‘Born To Be a Fish’: Scuba Diving Fulfills Researcher’s Love of Water

By Nancy McCann

Growing up near a lake in Italy, Valentina Graci, PhD, a Research Scientist in the Center for Injury Research and Prevention (CIRP) at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, has loved the water since she was a child.

“I think I was born to be a fish,” Dr. Graci said. “I wanted to do oceanography or marine biology.”

But attending college closer to home at the University of Milan kept her away from classes taught about — and under — the sea. Her land-locked studies in Italy and the United States enabled her to reset her goals and develop a unique scientific background: psychology, exercise science, and biomechanics.

Today, Dr. Graci, who is also a Drexel University faculty member, leads the Sled Lab for Automotive Safety and Rehabilitation Biomechanics. It is the only biomechanics lab conducting automotive safety research at a pediatric hospital in the country. The influence of automotive restraints (e.g., seatbelts), vehicle seating, and advanced in-vehicle technology on human movement with an emphasis on age- and sex-based differences is a primary research focus for her team.

“We do automotive impact biomechanics,” Dr. Graci said. “We build custom-made devices that mimic what a vehicle does on the road, like an emergency stop. We put humans in it to see how they move in these crash avoidance maneuvers so that regulatory agencies and the automotive industry can gather insights on how to improve vehicle safety.”

From Lab Coat to Wetsuit

When Dr. Graci needs to reset and recharge, she sheds her lab coat and bikes across the Ben Franklin Bridge to an aquarium in Camden, New Jersey, where she volunteers as a scuba diver twice a month.

The day starts early, by walking through a disinfecting foot bath to avoid bringing in any pollutants from the outside that could endanger the aquatic animals and plants. Then she goes on to chores like counting the equipment her group of five divers will use that day, from the number of regulators to the number of wetsuits. They recount them at the end of the day to ensure nothing is lost or left behind.

“We don't want to leave anything in the exhibit after a dive,” Dr. Graci said. “For instance, the turtles are very inquisitive — they may chew on things — so we make sure we keep track of the inventory.”

The day usually consists of three dives: one maintenance dive and two shows. The first dive involves scrubbing rocks, cleaning the panoramic windows, and vacuuming underwater to keep the exhibit clean for the animals by removing any food or animal waste.

“Believe it or not, turtle poop can be as big as ours!” Dr. Graci said.

Rule of Conduct for the Divers

When in the exhibit with sharks, turtles, and other animals, the divers have a rule not to chase, corner, or touch them. It's a code of behavior that the aquarium has established for the scuba divers.

“We want the animals to feel safe in their home,” Dr. Graci said. “If we start to touch or chase a shark, they would feel scared and defensive, so we let them be. We give the animals the right of way at all times.”

Her favorite part of the job is cleaning the submerged shipwreck, a smaller enclosure inside the bigger exhibit, where she can see the fish up close, including two green moray eels.

“They’re a bit unnerving because they seem to have a mean look,” Dr. Graci said. “They keep opening their mouths up and down, but that’s just how they breathe. They actually just mind their own business.”

Underwater Dive Shows Educate and Entertain

With a full mask that includes a microphone and speakers, Dr. Graci can communicate with the audience during the underwater dive shows.

“I explain to the public what we do as divers, that sharks are not man-eaters, and that we need to respect the ocean,” Dr. Graci said. “The purpose is to inspire conservation.”

Not only is she in the exhibit with sharks, turtles, and eels, but during the holiday season, she’s with Scuba Santa and the elves. Last year, Dr. Graci donned the red suit herself, which is no easy feat.

Going down on a normal dive, she has 16 pounds of added weight from all the equipment, but dressing as Santa involves 26 pounds of extra poundage. She wears a big wig and beard that she must be careful not to get caught in her full mask, her air tank and wetsuit, plus the tell-tale red jacket and pants (also wetsuits), boots, and hat. It’s a bit claustrophobic, Dr. Graci said, but once she’s underwater and weightless, all is good.

“Diving as Santa is an ego stroke out of this world,” Dr. Graci enthused. “The children are so excited to see you. One little boy waited until everybody left and then told me he loved me through the glass. My mask got all fogged up.”

Engaging in something that shifts her attention from the everyday demands of the lab is a must for Dr. Graci.

“I’m in a completely different environment with different restrictions and different demanding tasks,” Dr. Graci said. “I put aside all my work problems because I have to be focused on how much air I have left or what I have to clean. It is like meditation. It’s something I absolutely need.”

View a Lab Life video to get a behind the scenes look at Dr. Graci’s lab.