep. We had done many similar dives in the past, but since this was a new site, we were extremely excited. "We had a beautiful dive through some of the most incredible cave passageways I had ever seen. As we were nearing the end of the dive, Liz passed out, and, despite our best efforts to rescue her, she never regained consciousness." — Tim Halbach





>Because he and Elizabeth were always willing to help other divers, Halbach decided to memorialize his wife in a special way that continued their legacy of assistance. What better way to commemorate her spirit of sharing, he thought, than to initiate a research fund for divers in her honor?



>Halbach got busy and started the Elizabeth Anna Halbach (Urban) Memorial Research Fund. Its purpose: to provide Divers Alert Network® with funding for research initiatives conducted by its research department.



>"Elizabeth and I were both committed to diving safety and to helping other divers," Halbach said in a recent telephone interview from his home in Miami. "Establishing this fund is fitting, to help divers become more aware of both the pleasures and cautions of diving."

>A little more than a year ago, Tim Halbach's life changed dramatically. That's when he lost his wife, Elizabeth, in a scuba diving accident.>Because he and Elizabeth were always willing to help other divers, Halbach decided to memorialize his wife in a special way that continued their legacy of assistance. What better way to commemorate her spirit of sharing, he thought, than to initiate a research fund for divers in her honor?>Halbach got busy and started the Elizabeth Anna Halbach (Urban) Memorial Research Fund. Its purpose: to provide Divers Alert Networkwith funding for research initiatives conducted by its research department.>"Elizabeth and I were both committed to diving safety and to helping other divers," Halbach said in a recent telephone interview from his home in Miami. "Establishing this fund is fitting, to help divers become more aware of both the pleasures and cautions of diving."

>A water baby

>Elizabeth Halbach, 28, began diving at the age of 12. She enjoyed both recreational and technical diving and was especially drawn to the springs in North Florida. "Liz loved exploring new underwater environments and seeing things few people get to see," her husband said.



>Elizabeth was excited to pass on what she learned. "She shared the knowledge she gained with everyone she encountered," said Halbach.



>Halbach said it was Elizabeth who was his impetus to learn scuba diving. "We met in 2003, and I felt Liz's enthusiasm for diving. She had taken off a few years from diving and missed it."



>After Halbach became certified, the two began diving together continuously. "I logged only one dive without Liz during that time," Halbach said. "That's when she had a cold."



>Next, they got nitrox-certified and then undertook cave diving. "We had traveled to topside caves like Mammoth Cave (in Kentucky) and loved it," Halbach said.



>"Our next logical step was cave diving." They were certified in Introduction to Cave Diver in January 2004, Apprentice Cave Diver in January 2005 and Full Cave Diver in January 2006. With caving came trimix certification.



>At the time of her death, Elizabeth had logged 302 dives, approximately 150 of which were cave dives; 20 were trimix dives. She had made several previous dives to deep Florida wrecks: to 200 feet (61 meters) on the Lowrance, off Pompano Beach, and to 160 feet (49 meters) on the Hydro Atlantic, near the Boca Raton inlet.



>Elizabeth Halbach, 28, began diving at the age of 12. She enjoyed both recreational and technical diving and was especially drawn to the springs in North Florida. "Liz loved exploring new underwater environments and seeing things few people get to see," her husband said.>Elizabeth was excited to pass on what she learned. "She shared the knowledge she gained with everyone she encountered," said Halbach.>Halbach said it was Elizabeth who was his impetus to learn scuba diving. "We met in 2003, and I felt Liz's enthusiasm for diving. She had taken off a few years from diving and missed it.">After Halbach became certified, the two began diving together continuously. "I logged only one dive without Liz during that time," Halbach said. "That's when she had a cold.">Next, they got nitrox-certified and then undertook cave diving. "We had traveled to topside caves like Mammoth Cave (in Kentucky) and loved it," Halbach said.>"Our next logical step was cave diving." They were certified in Introduction to Cave Diver in January 2004, Apprentice Cave Diver in January 2005 and Full Cave Diver in January 2006. With caving came trimix certification.>At the time of her death, Elizabeth had logged 302 dives, approximately 150 of which were cave dives; 20 were trimix dives. She had made several previous dives to deep Florida wrecks: to 200 feet (61 meters) on the Lowrance, off Pompano Beach, and to 160 feet (49 meters) on the Hydro Atlantic, near the Boca Raton inlet.

