NOAA Teacher at Sea Blog

July 28, 2026July 28, 2026

Cheyanne Vanderdonckt: Underway, July 27-28, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Cheyanne Vanderdonckt

NOAA Ship Oregon II

July 27 – August 12, 2026

Mission: Shark/Red Snapper Bottom Longline Survey, Leg I

Geographic Area of Cruise: Atlantic Ocean

Date: July 28, 2026

Latitude: 27° 04.803’ N

Longitude: 85° 14.792’ W

Weather Data from the Bridge: West winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Waves west 3 feet at 4 seconds and south 1 foot at 8 seconds. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning.

Science and Technology Log

For the first days of our journey, we will be traveling south from Pascagoula through the Gulf to the Straits of Florida. This means we will not be starting our survey work until later in the week. So for this post, I will be giving you some background information on the survey’s mission, our ship, and what I’ve learned about the maritime industry while staying in Pascagoula.

Mission

If you’ve ever been fishing you know that it is governed by very strict rules. There are short seasons when you are allowed to catch certain species, as well as limits on the number, sex, and size of fish you are allowed to take home. When it comes to fishing, it is important that we have an accurate picture of the health and abundance of fish stock to promote the health of our marine ecosystems. NOAA Fisheries plays an important part in this. The Shark/Red Snapper Bottom Longline Survey takes place in four stages/legs every year in late summer in the western North Atlantic Ocean. The team decides on specific areas to sample and they make records of everything they haul in. (More details on how this is done will come in later posts.) Because they visit the same region annually, the scientists can measure trends in the health and abundance of species across time.

NOAA Ship Oregon II

Our home and workplace for the next 17 days is NOAA Ship Oregon II. Its home port is Pascagoula, Mississippi where it was built at Ingalls Shipbuilding, which is still in operation today. This shipyard played an important role in World War II, as it built nearly 100 ships for the United States and British Royal Navy. Oregon II is 170 feet long. It has a beam (width at its widest point) of 34 feet and a draft (the distance from the waterline to the lowest part of the boat) of 14 feet.

You can follow Oregon II on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NOAAShipOregon2 to see the various types of missions its crew and scientists carry out throughout the year. If you would like to track Oregon II or any other NOAA vessel, you can use its unique identifiers (IMO Number 6728068 or MMSI Number 303976000) on a variety of marine vessel tracking websites.

For parents and teachers, this could be a great way to teach children about geography, transportation, and economics. You can “adopt” a ship and watch it travel the globe or track how long it takes a container of goods to travel to your nearest port from across the world. My hometown Baltimore, Maryland, has a “roll-on, roll-off” (Ro Ro Cargo) port that allows cars, trucks, farm equipment, and other vehicles to be driven right off the ships. Car-loving children might enjoy tracking how their favorite imported models arrive.

The image is a screenshot of the website Vessel Finder showing the location of Oregon II in the Gulf of Mexico along with other vessels in the vicinity. — Screenshot from vesselfinder.com

Maritime Career Focus: Shipbuilding

Are you interested in shipbuilding or know a student who is? While people zip around the world on airplanes, the majority of our goods still travel the way they have for millennia: on the water. Although technology changes, waterways are still vital for commerce and the demand for ships and those who build them is still strong. According to Fortune magazine, there is a shortage of 250,000 workers in the industry. Shipbuilding requires “workers from across nearly every skilled trade. Shipyards rely on welders, electricians, pipefitters, and machinists.”

The image shows a ship docked with cranes — Operations at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi

Personal Log

The image shows Cheyanne Vanderdonckt standing in front of Oregon II at dock — Finally I get to see *Oregon II* up close! (Photo credit: William Tilley)

After spending two nights in Pascagoula, I boarded the ship Monday morning at 7:30. Although I was able to see the ship at the dock from the street the day I arrived, this is my first close up view of Oregon II. I have seen many pictures of it from the NOAA website and Teacher at Sea alumni blog posts, so it was kind of like meeting my favorite celebrity in person. I received a warm greeting from William (Will) Tilley, a NOAA fisheries biologist who has been my contact for pre-travel orientation. I was nervous about boarding and departure, but Will was so welcoming I immediately felt more at ease.

