Programs Blog

Friday Oct 11, 2024 

Location: 14˚ 44.4’ S x  177.33.4’ E   ~75 nm northbound from Fiji

Weather: Light easterly winds 

Ahoy, ocean friends! I’m Claudia, Chief Scientist and proud alum of SEA (shoutout to my salty sailors from S-258!). It’s surreal to be back aboard the Seamans, sailing with Captain Rick again and settling into the aft cabin. But what’s even more exciting? I get to direct the science on this incredible voyage, turning the open sea into our classroom and guiding a passionate crew of students on their oceanographic research journeys.

Before we even set sail, students sharpened their research skills ashore – learning to develop research questions and craft collaborative project proposals. Now, out here on the water, they’re getting their hands wet, working side by side with a stellar science team. Shoutout to our awesome marine technicians, Süpi, Katherine, and Matthew! Students will be deploying scientific instruments, collecting data, processing samples, and – importantly – learning how unpredictable, messy, and fun real-world science can be.

So, what are we diving into out here? We’re exploring the ocean’s role as a carbon source and sink. We have 13 projects on deck, all led by students and their curiosity. From looking at the relationship between nutrient availability and phytoplankton communities to how seawater temperature and salinity have changed over time along this cruise track. As a class we will be connecting our findings to how our activities have altered the ocean carbon cycle and what that means for the ocean. Most importantly, we will be exploring climate solutions and what we can do for a brighter and more sustainable future. It’s science with a purpose, and it’s all happening in real time, right here at sea.

By the end of this voyage, students won’t just have run successful research projects – they’ll be equipped with the skills to communicate their findings, presenting them to classmates, crew, and even their families back home. Who knows, maybe one day one of them will be the next Chief Scientist leading a voyage like this one!

Let the adventure continue and the science deployments begin!

To all my friends and family back home – thanks for encouraging me to be spontaneous and take on this opportunity. Teddy – I wish you could experience this! I miss you and can’t wait to catch each other up on our journeys when I get back. Juniper the cat – hope you’re reaching new heights and getting plenty of snuggles.