>The dive site

>The Halbachs had enjoyed a morning dive at Little River Spring near Branford, diving to 102 feet (31 meters). Some five hours had passed, and they headed to the Twin Rivers State Forest on the Withlacoochee River to dive an area known as "The Crack," a permit-only technical dive.



>The entrance to The Crack is through a small pool at the head of a dried-up spring run. Entering the water, the tunnel drops immediately to 25 feet (8 meters) deep. The tunnel travels inland 100 feet into the cave system and then opens into a massive vertical fissure - i.e., The Crack. Running 3 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 meters) wide and 10 to 20 feet (3 to 6 meters) long, the fissure travels nearly straight down to 150 feet (46 meters).



>At the bottom of the fissure, tunnels extend in several directions, several of which remain unexplored. The main passage opens into a tunnel about 10-15 feet (3 to 4.5 meters) high; it travels through limestone arches and other features. "It was high enough for us to swim through comfortably in backmount,*" Halbach said.



>After another several hundred feet of penetration, the passage makes a T-turn and proceeds into tunnels that descend to 156 feet (47.5 meters).



>The Halbachs had enjoyed a morning dive at Little River Spring near Branford, diving to 102 feet (31 meters). Some five hours had passed, and they headed to the Twin Rivers State Forest on the Withlacoochee River to dive an area known as "The Crack," a permit-only technical dive.>The entrance to The Crack is through a small pool at the head of a dried-up spring run. Entering the water, the tunnel drops immediately to 25 feet (8 meters) deep. The tunnel travels inland 100 feet into the cave system and then opens into a massive vertical fissure - i.e., The Crack. Running 3 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 meters) wide and 10 to 20 feet (3 to 6 meters) long, the fissure travels nearly straight down to 150 feet (46 meters).>At the bottom of the fissure, tunnels extend in several directions, several of which remain unexplored. The main passage opens into a tunnel about 10-15 feet (3 to 4.5 meters) high; it travels through limestone arches and other features. "It was high enough for us to swim through comfortably in backmount,*" Halbach said.>After another several hundred feet of penetration, the passage makes a T-turn and proceeds into tunnels that descend to 156 feet (47.5 meters).

>The dive

>On this dive the Halbachs were using trimix, a breathing gas consisting of oxygen, helium and nitrogen. They had planned the dive for a partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) of 1.4 absolute atmosphere, or ata, using a mix of 24/26 (24 percent oxygen, 26 percent helium and 50 percent nitrogen) and for a bottom run time of 30-35 minutes. This was a standard mix for this type of dive, Halbach said.



>"We entered the water and ran the primary reel to the main line," said Halbach. "I took a few pictures and then clipped the camera to the line because of its depth rating. Then we headed into the cave."



>As they approached the vertical fissure, Elizabeth moved in front to lead the dive, Halbach said. They descended through The Crack and paused at the bottom while the third diver clipped their deco bottles to the line at 147 feet (45 meters). The group then proceeded into the cave. "This was one of the most beautiful, unspoiled caves I have ever seen," Halbach said. "It was spectacular to witness such beauty."



>After about 25 minutes of bottom time, it was time to turn around, and Elizabeth signaled she wanted to do so, Halbach said. They were at a depth of 156 feet (48 meters).



>On this dive the Halbachs were using trimix, a breathing gas consisting of oxygen, helium and nitrogen. They had planned the dive for a partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) of 1.4 absolute atmosphere, or ata, using a mix of 24/26 (24 percent oxygen, 26 percent helium and 50 percent nitrogen) and for a bottom run time of 30-35 minutes. This was a standard mix for this type of dive, Halbach said.>"We entered the water and ran the primary reel to the main line," said Halbach. "I took a few pictures and then clipped the camera to the line because of its depth rating. Then we headed into the cave.">As they approached the vertical fissure, Elizabeth moved in front to lead the dive, Halbach said. They descended through The Crack and paused at the bottom while the third diver clipped their deco bottles to the line at 147 feet (45 meters). The group then proceeded into the cave. "This was one of the most beautiful, unspoiled caves I have ever seen," Halbach said. "It was spectacular to witness such beauty.">After about 25 minutes of bottom time, it was time to turn around, and Elizabeth signaled she wanted to do so, Halbach said. They were at a depth of 156 feet (48 meters).

