Gulf of Mexico – NOAA Teacher at Sea Blog

June 11, 2024June 12, 2024

Ryan Johnson: Third Coast to the Gulf Coast, June 11, 2024

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Ryan Johnson

Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

June 18 – July 2, 2024

Mission: SEAMAP Summer Groundfish Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of Mexico

Date: June 11, 2024

Introduction

Hello! My name is Ryan Johnson, and I am a 7th and 8th grade science teacher at Jovita Idár Elementary School in Chicago, Illinois. You can find my teacher page HERE. I was born and raised in the Chicagoland area and now live on the far south side of the city with my lovely wife Kellan, two dogs Xena and Gare, cat Lucy Chef Meowly, and a variety of scaled friends that crawl, slither, and swim. In my free time I like to read, play video games, run, ride my bike, and swim (badly). Science has been my favorite subject since I dissected my first owl pellet in 4th grade… which Kellan thinks is gross. I have been a teacher at Idár for 12 years and am excited to continue to grow and develop the young minds of the future!

View from a distance of a large, modern looking school, as seen across a bright green playing field. The sky is blue with wispy clouds. — Built in 2011, this shows the north side of Jovita Idár Elementary School as seen from our soccer field.

My passions as an educator lie in-and-around equity in STEM for underrepresented and historically marginalized communities, environmental education, climate science, food education, and urban education. This year, my students and I undertook a climate project: Seeds of Change Thrive in Concrete, a program that saw my students and school community grow (literally and figuratively) to new and exciting heights.

Project logo for our 2024 Green Program: Seeds of Change Thrive in Concrete, featuring the purple coneflower, our keystone species.

We were FIRST PLACE Winners in Illinois Green School Project through the Illinois Green Alliance

Our project was GREEN FLAG Certified by the National Wildlife Foundation

We earned Ocean Guardian School Year 2 status by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association

We were Take Action Global certified as a Climate Action School & USA Blue School Certified

Some highlights from SY23-24 for the Jovita Idar Community

Composted over half-a-ton of fruits/vegetables and diverted the waste from landfills, off-setting over 800 driving miles and 40 gallons of gas!
Reused 1,895 cutlery packages from breakfast, encouraging reuse above all else, or refuse if not needed!
Recycled over 454 POUNDS of plastic bags… that’s about 40,000 bags repurposed/reused for a second life!
Grew over 15 pounds of produce hydroponically/aquaponically for students and animals to eat – rethink our growing systems
Grew over 50 pounds of produce in traditional soil gardens
Collected and properly disposed of over 100 pounds of garbage from our school grounds to properly dispose of or recycle.
Raised chickens and over dozen quail from egg to adulthood and harvested hundreds of eggs
Raised over $2,000 (and counting) to devote directly back into environmental projects: 25% raised by students, 25% raised by families!
Completed a waste audit with our partners from Arup Chicago and the Illinois Green School Project – Took first in state for the IL GSP
Featured in the Daily Herald, Acero Food Newsletter, Illinois Green Alliance, Ocean Guardian School Newsletter, TAG Climate Action Spotlight, USA Blue Schools, and more!
Supported by Pilot Light Chicago, Camp Eco.Logic, Morton Arboretum, Shedd Aquarium, Museum of Science and Industry, Project NEED, Illinois Green Alliance, Urban Canopy, Take Action Global, National Marine Sanctuaries, NOAA, Arup, Chicago Public Libraries, NSTA, The Hydroponic Venture Project, and the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum.
Created dozens and dozens of individual, group, and class art projects to support sustainability, environmentalism, and the importance of all this work (pollinators, junk robots, trash-trees, conserving wildlife, recycling, and SO MUCH MORE).

Elementary school children observe a hydroponics set up inside a building — First Graders at Idár observing some of the hydroponic and aquaponic growing systems in SY23-24. Photo courtesy of Jovita Idár Elementary.

I am honored and excited to participate in this year’s NOAA Teacher at Sea program, particularly the groundfish study in the Gulf of Mexico. This incredible opportunity holds immense potential for both personal and professional growth, and I am eager to embark on this journey. As a middle school science teacher, this experience will enrich my teaching practice and provide my students with a deeper understanding of marine ecosystems and environmental science.

an indoor hydroponics set up. shelving contains growing green plants; a nearby table also houses an aquaponics set up with a fish tank, connected by small hoses to other containers of plants — One of the ‘Hydroponic Hallways’ at Idár. This dynamic system acted as an authentic learning experience for teachers, students, and families that changed quarterly.