The first order of business was to find my stateroom (a bedroom on a ship) and get unpacked and settled in. Space is tight and I am sharing with another member of the science team, so tidiness is key. I received a mesh laundry bag with linens for my stay and made up my bed. I haven’t slept in a bunk bed since my days of sharing a room with my sister! I will be working the day shift (noon to midnight) and my roommate works the opposite shift so that we will each get time alone in the room.

The image shows bunkbeds and a storage cabinet in the stateroom — The stateroom has two berths (a bed on a ship) and storage space for our belongings. The “EEBD” (Emergency Escape Breathing Device) helps you breathe in case of fire evacuation. This card reminds me what signals I will hear in case of an emergency, where I should muster (meet up with my team), and what my task will be.

The image shows an orange box labeled EEBD with instructions for use — The stateroom has two berths (a bed on a ship) and storage space for our belongings. The “EEBD” (Emergency Escape Breathing Device) helps you breathe in case of fire evacuation. This card reminds me what signals I will hear in case of an emergency, where I should muster (meet up with my team), and what my task will be.

After moving into my stateroom, I met with members of the crew and the science team for orientations and safety briefings. There are other volunteers aboard ship — mostly undergraduate and graduate students — and they assured me I was in for a lot of fun. Everyone has been friendly and welcoming.

Without other duties for the day, I had plenty of time to explore the ship and enjoy the views. I found a shady spot on deck and read a book on my Nook. (I’m on my second book since I left Baltimore two days ago!) I did not bring any physical books in order to save on space, but the ship has a small library. If you’re a big reader like I am, you know how cool it is to see somebody else reading a book you love. I had a moment like that as I looked through the books and saw that there is a copy of Men Against the Sea, part of the Bounty Trilogy by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall. This is a classic true story of endurance and survival at sea. Seeing a story I love in the library is another way that I feel welcomed to the ship.

close up view of the cover of an old trade paperback edition of Men Against the Sea by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall. a price sticker in the lower corner reads $5.98. Cheyanne is holding the book up for the photo - we can just barely see her hand - in front of a well stocked bookcase. — A true find in the library of the ship’s lounge.

A great moment this afternoon was when I saw my first container ship on water. I turn into a little kid when I see big working ships. Soon after the big news story of the Evergreen Evergiven running aground and blocking the Suez Canal in 2021, we had our own container ship drama in Chesapeake Bay. The Ever Forward (also an Evergreen ship) ran aground off Pasadena, Maryland in 2022 and I insisted on an outing to go see it. (Did I mention I like boats?)

The image shows a pink cargo ship with shipping containers of various colors on deck with the water and they sky — A container ship came into view off the starboard deck.

Cheyanne and her husband, sweatshirt hoods pulled up over their hats, take a selfie in front of the water with a container ship positioned on the horizon just between the two of them — My husband and me in 2022 with *Ever Forward* aground in the background.

In the evening, I witnessed a beautiful sunset over the water, which I had been looking forward to all day. I tucked into the ship’s lounge with some other science volunteers to watch a movie and write. Since our shift ended at midnight, we all dipped into the generous stock of snacks in the mess (dining room). I was nervous about how I would sleep but the cool, dark, and the gentle rock of the ship helped me sleep like a rock. Then in the morning, I got to enjoy some delicious coffee to warm my teacher’s heart. Today will be another day underway and it’s rainy with some thunder and lightning so we are staying indoors.

The image shows a sunset over the water with light waves — Sunset on Monday, July 27, 2026 viewed from the starboard deck of *Oregon II*.

The image is of a window through which you can see water, the sky, and part of a throw ring — A view of the rainy weather from inside the ship’s lounge.

Did You Know?

Without roads, how do ships know how to get into port without running aground like our friend Ever Forward? Besides their charts and equipment, they also use a system of buoys called “lateral marks.” When leaving port, the ship will keep the green buoys to the starboard (right when facing the front of the boat) and the red buoys to port side (left side when facing the front of the boat). When returning, the colors will be reversed, giving way to a classic nautical mnemonic: “red right returning.”