>Warning signs

>"Twice during the exit I turned to Liz and signaled 'Are you OK?' and received a full 'OK' signal back," Halbach said. "Immediately before retrieving my deco bottle I again signaled 'Are you OK?' and again received a complete 'OK' signal back from her." After retrieving his deco bottle, Halbach said, he ascended three feet to allow Elizabeth to get hers. "She retrieved her bottle and clipped off both clips properly. She was at 147 feet (45 meters)."



>Then trouble began. Immediately after clipping off her deco bottle and less than 15 seconds after Halbach had received an "OK" from Elizabeth, he saw her reach up to her mask as air bubbles vented from its top. A few seconds later, the bubbles stopped, Halbach reported, and Elizabeth began to fall sideways in the passage.



>Halbach leaped into action. "I signaled our buddy and immediately went to Liz; she was having a seizure," he said. "I ensured the regulator was secure in her mouth and righted her, but during the process the regulator fell out of her mouth. We tried pushing it back in numerous times but were unsuccessful every time: Her jaw would not budge."



>This took three to four minutes at depths of 147-150 feet (45-46 meters). They began an ascent to their decompression stop at 40 feet (12 meters), all the while trying to push the regulator into her mouth and even free-flowing it at her lips."



>At one point during the ascent they lost the line because they had kicked up sediment on the trip out. Halbach did a lost line drill while their buddy worked with Elizabeth. As they proceeded with decompression and struggled with her inflated drysuit, Elizabeth was still seizing at 30 feet (9 meters), 12-15 minutes after she began.



>At the surface a few minutes later and after completing his decompression, Halbach called for help. They brought Elizabeth to the surface 45 minutes after her initial seizure. She was completely unresponsive. She never regained consciousness.



>"Twice during the exit I turned to Liz and signaled 'Are you OK?' and received a full 'OK' signal back," Halbach said. "Immediately before retrieving my deco bottle I again signaled 'Are you OK?' and again received a complete 'OK' signal back from her." After retrieving his deco bottle, Halbach said, he ascended three feet to allow Elizabeth to get hers. "She retrieved her bottle and clipped off both clips properly. She was at 147 feet (45 meters).">Then trouble began. Immediately after clipping off her deco bottle and less than 15 seconds after Halbach had received an "OK" from Elizabeth, he saw her reach up to her mask as air bubbles vented from its top. A few seconds later, the bubbles stopped, Halbach reported, and Elizabeth began to fall sideways in the passage.>Halbach leaped into action. "I signaled our buddy and immediately went to Liz; she was having a seizure," he said. "I ensured the regulator was secure in her mouth and righted her, but during the process the regulator fell out of her mouth. We tried pushing it back in numerous times but were unsuccessful every time: Her jaw would not budge.">This took three to four minutes at depths of 147-150 feet (45-46 meters). They began an ascent to their decompression stop at 40 feet (12 meters), all the while trying to push the regulator into her mouth and even free-flowing it at her lips.">At one point during the ascent they lost the line because they had kicked up sediment on the trip out. Halbach did a lost line drill while their buddy worked with Elizabeth. As they proceeded with decompression and struggled with her inflated drysuit, Elizabeth was still seizing at 30 feet (9 meters), 12-15 minutes after she began.>At the surface a few minutes later and after completing his decompression, Halbach called for help. They brought Elizabeth to the surface 45 minutes after her initial seizure. She was completely unresponsive. She never regained consciousness.

>The analysis

>The breathing gas was analyzed by four separate sources multiple times, Halbach reports. All four analyzers read an oxygen percentage of between 24.0 percent and 24.6 percent, and the helium analyzer read 26 percent. Reports indicated no apparent gear malfunctions. A gas sample was sent for analysis to two laboratories, and all parameters showed that the divers were operating well within specifications, with no contaminants present in the gas.



>The autopsy showed nothing out of the ordinary. "Official cause of death was initially ruled an air embolism," Halbach said, "with the caveat that it was the only condition evident that could be ruled as a cause."