The NOAA Teacher at Sea program is a prestigious initiative that bridges the gap between scientists and educators, fostering a deeper understanding of marine research and its implications for our planet. Participating in the groundfish study will allow me to gain firsthand knowledge of marine ecosystems, the species that inhabit them, and the critical work being done to monitor and sustain fish populations. This hands-on experience is invaluable for educators, as it provides a unique perspective that can be directly applied to classroom teaching.

Groundfish, which include famous species like cod, flounder, and halibut (unlikely to catch any on this trip! We’re more likely to catch red snapper, blue crabs, and lizardfish) play a vital role in marine ecosystems and are also economically significant. Understanding their populations, behaviors, and habitats is crucial for maintaining healthy ocean environments and sustainable fisheries. By participating in this study, I will be able to observe and contribute to the scientific methods used to collect data on these species, such as measuring, tagging, and monitoring individual species and their habitats. This practical knowledge will enhance my ability to teach my students about marine biology, ecology, and the importance of sustainable practices.

students sit around tables in a science classroom tasting leafy greens on paper plates — Third graders trying new produce during a winter harvest at Idár. One goal this year was that every student K-8 tried at least one new fruit and/or vegetable for the first time. Photo courtesy of Jovita Idár Elementary.

One of the most exciting aspects of this program is the opportunity to bring real-world science into the classroom. My students are already engaged in innovative projects like organic gardening, hydroponics, and aquaponics, where they learn about plant growth, ecosystems, and sustainability. I partnered with the Morton Arboretum this year in a trip to Costa Rica that has proved invaluable to me and my students, and I hope the NOAA TAS program will be similarly impactful. The groundfish study will allow me to expand our curriculum to include marine ecosystems, providing a broader understanding of biodiversity and environmental stewardship. I plan to incorporate lessons on the different species of groundfish, their roles in the ecosystem, and the methods used to study and protect them. This will not only enhance my students’ scientific knowledge but also inspire them to consider careers in marine biology and environmental science. By bringing my experiences into the classroom and school community, I hope to foster a greater appreciation for science and its impact on our world. This will also provide an opportunity for interdisciplinary learning, as we can integrate these experiences into subjects like geography, social studies, and art.

a line of four receptables, two of them clearly marked with the recycling symbol. small signs on the wall above indicate recycling for aluminum, paper, plastic. Also on the all hang two wooden signs. The first has paintings of sea creatures surrounded by trash; it reads: From the Mountains to the Sea, Recycling Matters No Matter Where You Are. The second has only words, and reads: Nuestra mision - Producir, conservar y educar contribuyendo a perpetuar la vida en la tierra. Union Varsan de Monteverde. — A bilingual recycling station used to emphasize the importance of proper waste disposal, recycling, composting, and the links between land and sea.

Environmental education is a critical component of my teaching philosophy, and the NOAA Teacher at Sea program aligns perfectly with this goal. Our school community is already engaged in various sustainability projects, such as composting organic waste, circular growing of produce, and reducing single-use plastics. The groundfish study will provide additional context and examples of how we can protect and sustain our natural resources. I plan to create a series of lessons and activities that connect our local environmental efforts with the larger global context of marine conservation. This will help my students understand the interconnectedness of ecosystems and the importance of taking action to protect our planet.

groups of students stand around tables in a classroom. Each group circles around a cardboard box as one student drill holes with an electric drill. Around the table we see Popsicle sticks, scissors, and worksheets. — Students building tools to use when planting and/or harvesting crops. Photo courtesy of Jovita Idár Elementary.

Moreover, the skills and knowledge gained from this experience will contribute to my growth as an educator and leader. I am currently participating in a school leadership initiative with the Museum of Science and Industry, and the NOAA Teacher at Sea program will further enhance my leadership capabilities. By integrating my experiences into our school’s professional development programs, I can help other teachers incorporate environmental education into their curriculum. This will create a ripple effect, where more students across our school and district will benefit from enhanced science education and develop a greater appreciation for the environment.

a group of students in a classroom. tables are covered in orange paper and filled with trash to sort. students are wearing thin plastic gloves. — Students performing a waste audit. They collected food waste from three lunch periods, sorted it, weighed it, and the used the collected data to make plans for the future about how to improve waste processing. Photo courtesy of Jovita Idár Elementary.

