Dr. Robert Showen is a scientist, engineer and intrapreneur. His initial scientific interest was studying the ionosphere at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico.

He has applied his technical expertise to a societal problem – the existence of dangerous gunfire in urban areas. He conceived and directed development of the ShotSpotter gunshot location system. This system uses acoustic sensors placed in troubled neighborhoods to triangulate on gunfire and the location is displayed to police dispatchers This system is now in use by police in 120 cities and allows them to suppress gunfire and improve the quality of life in their community.

He is one of several engineers leading an effort to suppress the pernicious practice of underwater fish bombing which is a threat to tropical reefs worldwide. An international coalition StopFishBombing.org is presently operating in Malaysia which pinpoints a bomb and allows marine law enforcement to interdict the bombers.

Recipient of “Inventor of the Year” award for 2014 from the Silicon Valley Intellectual Property Lawyers Association.    http://www.svipla.org/event-1802233

Published Locating fish bomb blasts in real-time using a networked acoustic system in Marine Pollution Bulletin journal, 2018.: