William Dempster

Bill Dempster was the Director of Systems Engineering for the Biosphere 2 project from inception in 1984 until 1994. He invented and designed the pressure neutralizing system called "lungs" which were instrumental in achieving the exceptionally low leak rate, directed the designs for sealing Biosphere 2, documented the methods of leak detection and published papers on this topic. He established the method of water recycling and determined the energy requirements for Biosphere 2. In the early 1970's he was one of the founders of the Institute of Ecotechnics whose studies of global ecology laid the groundwork for the creation of Biosphere 2. Currently, he is systems engineer and researcher for the Laboratory Biosphere facility which studies candidate crops, atmospheric and closed system dynamics at Synergia Ranch, Santa Fe, NM.