The image shows a green buoy in the water with some land in the background — Leaving the port in Pascagoula we pass through the navigational buoys.

The image shows a red buoy in the water with some land in the background — Leaving the port in Pascagoula we pass through the navigational buoys.

July 28, 2026July 28, 2026

Jo Slavitz: Getting There is Half the Fun, July 20, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Jo Slavitz

Aboard NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson

July 19th – August 10th

Mission: Summer Pollock Acoustic Survey, Leg 3

a travel coffee mug sits on the window sill of a ship's square window. out the window, we see a green mountain at some distance, perhaps across a harbor; the sky is cloudy and gray. — View of Dutch Harbor out the ship’s window

Geographic Area of Cruise: Bering Sea, Alaska

Date: July 20, 2026

Weather Data from Dutch Harbor, AK

Latitude: 53° 50.68′ N

Longitude: 166° 34.79’ W

Winds: NW at 7-10 mph

Air Temperature: 49.5° F (9.7° C)

“A ship in harbor is safe — but that is not what ships are built for.” — John A. Shedd

Personal Log

a view of waters off of Dutch Harbor; from a rocky shoreline, with a purple lupine prominently in the foreground, we look across gray waters to a line of green-covered mountains. two ships are visible transiting between the land masses. — Lupines in Dutch Harbor

A lot has to happen before the first pollock net is even cast. First the crew, including officers, engineers, deckhands and scientists must meet the NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. If you are traveling from Dover, NH the trip is over 4,200 miles or about ⅙ circumference of the Earth. Dutch is a remote community nestled within an archipelago of volcanic islands which formed approximately 60 million years ago where the Pacific tectonic plate forces under the North American Plate. This meetup takes planning, time, and sometimes patience as the Aleutian Islands are often windy and foggy, making air travel from mainland Alaska unpredictable. Read more information about NOAA Ocean Exploration’s geological studies in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.

a nautical chart of the Eastern Bering Sea, on which someone has drawn with different colored markers the planned north-south transect lines for Leg I (orange), Leg II (pink), and Leg III (green). Taped on top of the chart are two pieces of paper containing titles: "DY26-04" and "Summer Pollock" — Survey Transect Map

Once everyone is onboard, NOAA officers pilot Oscar Dyson out of Dutch Harbor and the Aleutian Islands into the Bering Sea. Check out this map of the Summer Acoustic Pollock Survey. The black line represents the path of the summer pollock survey which takes place over the course of 3 separate trips. I am traveling on the final survey of the summer, so it’s the farthest western side of the Bering Sea pollock survey that needs to be completed, the black line on the map not yet highlighted. It takes over a day to get out to this part of the ocean, but the crew and scientist have lots to do to get ready for the trawl during the trip.

Science and Technology Log

Running a science research center in a remote part of the ocean comes with “boatloads” of STEM challenges. Without the ability to order things online, go to a local home improvement store, or buy specialized parts off the shelf, the scientists and crew need to create their own solutions to the challenges that arise. Just like a STEM makerspace, NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson is well stocked with a tool workshop, 3D printer, and rolls and rolls of duct tape. Here are some of the amazing inventions from the super simple to the more complex that were designed onboard the ship.

pegboard holding tools - funnel-shaped plastic holders have been attached to the peg board to hold the tools in place — Pegboard holding tools

Pegboard Modifications: On the high sea, wave and wind motion can be powerful, traditional pegboard hooks are just not going to cut it. These bright-colored accessories were custom designed and 3D printed on board to secure tools in their place. The calipers proved a bit trickier due to their asymmetrical design.

