Bob Evans is a visionary, an entrepreneur, who identifies and materializes significant solutions.
For decades he has invested his time identifying and solving issues involving the ocean and the needs of people. Combining his ocean dive time, Bob has spent approximately 5,000 hours under water (equivalent to 3 full-time working years). Currently, desalination is his primary passion because many of these projects are either harming the world’s eco system or they do not address locations thirsting for fresh water.
As an accomplished diver, he has documented marine life and executed projects below the offshore oil platforms of every stake holder in the Santa Barbara Channel. Projects for which, he designed underwater camera housings for time-lapse photography, camera towing systems and a unique powerless buoy system to carry cameras to preset depths, a pre-curser to autonomous underwater vehicles. He visualizes light and motion, which coupled with his lifelong experience producing products for underwater use gives him a unique perspective as to how objects react in fluids and at depth.
The Santa Barbara Martime Museum exhibited Marine Megatropolis (1974-1981) Photographs by Bob Evans
He executed a natural bio-fouling removal program for Chevron’s Platform Hilda and received a Federal Grant for The Mussel Company to conduct the feasibility study to harvest mussels on the offshore oil platforms, thus establishing the California mussel harvesting industry.
He is Founder and President of Bob Evans Designs, Inc., the corporate entity behind Force Fin®. Force Fin® are proprietary fins sold worldwide to military and recreational SCUBA divers, swimmers and float tube fly fishermen. His Tan Delta Force Fin is part of the permanent collections of New York Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In 2002, he was honored with a “Time Magazine Innovation of the Year.” award.
In his role as Chief Designer and President, he built and managed polyurethane production facilities, and developed composite tooling. He patented non-mold methods of manufacturing to streamline product concept to market. He received an international design award sponsored by Stevens Urethane, Easthampton, MA for this innovative leap for polyurethane production.
Bob Evans has served as Executive Director, President and a Member of the Board of Directors of the Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences. This 55 year old organization recognizes pioneers and leaders who have had a global impact on the exploration, safety and preservation of the underwater world. In 2005 he was awarded a NOGI by the Academy. In 2006 he was awarded by Beneath the Sea as Diver of the Year in Science. He is also a member of the Ocean Artists Society.
Bob Evans is a world class photographer, represented by Getty Images. Selections from his Channel Islands Collection, most notably “Birds on the Rock” and “Baby Elephant Seals” stand as Hallmarks of the The Channel Islands National Park. In 1986, the Sea Center of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History opened with a photographic exhibit that included 47 of his photographs. He has produced 2 multi-media presentations for the Los Angeles County Cabrillo Marine Museum, “Man Made Oases” and “The California Channel Islands”
In 1996, he was granted an honorary Master of Science by the Trustees of Brooks Institute of Photography for extraordinary contributions to Photography, Art and Science.