caption birth_place field work_institutions birth_date known_for residence prizes image article_title name alma_mater
dr. hilt . e. lee spence with a 22kt gold sword germany underwater archaeology sea research society 1947 discovery successful submarine -rrb- , of '' h. l. hunley '' -lrb- 1st summerville , south carolina , united states donald o. bushman award spence_with_gold_sword_handle . jpg e. lee spence
 edward lee spence university of south carolina college of marine arts
e. lee spence

edward lee spence -lrb- born 1947 in germany -rrb- is a pioneer in underwater archaeology who studies shipwrecks and sunken treasure .
he is also a published editor and author of non-fiction reference books ; a magazine editor -lrb- `` diving world '' , `` atlantic coastal diver '' , `` treasure '' , `` treasure diver '' , and `` treasure quest '' -rrb- , and magazine publisher -lrb- `` shipwrecks '' , `` wreck diver '' -rrb- ; and a published photographer .
spence was twelve years old when he found his first five shipwrecks .
dr. spence 's past work has been funded by such institutions as the savannah ships of the sea museum , the college of charleston , the south carolina committee for the humanities and the national endowment for the humanities .
in 1991 and 1992 , spence served as chief of underwater archeology for san andres y providencia , a 40,000 square-mile colombian owned archipelago in the western caribbean .
he has worked on the wrecks of spanish galleons , pirate ships , great lakes freighters , modern luxury liners -lrb- cruise ships -rrb- , civil war blockade runners and submarines .