>Because of the lack of certainty in Elizabeth's death, Halbach has searched far and wide for answers, involving numerous experts in dive medicine to try to find some answers. "Elizabeth had seized and passed out before an embolism was possible," Halbach said. "The embolism was probably a side effect of the ascent while she was not breathing."



>The medical examiner, not satisfied with Halbach's initial analysis, took it upon himself to learn as more about technical diving and diving physiology. After re-evaluating the case, he determined the official cause to be oxygen toxicity, despite the dive being within all of the currently accepted parameters for PO2.



>Halbach's best guess was that Elizabeth may have been sensitive to hyperbaric oxygen, resulting in her seizing from oxygen toxicity. "After a review of our logbooks, I noticed that this was our first trimix dive to 1.4 PO2, he said. "We had been deeper numerous times prior but were always around 1.2 PO2."



>Could this have played a part in her death? The answer is still uncertain.

>The breathing gas was analyzed by four separate sources multiple times, Halbach reports. All four analyzers read an oxygen percentage of between 24.0 percent and 24.6 percent, and the helium analyzer read 26 percent. Reports indicated no apparent gear malfunctions. A gas sample was sent for analysis to two laboratories, and all parameters showed that the divers were operating well within specifications, with no contaminants present in the gas.>The autopsy showed nothing out of the ordinary. "Official cause of death was initially ruled an air embolism," Halbach said, "with the caveat that it was the only condition evident that could be ruled as a cause.">Because of the lack of certainty in Elizabeth's death, Halbach has searched far and wide for answers, involving numerous experts in dive medicine to try to find some answers. "Elizabeth had seized and passed out before an embolism was possible," Halbach said. "The embolism was probably a side effect of the ascent while she was not breathing.">The medical examiner, not satisfied with Halbach's initial analysis, took it upon himself to learn as more about technical diving and diving physiology. After re-evaluating the case, he determined the official cause to be oxygen toxicity, despite the dive being within all of the currently accepted parameters for PO2.>Halbach's best guess was that Elizabeth may have been sensitive to hyperbaric oxygen, resulting in her seizing from oxygen toxicity. "After a review of our logbooks, I noticed that this was our first trimix dive to 1.4 PO2, he said. "We had been deeper numerous times prior but were always around 1.2 PO2.">Could this have played a part in her death? The answer is still uncertain.

>What went wrong?

>This dive and its sad outcome was an accident that, based on everything we think we know today, should not have happened, Halbach said. "We followed all the rules of cave diving, all of the rules of trimix diving and all of the rules of diving in general. But it still happened, and if it's at all possible, we need an explanation," he said.



>Physiology differs from person to person, day to day, and can change dramatically as we age or move in and out of activity levels. "We can only surmise that Elizabeth was more sensitive to hyperbaric oxygen than the 'average person' and seized after a very short exposure at 1.4 PO2," Halbach said. Given the decompression ceiling, the extensive seizure and the logistics of the cave, there was virtually no opportunity for rescue.



>"Our love for cave diving included the acknowledgement that it was a risky sport," Halbach said. "But we focused on measured risks, having a full understanding of the level of risk and trying to ensure the reward equaled or exceeded that risk. Clearly there are still areas that we do not fully understand, so I am proud to be playing a part in continuing to advance diving research through the research fund we have set up in memory of Elizabeth.



>"Liz was extremely aware of the importance of physical and mental fitness to diving safety," Halbach said. "Her desire to do what's right permeated our philosophy of diving. That's why it's only right to establish a research fund in her honor. I want to remember her for all the good things she did."



>This dive and its sad outcome was an accident that, based on everything we think we know today, should not have happened, Halbach said. "We followed all the rules of cave diving, all of the rules of trimix diving and all of the rules of diving in general. But it still happened, and if it's at all possible, we need an explanation," he said.>Physiology differs from person to person, day to day, and can change dramatically as we age or move in and out of activity levels. "We can only surmise that Elizabeth was more sensitive to hyperbaric oxygen than the 'average person' and seized after a very short exposure at 1.4 PO2," Halbach said. Given the decompression ceiling, the extensive seizure and the logistics of the cave, there was virtually no opportunity for rescue.>"Our love for cave diving included the acknowledgement that it was a risky sport," Halbach said. "But we focused on measured risks, having a full understanding of the level of risk and trying to ensure the reward equaled or exceeded that risk. Clearly there are still areas that we do not fully understand, so I am proud to be playing a part in continuing to advance diving research through the research fund we have set up in memory of Elizabeth.>"Liz was extremely aware of the importance of physical and mental fitness to diving safety," Halbach said. "Her desire to do what's right permeated our philosophy of diving. That's why it's only right to establish a research fund in her honor. I want to remember her for all the good things she did."

