John Piña Craven

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John Piña Craven (born 1924 in Brooklyn, New York, USA) is known for his involvement with Bayesian search theory and the recovery of lost objects at sea.

He holds a BA from Cornell University, an MA from the California Institute of Technology, a PhD from the University of Iowa and a JD from The National Law Center of The George Washington University.

Craven has had more than 40 years of experience in the innovation, development, design, construction and operational deployment of major oceanic systems. As a child he pursued ocean technology in the Brooklyn Technical High School and acquired a familiarity with the ocean on the beaches of Long Island and on the waterfront of New York City.

During the Second World War he served as an enlisted man on the Battleship USS New Mexico. In 1944 he was admitted to the U.S Navy's V-12 program, and was subsequently commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy. After obtaining his PhD he worked at the David Taylor Model Basin in Carderock, Maryland, working on nuclear submarines. He received two civilian service awards in connection with these developments. He was subsequently appointed Project Manager for the U.S. Navy's Polaris Program and the U.S. Navy's Special Projects Office. He later became the Chief Scientist. He was awarded two Distinguished Civilian Service Awards, the Department of Defense’s highest honor for civilians, among many other honors. While working with the Navy, he helped pioneer the use of Bayesian search techniques to locate objects lost at sea (Bayesian search theory). He was an instrumental part of the U.S Navy's search for the missing hydrogen bomb lost off Palomares, Spain in the Palomares hydrogen bombs incident and in the search for the submarine Scorpion, lost off of the Azores.

After leaving the Navy, he was marine affairs coordinator for the state of Hawaii and dean of marine programs at the University of Hawaii. During his time in Hawaii, it has been alleged that he was involved with the Glomar Explorer. He also served during the Carter Administration on the U.S. Government's Weather Modification Commission. During that time, a method was developed to greatly reduce the impact of hurricanes. In 1976, after losing in his campaign for U.S Congress, he was appointed director of the Law of the Sea Institute. In 2001, he was the Chief Scientist of the Common Heritage Corporation. He lives in Honolulu, Hawaii.

His daughter, Sarah Craven, is a prominent international advocate of women's rights. His brother, Kenneth Craven, is a distinguished educator and scholar, who served as the Chancellor of the City Colleges of New York in the 1960's. His father was the composer James M. Craven.

Having acquired a law degree through study at night, he was also responsible for the direction of the International Law of the Sea Institute. In 1990 he established the Common Heritage Corporation for the management of innovation for the benefit of the common heritage. He also is a member of the National Academy of Engineering.

According to Wired Magazine, Craven's current undertaking is to link up islands in the Pacific Ocean with sustainable energy, agriculture and fresh water through the use of Deep Ocean Water pumped up via pipes from offshore. He is also developing a new and innovative Cold Water therapy which may produce significant health breakthroughs and slow the aging process.

He has authored The Silent War: The Cold War Battle Beneath the Sea, ISBN 0-7432-2326-8

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