Again, I am honored and excited to participate in this year’s NOAA Teacher at Sea program and the groundfish study in the Gulf of Mexico. This experience will provide invaluable knowledge and insights that will enhance my teaching practice, inspire my students, and contribute to a more scientifically literate and environmentally conscious school community. By bringing real-world science into the classroom, sharing my experiences with the broader community, and continuing to develop as an educator, I hope to make a lasting impact on my students and the environment. This opportunity represents a significant step towards achieving my goals as a teacher and environmental advocate, and I am eager to embark on this transformative journey.

an illustrated graphic titled FOOD JUSTICE FOR ALL: Empowering Communities Through Quality Food Education, with Paul Floyd and Ryan Johnson. From top left: Nutrition Education: What do we need to know? - We are what we eat. - Mental health and food. - Microbiome. Pilot Light Porgram and Standards. - Chicago Based Non-profit. - Training for teachers and students. Food Connects us to Each Other. What do we learn? - Seasonality of food. - Food analysis. - Ingredients/ratios. Making informed decisions. Results: - understanding food. - learning food behaviors. - knowledge and action. Food Memoir. Climate justice and food justice are social issues! Chicago Food Policy Action Council. Big growth in small spaces. - Relevant community actions. - Creativity and storytelling. G.R.O.W.T.H.S. (Gardening,Reflection, Organizing, and Wondering Through Hydroponics and Sustainability) - Gardening - Raising animals - Composting. - Environmental Awareness, Responsibility. The Marker Point. Jovita Idar Elementary School (Ocean Guardian School.) Health Centered Approach. — Students and staff participated in the Chicago Food Justice Summit emphasizing food education in schools.

Students seen from a distance on a green field. Some are working on or near raised gardne boxes. Others are standing at the side. There are potted plants, an electric lawnmower, other equipment that is difficult to discern at this view. It's a bright day, with some clouds over a blue sky. — Students, families, and staff from Idár and our sister high school working to expand our school garden. Photo courtesy of Jovita Idár Elementary.

August 4, 2023August 6, 2023

Martin McClure: Let’s Talk Sharks, August 4, 2023

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Martin McClure

NOAA Ship Oregon II

July 25– August 9, 2023

Mission: Shark/Red Snapper Bottom Longline Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of Mexico/Atlantic Ocean

Date: August 4, 2023

Latitude: 33°47.753′ N

Longitude: 78°13.019 W

Air Temperature: 22.3 kph

Wind Speed: 26° Celsius

Science and Technology Log: Meeting the tiger shark

Let’s face it, sharks are cool! They are an apex predator of the ocean. They are hunters and capture our imagination. Like most people, sharks are fascinating creatures if you take the time to get to know them.

Sharks are an ancient group of fishes. They have been on Earth since before there were any trees. They are intelligent and can be are very curious creatures that want to investigate new objects. Some species have social structures and recognize each other, and form relationships that last over many years. Some sharks have been observed hunting in groups. Personality, or should I say “sharkonality,” wise, individuals have been observed to be more assertive or more timid. They have sensory organs called ampullae of Lorenzini that sense electricity to help them find prey.

Sharks are quite varied. Some sharks must keep moving to breathe, while others can sit on the sea floor for hours at a time. Some sharks lay eggs, while others have live pups.

view from above of a tagged tiger shark in a sling net suspended on the outside of the ship's railing, above the water. three crewmembers stand on deck near the rail. they are wearing hard hats, life vests, and gloves. — A tiger shark in the sling ready to be released. Notice the tag by its dorsal fin.

So far we have caught sandbar, Atlantic sharpnose, tiger, scalloped hammerhead, and great hammerhead sharks. The Atlantic sharpnose, sandbar, and tiger sharks all belong to the family Carcharhinidae, or requiem sharks. They have a flattened but not wide snout. In many species teeth are similar because in the top row the teeth are triangular and serrated (like a saw) and in the bottom row they are narrow and smooth-edged. Their eyes have a nictitating membrane that functions like an eyelid, but they can see through it. Interestingly, reproduction varies within this family of sharks.

two gloved hands hold a small tiger shark up for a photo; only the middle of the shark, from the base of the caudal fin to the gills, is visible (tail and head are out of view.) This close-up shows the black and white markings on the shark, more like spots than tiger stripes. — Markings on a tiger shark pup. (ba-by shark doo doo doo doo doo doo)

Tiger sharks are striking to see up close. Their markings on their skin gives them their name and makes them easy to identify, even for a novice. Young tiger shark markings tend more toward spots that can grow into bars or stripes as they age. The bars will fade as the shark grows older.

The teeth of a tiger shark are easily identifiable as they are curved with a notch in it. Unlike other sharks in the Carcharhinidae family, the bottom row of teeth has the same triangular, serrated teeth as the top row. They eat a variety of food including crabs, squid, bony fishes, turtles, rays and birds as well as many other animals even other sharks. They have also been known to eat boat cushions, tin cans and even license plates.