Underwater Camera: This underwater camera was created because the science team needed more information about what is going on beneath the ocean’s surface. To keep it from crashing into the ocean floor and becoming damaged, it was designed with sensors that move the robotic cameras up and down as it detects obstacles.

underwater camera: at this angle, we mostly see a sideboard and buoys or rollers. — Underwater camera

view of a scanner with the top pulled open; on the bed of the scanner is a 3-D printed grid with squares of two different sizes — Krill scan insert

Krill Scan: Needing a way to get tiny organisms measured and recorded, NOAA scientists came up with this 3D printed gadget designed to fit on the ship’s scanner. Soon after a trawl is pulled in, a pocket net (a small net used to recapture small fish that escape the larger net) is emptied and krill samples are sorted into their own square within the grid. Images are scanned and recorded while the creatures are still fresh. Marking around the squares allow scientists to calculate krill size easily and the boxes keep specimens from clumping together.

a red plastic cell phone stand on a bench next to a microscope — Camera stand

Microscope Camera Stand:This tool was designed and 3D printed to hold a cell phone in place to capture images of objects under the microscope.

Ichthystick: When fish come aboard, data on their length needs to be quickly calculated. The motion of the moving boat, and the slipperiness of a squirming fish make using traditional tools such as rulers and tape measures cumbersome and impractical. Meet the Ichthystick. This nifty device was designed by a NOAA scientist on Oscar Dyson for just these situations. Simply put the fish on the measuring board, set the magnetic marker at the fork of the fish’s tail and it instantly gives the fish’s length on screen. It can also toss the data right into a data collecting program. Look up the prefix “Ichthy” and find out why I think the name “Ichthystick” is such a perfect name for a device designed for keeping tabs on native Alaskan Pollock who often end up in your freezer.

view of the electronic fish measuring board, with the name Ichthystick and a simplified image of a pollock printed in the bottom corner. a red magnet that ends in a point, which sports a matching pollock picture, rests on top. — Ichthystick and magnetic reader

Try It on Dry Land

STEM Scholars don’t just gripe about problems, they create solutions to these challenges. Think about things around you that don’t work quite right or annoy you as you try to complete your work. Design a device that helps you solve a reccuring challenge in your environment. Diagram your idea, or build a prototype to see if it works.

Here are some common middle school challenges or think up your own:

Your pencil frequently rolls of your desk
Your pet leaves muddy footprints across the floor
You can never find your sports gear when it’s time to leave
You can’t reach something you want on a top shelf
Your backpack is not keeping you organized

July 27, 2026July 27, 2026

Guy Sturdevant: The Wet Lab, July 18, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Guy Sturdevant

Aboard NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson

June 21 – July 15, 2026

Mission: Summer Pollock Acoustic Survey, Leg 2

Geographic Area of Cruise: Bering Sea, Alaska

Date: July 14, 2026

Weather Data from the Bridge

N 58.16° W 172.21 °, 0 AMSL

Conditions: Overcast, Seas at < 1’

Visibility: >3 NM

Wind: 4°/ 6 kt

Barometric Pressure 1010.3 mBar

Dry Bulb Temp: 46 ° F

Science Log

Last time we left off with a bin full of fish waiting to be processed. Today we’ll dive into the wet lab where we sort, measure, and process the fish.

a large bin full of hundreds of pollock (fish) — *A full bin of pollock awaiting immediate processing. A full haul can take between 1.5 and 3 hours to process.*

Trigger Warning: In order to provide you with the most accurate understanding of the important science aboard Oscar Dyson, I will describe laboratory procedures and handling processes that require dissection of select fish.

While no one involved enjoys this, it helps scientists understand and protect this natural resource. Fish caught are handled ethically, bycatch (catching species other than the intended target) is extremely minimal, and any sensitive species are immediately released back into the ocean.

The wet lab is just that, wet! Seawater is used to process and clean fish, so every device and surface in the lab must be waterproofed and corrosion-resistant. Before we hop into the lab, we need to don cold-weather rain gear to keep us warm and dry. Once suited up, the science team uses a conveyor belt to sort the haul.