>What's Partial Pressure?

>The partial pressure of a gas is a measure of the number of molecules in a given volume — the molecular concentration. The physiological effects of a gas are due mainly to its partial pressure, no matter what the total pressure is.



>If a gas has only one component, say 100 percent oxygen, the partial pressure and the pressure are the same. If there is a gas mix, then the partial pressure is the gas fraction times the total pressure. A 50 percent oxygen-in-nitrogen mix has an oxygen partial pressure (PO2) of 1.0 atmosphere absolute (ata) at a depth of 33 feet (10 meters) where the total pressure is 2 ata.



>At this depth the 50 percent oxygen would have the same physiological effect as 100 percent oxygen at the surface. Breathing a 100 percent oxygen mix at a depth of 33 feet (2 ata total pressure) would be equivalent to breathing the 50 percent mix at 132 feet (40 meters), or 4 ata total pressure.

>From



>The partial pressure of a gas is a measure of the number of molecules in a given volume — the molecular concentration. The physiological effects of a gas are due mainly to its partial pressure, no matter what the total pressure is.>If a gas has only one component, say 100 percent oxygen, the partial pressure and the pressure are the same. If there is a gas mix, then the partial pressure is the gas fraction times the total pressure. A 50 percent oxygen-in-nitrogen mix has an oxygen partial pressure (PO2) of 1.0 atmosphere absolute (ata) at a depth of 33 feet (10 meters) where the total pressure is 2 ata.>At this depth the 50 percent oxygen would have the same physiological effect as 100 percent oxygen at the surface. Breathing a 100 percent oxygen mix at a depth of 33 feet (2 ata total pressure) would be equivalent to breathing the 50 percent mix at 132 feet (40 meters), or 4 ata total pressure.>From "If You Dive Nitrox You Should Know About OXTOX."

>How to contribute

>Gifts to the Elizabeth Anna Halbach (Urban) Memorial Research Fund may be made online.

>For additional information on how to contribute to this program:



See the Halbach site at http://www.divers4life.com

Visit the DAN website at http://www.DiversAlertNetwork.org/development/designategift.asp

Call the DAN Development Office at +1-919-684-2948 ext. 445/446 >Gifts to the Elizabeth Anna Halbach (Urban) Memorial Research Fund may be made online.>For additional information on how to contribute to this program:

>DAN Research: What It's About

>The research department at Divers Alert Network® conducts studies that seek to improve the safety of scuba diving.



>DAN® undertakes dive research to provide scientific data to answer relevant dive safety questions, investigate causes and incidences of injuries and fatalities in diving, and improve the therapy of dive injuries. Active projects include studies of flying after diving, oxygen delivery equipment, and accidents or incidents involving open-circuit, closed-circuit and breath-hold diving.



>Flying after diving calibration studies

>DAN has a long history of involvement in flying after diving research. The current effort — flying after diving calibration, conducted at the Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Environmental Physiology at Duke University in Durham, N.C. — is designed to determine the influence of exercise during dives on subsequent decompression risk associated with postdive flight.



>Divers interested in participating should visit the DAN website (www.DiversAlertNetwork.org), the Duke Hyperbaric Center website (hyperbaric.mc.duke.edu) or call DAN. Participants must be between the ages of 18 and 60, be certified divers or have hyper/hypobaric chamber experience.



