Boston Engineering's Jackson Sugar Shares Insights on Oceanographic Innovation with MINIONs

7-03-2025

Narragansett, Rhode Island – At a recent IEEE marine science event, Jackson Sugar, Senior Mechanical Engineer at Boston Engineering, shared his experience working on the groundbreaking MINION (MINiature IsOpycNal) project — a network of small, inexpensive subsurface Lagrangian floats designed to unlock the mysteries of the ocean twilight zone.

Originally developed under the leadership of Dr. Melissa Omand at the University of Rhode Island (URI) and funded by the National Science Foundation, MINIONs offer an affordable, scalable solution to study critical ocean processes that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to observe.

The Technology: MINIONs Explained

MINIONs are compact, neutrally buoyant floats designed to drift at pre-selected depths within the ocean twilight zone, a region hundreds of feet below the surface where sunlight fades and much of Earth’s carbon transport occurs.

These devices are equipped with:

• Cameras and lighting systems to capture images of “marine snow” — carbon-rich detritus falling from above
• Raspberry Pi computers and custom low-power circuit boards for efficient data collection
• Sensors for pressure, temperature, and acceleration monitoring

They autonomously drift with currents, capturing valuable data before surfacing at pre-programmed intervals to transmit their findings.

By deploying fleets of these small instruments across vast ocean areas, scientists can gather simultaneous, widespread measurements — a leap forward in understanding the ocean’s role in the global carbon cycle.

From the Lab to the Open Ocean: Jackson’s Journey

Jackson Sugar’s path to cutting-edge ocean engineering began at the University of Rhode Island, where his passion for both engineering and the ocean converged. As a graduate student under Dr. Omand at URI’s Graduate School of Oceanography, Jackson was instrumental in refining the design and functionality of the MINION system, helping transform early concepts into operational field-ready devices.

After completing his master’s degree in 2020, Jackson continued to support MINION development and deployment as an associate engineer, playing a key role during the 2021 NASA EXPORTS mission.

By deploying fleets of these small instruments across vast ocean areas, scientists can gather simultaneous, widespread measurements — a leap forward in understanding the ocean’s role in the global carbon cycle.

The Future of Low-Cost Ocean Exploration

Today, as a senior mechanical engineer at Boston Engineering, Jackson applies his deep expertise in oceanographic technologies to advance real-world solutions for exploration, monitoring, and environmental science.

“Doing low-cost science comes with a particular set of compromises,” Jackson reflected. “But successfully completing a mission and proving that this technology works is exciting for the future of oceanography.”

Photo credit: Marley Parker, Ken Kostel, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

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