They are one of the larger sharks, often growing 11 – 14 feet long and up to 1400 pounds. In the United States, tiger sharks are found from Massachusetts to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico.

Tiger Sharks have live babies called pups. They are ovoviviparous, and young develop inside their body before giving birth to live young. It is common for them to bear between 35 and 55 pups but have been known to have as many as 104. Because they bear so many pups, and the gestation is between 15 to 18 months, it is believed that they reproduce every three years.

Depredation: When a shark takes your fish

Depredation is when a fish has been hooked by a fisherman and is then attacked and eaten or partly eaten by another marine animal. This is obviously a problem for the fisherman because the fishermen cannot use the fish. According to Dr. William Driggers, Chief Scientist on the Oregon II Longline Shark and Snapper survey, depredation is on the increase in U.S. waters because shark populations are increasing. Shark populations are increasing because of good management of the shark populations. The most likely shark species to take a hooked fish is the whatever shark species is most common in that area. In other words, no one species is the worst offender. We have witnessed this at least six times on this survey leg.

A sandbar shark biting a red snapper on a fishing line at the surface of the ocean — A sandbar shark takes a bite out of a red snapper.

Caitlin, wearing fish gloves and a life vest, holds up only the front half of a red snapper. Just below the dorsal fin, ragged edges of the fish reveal a shark bite. Caitlin stands on the aft deck, and we can see obscured views of other crewmembers behind her, plus a cloudy sky. — Graduate student Caitlin Retzlaff shows the results of depredation.

Meet the Crew: Fisherman/Deckhand Josh Cooper

Josh is a professional fisherman aboard the Oregon II! Yup, one position on this crew is to be a professional fisherman.

The responsibilities of a fisherman are many. Everyone on the boat has very well defined duties and must be flexible and a good team member. He helps load the ship before it leaves the dock. He helps with docking by handling the lines. There are many duties once underway. There is painting and cleaning to be done, preparing gear and running the machinery used for fishing.

Then there is the fishing. Josh loves fishing. The fishermen are on board to help handle the big sharks and other large fish. Josh has done a lot of fishing. He sometimes operates the crane when the cradle is needed for a big shark. In emergency situations Josh is on the fire team and operates the small rescue boat that is aboard the Oregon II.

Josh running the crane to use the cradle.

Josh graduated from the University of Alabama, but a degree from a university is not required to be a fisherman/deckhand. After earning a dual major in biology and marine biology, he went to Alaska as a fisherman on commercial fishing vessels.

After that, he joined NOAA as a fisheries observer. In this job, he was on commercial fishing boats. He would be assigned to join a fishing boat, usually a small boat with two to three fishermen. It was his job to collect data on the fish caught. This would include species, length and weight. After doing this for two years in Alaska, he moved to do the same job in the Gulf of Mexico. Josh continued to do this work for six more years.

He first came to the Oregon II as a contractor working with Artificial Intelligence (AI) teaching the computers to recognize fish species. He was doing this when a position opened up as a part of the deck/fisherman crew. He has been on the Oregon II for two years. He likes that the accommodations are better than many of the other boats that he has lived on and he likes the people that he works with.

Being a fisherman is a big commitment. Josh says that he is out to sea about 140 days a year. When the ship is docked there are many maintenance tasks to be done.

Josh sits on a bench on the aft deck of NOAA Ship Oregon II. It's a bright, clear day. He's spreading his arms about as wide as they can go and smiling at the camera. A pair of yellow fish gloves rests on the bench beside him. — Josh telling a fish story. He was not exaggerating, by much.

Personal Log: Schedules

NOAA Clock

Life on the Oregon II is dictated by schedules, until it’s not. My basic schedule is dictated by my shift. I am on the day shift, which means that I work from noon until midnight. The night shift is midnight until noon. We use a 24 hour time schedule to avoid any confusion about which 8:00 or 10:30 we are referring to. So I am working from 12:00 – 0:00. During that time we might set and haul as many as three stations, or as few as one, so far.

Many factors might impact this schedule, including transit time between stations, as well as weather. I usually wake up some time between 7:00 and 8:00. Breakfast closes at 8:00 and I do like breakfast. On those mornings that I do not make it to breakfast, there is always fruit, cereal, and a variety of leftovers available. The rest of the morning I can use to exercise, write, read and relax. I like to enjoy a few minutes up on the flying bridge watching the ocean or observing a haul below. Lunch begins at 11:00 and I like to get in there fairly early to be sure that I am ready for my shift at 12:00. Our shift simply takes over where the last one left off. Sometimes we are in transit, but we might take over with the set or haul. We continue for the rest of the shift with the station schedule until midnight. Dinner is scheduled from 17:00 – 18:00. If we are not able to make it to the galley due to working, they will hold a dinner for us.