Each haul is unique; the wet lab supervisor decides which sorting method to use. To ensure we have gathered a statistically representative sample of what we are seeing on the echosounder, we aim to process approximately 350 pollock per haul, as well as sample any other species captured. This sample lets scientists divide the acoustic backscatter they recorded on the transect into categories by fish species and size classes- without the catch, there’s no way to know exactly how to assign this backscatter. A skilled acoustic lead scientist aims to land the perfect amount of fish; no more, no less.

view of the sorting table in the wet lab. three people stand - one on each side and one at the end - each wearing orange overalls and large yellow gloves. a pile of pollock (fish) is visible extending down the right side of the sorting table. — A nice, clean haul of juvenile pollock. Night lab lead David Bryan weighs and counts the fish into baskets for further processing. It is important that no bias is introduced in which pollock to include in the sample (no keeping just the big ones, etc.). *Kevin McCarty* *and Julia Clemons are ensuring that only pollock make it to David. Anything else is diverted into other bins and handled separately.*

top down view of a sorting table covered mostly in pollock (fish). yellow gloved hands reach into the frame from both sides of the table and image. one gloved hand lifts a jellyfish out of the pile. — *Day lead Mike Levine removes a Chrysaora jellyfish from the sorting table. Jellyfish are far and away the most common bycatch. Luckily, Chrysaora jellies are unlikely to cause a reaction in humans.*

top-down view of a salmon on an electronic fish measuring board set up on a metal table. a yellow gloved hand places a red magnet at the base of the fish's tail to electronically record its length. — *A rare bycatch, Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta), is* quickly measured, weighed, and returned to the ocean. The icthystick measuring board was developed in the MACE fish lab and is now a commercial product that uses a magnet placed behind the fish’s tail to automatically record its length in CLAMS. A skilled user can process about 400 fish in about 20 minutes. The icthystick is a great example of the innovations being made by the *Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering team*.

The Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering (MACE) group of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center is responsible for running acoustic pollock surveys representing over 2.5 million square kilometers. To achieve this herculean task, the team has designed and continues to develop novel tools, processes, and methods. This spirit of innovation makes MACE unique.

screenshot displaying output from the computer program used to track fish data inputs; currently, it displays an image of an adult pollock, the name of the scientist doing the measurement, the weight and count — *The CLAMS software suite, developed by MACE, allows them to quickly gather, organize, and analyze large data streams from both the wet lab and the cave.*

In my next (and last!) post, we will look at some of these innovations and how they will empower scientists in MACE and across NOAA to produce the best possible data and science.

Personal Log

As my time at sea draws to a close, I am so grateful for this amazing opportunity and the very special crew of people that make this research happen. In my next and final post, we will look at the career pathways across the different departments and meet some of the new friends I’ve made aboard Oscar Dyson.

four NOAA Corps officers stand in a line at the controls on the bridge of NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson. they each face out the windows, away from the camera. through the bridge windows, we can see green land and other docked vessels. — The junior officers on the bridge during docking at Dutch Harbor. Left to right: LT Jesse Pierce, LTJG Robert Sobelsohn, ENS Miles Litzmann, and ENS Alex Banh. Each operates a single control as ENS Banh practices what might be the toughest parallel parking job in the world.

Emergencies At Sea

During safety drills, we practice mustering to life rafts and donning survival dry suits. As we wait on the back deck, the lead for each lifeboat practices recording key information, such as our current location and the bearing and distance to the nearest land. As I sat on the back deck, flopping like a fish while I squeezed into my survival suit, it struck me that the nearest hospital could well be over 500 kilometers away.

Aboard NOAA vessels, medical emergencies are the responsibility of the medical person in charge (MPIC). MPICs are typically junior officers trained in basic life support who have access to a small medical bay, basic life support equipment, and a limited cabinet of medications. A fair comparison might be to think of the medical bay like the back of an ambulance. Unlike an ambulance, however, the medical bay could be tasked with keeping a person alive for days awaiting evacuation. The MPIC is not alone; they are supported by a team of medical professionals ashore, with access to live feeds of patients’ vitals, who will help guide the MPIC in providing care.

