Before retiring, Joseph A Bauer, Jr. M.D. was a specialist in General, Laser and Colorectal Surgery, and Sally E Bauer, M.D. an Emergency Medicine physician.

Dr. Joe did research at the National Institutes of Health in Transplantation Surgery. Later, he not only devoted his time to his patients, but also brought innovations to various fields of surgery. He developed Surgical and Medical Intensive Care Units and Initiated Surgical Endoscopy procedures in the Cleveland area. Joe envisioned a way to lower the cost of medical care by developing the first freestanding, physician-owned and operated Outpatient Surgical Center of which he was the Managing General Partner. To promote Outpatient Surgery, he developed a number of surgical procedures that produced less pain and more rapid postoperative recovery.
He introduced videoscopic (Laparoscopic) Surgery for gall bladder disease, to the northeastern United States, after studies in Europe. He trained many other physicians in "keyhole" surgery - a common procedure today.

Dr. Sally developed considerable organizational, staff management and logistical skills as an ER physician. Those skills enabled her to help Joe plan, design, build and administer the outpatient surgical centers that became a model for the nation and those skills are now instrumental in the development of the Museum.

During their careers the Bauers pursued avocations as Marine Biologists, SCUBA Divers and as Diving Historians. Their passion was to learn the evolution and history of man's entry into the sea, and to share this largely untold story with others. Their focus and expertise is on the early history of diving and technology, prior to the development of SCUBA. After authoring the Diving Helmet chapter in The Pictorial History of Diving, they were founding members of the International Historical Diving Society of both the United Kingdom and the United States. The Bauers publish professional articles on diving history, based on their basic research of original documents in libraries throughout the world. They have discovered new links in the early progress of diving, which had previously been unrecognized. They are currently working on a book about the "open bottom" or shallow water diving helmets that were the most significant contribution of South Florida and the Keys to the worldwide history of diving. These helmets fostered the beginnings of modern marine biology and treasure salvage, of underwater photography and initiated the current interest in sports diving.

Over the years, the Bauers have acquired the world's largest collection of Diving Helmets, hand-operated air pumps, armored suits, lights and other accessory gear, plus memorabilia, prints, photographs, books, film and video. The collection represents the contributions of more than 30 countries to diving history and portions have been displayed in museums within the US and out of the country. These considerable historic resources, as well as the Bauer's expertise in their history, will be available to the Museum for its Exhibits and Historical Programs and for educational, lecture and study material.