NOAA Teacher at Sea
Sinh Nguyen
Aboard NOAA Ship Pisces
July 7, 2025
Mission: Larval Bluefin Tuna Slope Survey
Geographic Area of Cruise: North Atlantic Ocean, Slope Sea
Today’s Date: June 19, 2025
Embarkation Date: July 7, 2025
Personal Introduction
Howdy from Fort Worth, Texas! My name’s Sinh Nguyen, and I’m a 2nd grade teacher at Uplift Education Mighty Preparatory.
I grew up in Aliso Viejo, California – bordered by Laguna Beach – along the southern Pacific Coast. Some of my favorite memories were made at its beaches: Catching our breaths while trailing down Laguna Beach’s infamous “Thousand Steps” for a workout; blasting music around San Clemente Beach’s firepits while huddling for bonfire warmth; and scrambling around with food trays at Dana Point’s Doheny Beach Park while searching for a picnic site.
I then relocated to Los Angeles for my undergraduate studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where there was a travel-study opportunity in Honolulu, O‘ahu, for environmental conservation work. One day, at the top of the Diamond Head trail, I stared into the ocean. She was so mighty… and vast. So spectacular that everything else around seemed incomparable. The feeling was humbling; and it taught me to seek out beauty among the unknowns of our world’s depth. I reminded myself to not only learn more about the waters, but to share that experience with others.
Fast forward to today: I moved to Fort Worth in 2016 to complete teacher training through the urban education model with City Teaching Alliance and Johns Hopkins University. Since then, I’ve been working as a primary school teacher here. I’ve noticed that even though oceanography is slightly covered in our science curriculum, students are particularly fascinated by the sea and its inhabitants (e.g., they fall in complete silence during Finding Nemo).
While there are pockets of water in North Texas, most of my students have never experienced the coast. “Mr. Nguyen, how can SpongeBob SquarePants live under the sea?” “Do octopuses behave like Ursula?” and “Can we make sand angels like they do in Lilo and Stitch?” are oftentimes asked as I hook students with sea world experiences. These “tricky questions” – inquiries – are my motivation behind this excursion. This sail will help me contextualize and gain first-hand experience of oceanic research, while exposing students to world-renowned scientists. My students are feeling extra curious and excited about the trip’s findings. They predicted a lot of seasickness (as a first timer aboard a ship) and plenty of “fish [to catch and study] because the waters are warmer in the summer.”
Preparing for Research at Sea
Howdy, from Los Angeles! After flying out of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, I planned to take the Amtrak down to Orange County for a family reunion. But there’s been a delay on the train, which means time to kickstart my travel blog. This trip is a chance to revisit loved ones before sailing, as not everyone has been caught up to speed yet in this process.
For preparation, I’ve been studying more about NOAA Ship Pisces, internalizing excursion protocol, and learning more about larval bluefin tuna. Because there are physical demands to this expedition, I’ve been following a daily running and fitness regiment. Mentally, I’ve been maintaining an open mindset as we’re told throughout training: anything can go once in the ocean!
On Monday, July 7th, I’ll be joining NOAA Ship Pisces in Norfolk, Virginia. I’ll have the honor of attending her Change of Command Ceremony; and there were arrangements made to ensure a warm welcome from the crew. I’ll spend that first night acclimating to life at sea and familiarizing myself with the crew and daily operations. The fishery research will begin on the following Tuesday and involves me participating in shifts of up to 12 hours, assisting the science crew, and documenting the experience through weekly blog updates. Essentially, I am supporting the mission as directed by the scientists and officers.
So, as I prepare to sail the waves aboard NOAA Ship Pisces, I carry with me the excitement and wonder of the students and school community I serve. I hope to bring back a wave of discoveries that will inspire the next generation of scientists to explore, protect, and appreciate (and demystify) our waters.
Let’s drift out into the ocean!