Aboard Oscar Dyson, we were incredibly lucky to have LCDR LeeAnn Keener, a nurse practitioner serving in the US Public Health Service. Were we to have an emergency, LCDR Keener’s training and practice as a licensed medical professional would be a great asset. Currently, only a handful of vessels sail with a licensed medical professional.

orange, white, and navy rescue helicopter in flight over water; the door is open, and one person leans out to help lower another person — *A USCG MH-60 rescue helicopter prepares to lower a rescue swimmer to respond to an emergency. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons*

Were an emergency to occur, the US Coast Guard would respond from their base in Kodiak, the largest USCG base in the world. First, an MH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter would scramble and begin moving towards the vessel in distress; this could take as long as 8 hours to arrive on scene. While underway, the flight surgeon aboard would contact the MPIC and begin preparing to receive the patient or patients. If necessary, Kodiak would begin marshaling additional resources to aid in the evacuation. In some cases, aircraft such as an HC-130 will be dispatched to a remote airfield to serve as the second leg of the emergency relay. Even with this incredible effort, it may take well over a day for a patient to reach the nearest level II trauma center in Anchorage. The total cost of such a remote rescue may well exceed $100,000.

a U.S. Coast Guard rescue plane in flight past large icebergs in an ocean — The USCG operates the HC-130H, sister to the famous AC-130, a highly specialized aircraft designed to respond to nautical emergencies. The C-130 class of aircraft has astonishing range and endurance and can be equipped with specialized electronics, including radar and radio systems, that allow it to serve as a mobile command center at sea. NOAA Hurricane Hunters operate a similar airframe in their mission to predict and study the tropical systems that produce hurricanes. (photo credit: U.S. Coast Guard Visual Information Gallery)

Stay tuned for my final post where we put all the pieces together and profile career opportunities at NOAA!

July 24, 2026July 24, 2026

Stacey Morris: Bon Voyage, July 24, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Stacey Morris

Aboard NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker

July 26 – August 10, 2026

Mission: Integrated West Coast Pelagics Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: West Coast Pacific Ocean

Date: July 24, 2026

Weather Data from Eugene, Oregon – Mahlon Sweet Field (KEUG)

Latitude: 44.13333° N
Longitude: 123.21444° W
Wind Speed: North at 8 mph
Air Temperature: 28°C / 82°F

Introduction

Hi! My name is Stacey Morris, Spanish & College/Career teacher at Churchill High School, in Eugene, Oregon. Tomorrow, I begin an incredible journey as a NOAA Teacher at Sea, and I couldn’t be more excited! This opportunity combines my love of education with the chance to experience science in action alongside NOAA scientists and crew members. I’ll be stepping aboard a research vessel to learn firsthand how ocean science is conducted and why it matters.

CHS Lancer: Credit https://www.chs.4j.lane.edu/

As an educator, I know that some of the best learning happens outside the classroom. My goal is to bring this experience back to my students in meaningful ways. I’ll be sharing what I learn about the many careers that make ocean research possible—not just the scientists, but also the officers, the engineers, deck crew, and others who keep a research mission running. I hope these stories will help my College Success students explore career pathways they may never have considered.

While I’m excited, I’m also nervous, as I know this adventure will push me outside my comfort zone, a lot! I’m looking forward to asking questions, learning from experts, making new friends, and experiencing life aboard a NOAA research vessel. Every day will bring new opportunities to discover something I can share with my students – I hope I can keep up with everything!

in a scanned old photograph, yellow around the edges, a man looks calmly down at a snake in his right hand. another snake is curled on his left shoulder — Stacey’s father

My father, who passed away just shy of 98 years old in March, was the one who inspired me to apply to NOAA. He was a high school biology teacher with a passion for marine science. We spent many vacations poking around in tide pools, and he was always curious about the creatures, critters, and plants surrounding us. He was so excited to hear that I was accepted, and I know that he is with me in spirit on this trip.

Throughout this voyage, I’ll post updates about the research we’re conducting, life aboard the ship, the people I’ll meet, and the amazing science happening at sea. Whether you’re one of my students, a fellow educator, family member, or simply curious about NOAA’s work, I invite you to follow along.