>The research department at Divers Alert Networkconducts studies that seek to improve the safety of scuba diving.>DANundertakes dive research to provide scientific data to answer relevant dive safety questions, investigate causes and incidences of injuries and fatalities in diving, and improve the therapy of dive injuries. Active projects include studies of flying after diving, oxygen delivery equipment, and accidents or incidents involving open-circuit, closed-circuit and breath-hold diving.>DAN has a long history of involvement in flying after diving research. The current effort — flying after diving calibration, conducted at the Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Environmental Physiology at Duke University in Durham, N.C. — is designed to determine the influence of exercise during dives on subsequent decompression risk associated with postdive flight.>Divers interested in participating should visit the DAN website (www.DiversAlertNetwork.org), the Duke Hyperbaric Center website (hyperbaric.mc.duke.edu) or call DAN. Participants must be between the ages of 18 and 60, be certified divers or have hyper/hypobaric chamber experience.

>Annual Diving Report

>Each year, the DAN Research department compiles, analyzes and writes a report on three diving populations: fatalities, injuries and divers who were injury-free. In addition to describing demographic and dive characteristics of these populations, the report uses data from Project Dive Exploration, the most extensive study of recreational diving ever conducted, as a group of "normal" divers for comparison with injuries and fatalities to identify potential risk factors. The report also features a comparison of air- and mixed-gas dives.



>All reports may be downloaded from the

>Each year, the DAN Research department compiles, analyzes and writes a report on three diving populations: fatalities, injuries and divers who were injury-free. In addition to describing demographic and dive characteristics of these populations, the report uses data from Project Dive Exploration, the most extensive study of recreational diving ever conducted, as a group of "normal" divers for comparison with injuries and fatalities to identify potential risk factors. The report also features a comparison of air- and mixed-gas dives.>All reports may be downloaded from the DAN website at no cost.

>Decompression risk factors field study

>Project Dive Exploration

>This study uses Project Dive Exploration research methodology:



>• to collect dive profile data during open-water diving using PDE-compatible dive computers; and

>• to compile information on dive practice and outcomes.



>PDE will provide a window into the world of recreational divers, their behavior, dive profiles and risks of decompression illness. Since data collection began in 1995, PDE has generated 154,129 dive profiles* and more are collected each day.

>This study uses Project Dive Exploration research methodology:>• to collect dive profile data during open-water diving using PDE-compatible dive computers; and>• to compile information on dive practice and outcomes.>PDE will provide a window into the world of recreational divers, their behavior, dive profiles and risks of decompression illness. Since data collection began in 1995, PDE has generated 154,129 dive profiles* and more are collected each day.

>Oxygen delivery systems

>The best first aid for dive injuries is to breathe the highest concentration of oxygen available as soon as possible after signs or symptoms of an injury begin. DAN Research and the Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Environmental Physiology at Duke Medical Center test and evaluate oxygen delivery systems. One limitation of standard open-circuit oxygen regulators has been the short lifetime of the oxygen supply. DAN has also participated in the testing and development of closed-circuit oxygen rebreathers. DAN Research Internship Program



>The DAN Research Internship Program recruits interns from colleges, universities and medical schools across the United States and internationally. Its purpose is to provide students with experience in careers in diving or dive-related fields. At DAN, interns receive an initial orientation to dive-related science and research. They are then placed with host organizations either in the field or lab setting for the duration of the internship. There they collect data, work on research projects in the lab or DAN and become DAN liaisons to the diving public, communicating the importance of dive research for improving the safety of recreational diving.



>Contact Donna Uguccioni, M.S., Internship Program coordinator; telephone +1-919-684-2948 ext. 627 or email duguccioni@dan.duke.edu

>The best first aid for dive injuries is to breathe the highest concentration of oxygen available as soon as possible after signs or symptoms of an injury begin. DAN Research and the Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Environmental Physiology at Duke Medical Center test and evaluate oxygen delivery systems. One limitation of standard open-circuit oxygen regulators has been the short lifetime of the oxygen supply. DAN has also participated in the testing and development of closed-circuit oxygen rebreathers. DAN Research Internship Program>The DAN Research Internship Program recruits interns from colleges, universities and medical schools across the United States and internationally. Its purpose is to provide students with experience in careers in diving or dive-related fields. At DAN, interns receive an initial orientation to dive-related science and research. They are then placed with host organizations either in the field or lab setting for the duration of the internship. There they collect data, work on research projects in the lab or DAN and become DAN liaisons to the diving public, communicating the importance of dive research for improving the safety of recreational diving.>Contact Donna Uguccioni, M.S., Internship Program coordinator; telephone +1-919-684-2948 ext. 627 or email duguccioni@dan.duke.edu