About Us
TEAMER pairs marine energy technology developers with expert researchers and state-of-the-art facilities to provide testing and expertise for their projects. The goal: advance the industry, accelerate technologies toward commercialization, and get “steel in the water” to leverage the largely untapped resources offered by marine energy.
The Power of the Ocean
The energy stored in the motion of waves and currents has the potential to provide a vast and resilient source of energy to meet a significant portion of society’s needs. To reach this potential and move marine energy technologies closer to market, researchers and developers must first refine the most promising technologies and advance their progression toward achieving commercial viability, all while navigating development and testing barriers along the way.
The Testing Expertise and Access for Marine Energy Research (TEAMER™) program accelerates that process through annual open funding calls to support developers seeking access to the nation’s best facilities and expertise. TEAMER plans to distribute more than $40 million through these periodic competitive opportunities (known as Requests for Technical Support, RFTSs) to support Marine Energy testing and development projects.
The TEAMER program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office (H2O) and directed by the Pacific Ocean Energy Trust (POET), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
Our Team Members
Our day-to-day operations benefit from experienced administrators, project managers, and communications specialists at POET, the TEAMER Network Director. Additional program leadership and technical direction is provided by the program’s Technical Board (TB) of veteran marine energy scientists and experts in the U.S. from National Marine Energy Centers and National Laboratories, along with partners at the U.S.Department of Energy’s Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office. Below, meet some of the many people who keep TEAMER’s gears turning.
TEAMER Network Director – POET
Samantha Quinn
Program Director
Samantha is an economist experienced in marine energy policy and strategy. Samantha has significant experience with the project management of large consortium, government funded marine energy projects in both Europe and the United States and currently acts as the Program Director for the Pacific Ocean Energy Trust (POET).
Previously, Samantha was the Program Manager for the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center (NNMERC), now PMEC, overseeing the day-to-day project management of the PacWave project.
Prior to joining NNMREC, she was the project manager for the €4.8 million European Union-funded DTOcean project at the University of Edinburgh. Samantha earned her B.S. in Business Administration-Marketing from Regis University and her M.Sc. in Ecological Economics with an emphasis in marine energy from the University of Edinburgh.
Devan Kochersberger
Program Coordinator
Devan is the Program Coordinator for the Testing Expertise & Access for Marine Energy Research (TEAMER) Program. He brings extensive administrative experience from the public education sector.
Prior to joining POET, he was the Graduate Coordinator for Portland State University’s Applied Psychology PhD program. He holds a B.A. in History from the Pennsylvania State University and an M.F.A. in Recording Arts & Technologies from Middle Tennessee State University.
Aaron Franco
Communications Specialist
Aaron is POET’s Marketing and Communications Specialist. He brings design and writing expertise, a background in strategic communication, and experience in the non-profit sector from his time with the National Geographic Society. Aaron supports POET’s communication goals through digital media management, visual and identity development, and marketing strategy planning.
Aaron holds a B.F.A. in Studio Art and a B.J. in Advertising from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, and an M.A. in Journalism (Strategic Communications) from the University of Missouri.
Cynthia Martinez Leal
TEAMER Administrator
Cynthia provides administrative support to POET’s Testing Expertise & Access for Marine Energy Research (TEAMER) Program, managing a large portfolio of supported projects and testing facilities located across the United States. A Geophysical Engineer by training, she holds a M.Sc. and a Ph.D. in Marine Science from the University of Cantabria, Spain. Prior to joining POET, she worked at the Environmental Hydraulics Institute (IH Cantabria) in Spain as manager of the Coastal Modeling System, and participated in Coastal Engineering related to coastline management.
U.S. Department of Energy Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office (H2O DOE)
Allison Davis
H2O (DOE)
Claire Powell
H2O (DOE)
Lauren Ruedy
H2O (DOE)
Yana Shininger
H2O (DOE)
Types of Support
No matter where your project is in its development life cycle, TEAMER facilities can provide valuable research, testing, analysis, and recommendations.
Non-Open Water
Numerical Modeling & Analysis • Laboratory & Bench Testing • Tank, Basin, Tunnel & Flume Testing • Expertise • Commercialization
Open Water
Testing in a marine experimental setting that is exposed to, and interacts with, the natural environment
