Andrew Pitkin learned to dive in 1992 in the cold murky waters of the United Kingdom and started cave and technical diving in 1994. From 1996-2000 he was employed at the Royal Navy’s Institute of Naval Medicine, running a hyperbaric facility, treating decompression illness, participating in research into outcome after decompression illness, submarine escape and testing of new military underwater breathing systems. He moved to Florida in 2007 and is currently on the faculty of the College of Medicine at the University of Florida in Gainesville where he has participated in numerous underwater cave exploration and filming projects.
He became a director of KUR in 2011 and is currently the Treasurer. His background in hyperbaric medicine and anesthesiology, combined with his interest in electronic and mechanical engineering, has resulted in the development of innovative equipment for technical cave exploration, including various rebreathers, suit heater controllers, improved DPV battery packs, heads-up displays for rebreathers, single-wire telephones, and underwater radiolocation systems. His favorite caves to dive are Weeki Wachee/Twin Dees, Mill Creek Sink and Phantom Spring.