I just found out yesterday that I will be deploying three drifter buoys that we can track as they float and collect data. They will be decorated with CHS Lancer stickers, so even the fish will know our name. 🙂

Tomorrow the adventure begins, and I can’t wait to share the journey with all of you!

Science and Technology Log

NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker: credit https://www.omao.noaa.gov/marine-operations/ships/reuben-lasker

On Saturday, I will board NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker in San Francisco, a premier research ship equipped with cutting-edge technology for global fisheries study. I will be part of the Integrated West Coast Pelagics Survey, collecting data on Pacific hake and other fisheries through acoustic data, biosampling data, eDNA, and ecosystem data to understand the health of our fisheries with a changing ocean. I will soon find out what that data collection looks like and how it is done (and what some of those words even mean!).

¡Vámonos, la aventura empieza!

July 23, 2026July 23, 2026

Amber LaMonte: A Front Row Seat At Sea = Memorable Professional Learning, July 13, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Amber LaMonte

Aboard NOAA Ship Pisces

Sail Dates: May 31 – June 10, 2026

Mission: Northeast Ecosystem Monitoring Survey (EcoMon)
Geographic Area of Cruise: Mid-Atlantic, Southern New England & Gulf of Maine
Date: July 13, 2026

Reflection

The NOAA Teacher at Sea professional learning experience reinvigorated my passion for exposing students to the relevance of current scientific research. It allowed me to see and share what goes on behind the scenes, thereby reducing some of the intimidation students may feel when pursuing research opportunities with a prestigious organization.

I am inspired by the teams of scientists, resource managers, navigators, engineers and communicators who work together to protect our oceans. NOAA’s work in forecast predictions, fisheries management and safe navigation demonstrates how many different skills and areas of expertise contribute to a shared goal of ocean conservation.

Science Team aboard back deck of NOAA Ship Pisces in orange foul weather gear.

Many Minds, One Goal

The Science Team is pictured here: Artem Dzhulai, Nick Metheny, Rowan Cirivello, Ava Cieplinski, Katey Marancik, Audy Peoples, Amanda Jacobson, Olivia Robson and Amber LaMonte

Four young women wearing life jackets are on a boat, actively pulling on a rope while surrounded by water and a cloudy sky. — Student team hauling a sample (photo courtesy of York High School)

This collaborative approach highlights my message: regardless of individual interests in science, technology, communication or leadership, students can have a meaningful role in protecting marine environments. My goal is to facilitate learning experiences that help students recognize unique strengths, develop critical thinking skills and understand how teamwork with diverse talents can contribute to the stewardship of our ocean resources.

magnified view of two juvenile squid on a class dish — Juvenile squid sample

a man stands at a lab bench. in his left hand is a wooden block with a grid of hole drilled into it, containing about 20 glass vials. with his right hand, he holds up one vial to examine it further. on the bench in front of him and the shelves on the wall are more cases of vials. — Juvenile squid sample

One of the most fulfilling aspects of my sail experience was completing technical and laboratory tasks alongside scientists and technicians, which allowed me to develop meaningful questions. My sail experience was followed by a visit to NOAA’s Narragansett Lab, where I viewed the extensive collections of preserved plankton. It is one of the largest archives of plankton and oceanographic data on the East Coast. Remember all the zooplankton samples from the bongos?

Book cover titled 'Longstanding Polish-American Research: Oceans and Atmosphere' featuring a blue background with a world map and illustrations of various fish. — https://bibliotekanauki.pl/chapters/2129737

And do you recall that those samples are sent to Poland for classification? Well, once sorted, they are returned to and cataloged by the lab in Rhode Island. I was gifted a book that highlights 50 years of Polish-American research collaboration. The studies are multidisciplinary and further highlight the teamwork behind understanding and protecting our ocean. The ability to discuss with scientists the details of their research and how the survey data will be applied to their team’s planned publications has informed my design of future lesson plans.

