Stephanie Schwabe

Stephanie Jutta Schwabe, BA, MSc., Ph.D., J.D. FRGS (born 1957 in Germany) is a geomicrobiologist. She completed a Ph.D in the biogeochemical investigation of caves within the Bahamian carbonate platforms, commonly reference is blue hole. She is an expert geologic diver mostly in Bahamian blues holes, however her experiences extends to expeditions in US waters. She is registered HSE Part IV commercial diver and Diver Medic. She is qualified PADI Dive Master, NAUI Dive Instructor, Nitrox Instructor, Cave Diving Instructor, Trimix Diver, Rebreather Diver and Gas blender. Diver International named her one of the top 40 divers in the world.

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Stephanie has a degree in law with a speciality in international environmental law and is a registered mediator.

Stephanie is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society of London. She was named a NASA fellow in exo-biology for her discovery of a unique life system found only in the black fresh water holes in the Bahamas. Stephanie was featured in the book titled Women of Discovery: A Celebration of Intrepid Women Who Explored the World, published by Clarkson Potter.

Exploration

She has participated in eighteen scientific expeditions to the Bahamas, subject for masters and doctoral research. She has participated in film expeditions for NDR, German television (The Mysterious Caves of the Bahamas, Fulcrum Production, BBC UK (Amazing Earth), American Television, World aof Wonder and Discovery Animal Planet, Australian television, Beyond Production Ltd. (Quest Series).In 1999, Schwabe's discovery quest lead her to the Black Hole of Andros. The Black Hole was first thought to be an underwater cave system. Stephanie exploration of the Black Hole Andros, was of great scientific importance to studies of the Bahamian cave systems. Stephanie is the founder and director of The Rob Palmer Blues Holes Foundation, a nonprofit organization.The foundation is dedicated to the scientific and physical exploration of blue holes within the Bahamas and related environment. The foundation goals are to encourage education and conservation of Bahamian caves and blue hole.

Quotes

• "The human race has forgotten what is valuable in life. That true wealth is not money and material things, but the health of your environment and the understanding of it!"

• "Cave diving is a lone activity, You have to believe in yourself and be able to rely on yourself alone."

• Stephanie Schwabe and James L. Carew. "Blue Holes: An Inappropriate Moniker for Scientific Discussion of Water-Filled Caves in the Bahamas" (Accessed 3/8/06)

• Schwabe, S. J. ,and Herbert, R., 2004, Black Holes of the Bahamas: What they are and why they are black: Quaternary International, v. 121, p. 3-11.

• Schwabe,Stephanie, Blue Holes of the Bahamas: A Silent Death Immersed Summer 2001/vol 6, No.2

• Schwabe, Stephanie Jutta, 1992. The Petrology of Bahamian Pleistocene Eolicinites and Phreatic Dissolution Caves: Implications for late Quaternary Island Development. M.S. Thesis: Mississippi State University, Mississippi