Another aspect that completely filled my cup of teacher inspiration was being able to share my days in real time with my students. Participating in the program during the last two weeks of the school year gave me a captive student audience, who were genuinely enjoying learning through my experience. Several blog posts were published for them to read in class and learn about the science of the sail. Additionally, I asked the students to create challenge cards on blank playing cards. They ranged from taking random pictures & predicting which species I might see, to blogging about my meals, OOTD (outfit of the day), social media dances and tours of the ship. These were shared daily on our school’s science Instagram stories.

Global Drifter Tracking

What excites me most about the Global Drifter Program is the opportunity to bring authentic science into my classroom. At York High School, we will continue to follow the three drifters I had the opportunity to deploy from NOAA Ship Pisces with our own dedicated webpage. The data these instruments provide are essential for validating satellite observations and improving forecasting models. And now, rather than simply learning about ocean currents with a lecture, students can follow active drifters, analyze authentic data in near real time and make observations based on the same information used by scientists. There is something incredibly powerful about giving students access to live data and inviting them to ask questions, identify patterns, and draw conclusions.

An image displaying a Drifter ID Card for Drifter #1, showing deployment information and data collection details, superimposed on a map indicating the location in the United States with trajectory and sampling area graphs. The card notes the current lifetime of 34 days. — **Drifter #1**

Drifter ID card showing deployment information for Drifter #2. It includes details such as IMEI, ID, WMO number, and the ship 'RV PISCES.' The card features coordinates, deployment date, and graphs depicting raw data, sampling area, and recent trajectory. It is superimposed on a map of U.S. Atlantic ocean. The drifter card indicates a lifetime of 33 days. — **Drifter #1**

Above, you can see the trajectory of each drifter after approximately 1 month. Drifter #1 is off the coast of Pennsylvania; Drifter #2 appears to have followed me home towards the Chesapeake Bay and Drifter #3 has gotten into the flow of the Gulf Stream and is traveling to the Northeast Atlantic.

Future

A young man in a hoodie interacts with a colorful display at an exhibit, while a large sign on the wall reads 'WE ARE IMPACTFUL.' — **Maritime Field Trip (photo courtesy of York High School)**

A student measuring substances in plastic cups labeled with different names, with a balance scale and clipboard in a science classroom. — **Maritime Field Trip (photo courtesy of York High School)**

Looking ahead, I am energized by the many ways I can extend this experience into my classroom, school community and professional practice. I am especially excited to engage students in investigations of “osteoporosis of the sea,” aka ocean acidification, using pteropods, helping them understand how environmental changes impact marine ecosystems. I also plan to involve students in validating NASA satellite imagery through phytoplankton collection data, giving them the opportunity to contribute to authentic scientific research while strengthening their data literacy skills.

Beyond the classroom, I hope to inspire students through our Maritime Club, creating opportunities for hands-on exploration, environmental stewardship and connections to maritime career paths. And I will be sharing what I have learned with colleagues through a back-to-school professional development presentation for science teachers, highlighting the value of authentic, place-based learning experiences. As I continue to grow professionally, I also hope to share these experiences at future marine education conferences, connecting with other educators.

Personal

Two women holding a book titled 'A Good Catch' in front of the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service sign. — Amber LaMonte and Ava Cieplinski at the Narragansett Lab with the children’s book “A Good Catch” by Taylor Morrison

One of the most unexpected treasures of my NOAA Teacher at Sea experience wasn’t just what I learned; it was connections with fellow blue minds. The picture above is a prime example of how those connections span over decades. Recent college graduate Ava Cieplinski, who served as a science volunteer on the sail, and I were gifted a children’s book, “A Good Catch,” that was illustrated and written in collaboration with NOAA Fisheries in 2011. From scientists and crew members to fellow educators who share a passion for discovery, the voyage created lasting connections that stretch far beyond the horizon.

There’s something about being surrounded by the ocean that puts everyone on the same wavelength. The salty air, the teamwork required and the calm, connected state inspired by water, described by Wallace J. Nichols as the Blue Mind. As a teacher, I’m returning home with more than data, photos and lessons for my students. I’m bringing back a community of ocean advocates, scientists and lifelong learners who remind me that the most meaningful discoveries often happen through human connection.