The ship operates and holds to schedules 24-7 unless there is a problem with the weather or mechanical problems. It has taken a while, but I have adjusted to this schedule and it feels pretty normal. Currently, we are taking shelter near shore to wait out a storm. We are expecting a 24 hour delay with no fishing stations.

A photo of just the moon - orange, but with some topography visible - against a completely black background — The Sturgeon Supermoon

One of the real treats is the natural beauty. The ocean is not just a repetitive body of water, but an everchanging montage of colors and shapes. Sometimes a light green, to deep blue at other times. At night, the blanket of black is broken by the white foam of the bow waves and whitecaps. There are dolphins, sea turtles, sea birds, not to mention all of the interesting creatures that come up on the longline. Sunsets never fail to disappoint, and then of course, the moonrises. We were lucky enough to be hauling in the longline when the Antares rocket was launched from Wallops Island, Virginia. We watched as the orange glow slowly receded into the clouds. Just a few minutes later, the Sturgeon Supermoon rose behind the clouds on the horizon. That was an incredible experience. There is always some new natural beauty to be found out here. Nature may be beautiful but it is not subject to our schedules.

Animals seen: spotted dolphins, laughing gulls, gag grouper, scamp grouper, oyster toadfish, bonita, great hammerhead, scalloped hammerhead, sucker fish

We had been watching these dolphins coming to the surface. This is the video we got when we retrieved the CTD.

oyster toadfish, photographed head-on, in a white plastic bin. — Oyster toadfish, watch out for those venomous spines.
Photo credit: John Brule

Did you know?

Have you ever had someone wish you “fair winds and following seas?” Josh explained this saying to me. While we were talking, the boat was rocking back and forth in 3-5 foot waves. Not a particularly smooth ride. He commented that, “It seems like we always find the trough.” I asked him what he meant. He explained that when waves are coming from one side or the other, this is said to be “in the trough.” The low point between waves is called the trough. The smoothest ride on a boat comes when the waves are coming from the stern, following the ship, so to speak. That would be the seas following the boat.

July 28, 2023July 28, 2023

Martin McClure: Getting Acquainted, July 28, 2023

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Martin McClure

Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

July 25 – August 9, 2023

Mission: Shark/Snapper Long Line Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of Mexico/Atlantic Ocean

Date: Jul 28, 2023

Weather Data from the Bridge

Latitude: 25°49.441’N

Longitude: 79°59.970’W

Temperature: 30.5° Celcius

Wind Speed: 7 knots

The Oregon II at dock in Pascagoula, Mississippi.

Science and Technology Log

NOAA conducts the Shark/Snapper Longline Survey each year at the same time and place. It goes from July through September and surveys from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, to West Palm Beach, FL, and the U.S. northern Gulf of Mexico from southwest Florida to Brownsville, TX. This is a longline survey and one mile of gear is baited and laid down for one hour.

When the line is reeled in, the science and fishing teams take them off the hooks and record data on the fish. The data gathered includes what species (kind of fish) are caught, if they are male or female, their age, weight and length. Additionally, the sharks will be tagged with a number and released.

The data collected will be used by NOAA to help manage the health of the fishery. It is one set of data that goes into deciding how many fish can be safely taken from the ocean each year. Without this information, fishermen might take too many fish to keep the population stable.

a view up at four flags flown on a line, one after the other. the top is a navy blue flag with a black square. the second has vertical bands of red, white, and blue. the third is diagonally split between a lower yellow right triangle and an upper red right triangle. the last has horizontal bands of yellow, navy, yellow. — The *Oregon II* call sign flags, WTDO

NOAA Ship Oregon II is the ship that is used to conduct this survey each year. It takes a lot of people working together to accomplish this. The crew of the Oregon II is made up of several teams. Everyone has a job as a part of the team to make sure everything works as needed.

The NOAA Corps are the officers on the ship. They are responsible for the overall operation of the ship and are in charge of navigation, steering and everyone’s safety. They work in shifts from the “bridge.”

The engineering team makes sure that everything is working properly. This includes the engines, electrical systems, fresh water and the all-important air conditioning.

The deck crew includes the professional fisherman who do boat maintenance, prepare fishing gear as well as handle the big fish.

There are two stewards who prepare our meals and keep the dining area clean. They keep us well fed with several choices available at each meal three times a day.

The electronics department has just one person who is responsible to make sure all of the technology is working properly. That is a very big responsibility on this ship.

Finally, there is the science team. That is where I fit in. There are four NOAA scientists and six volunteers. I am one of the volunteers. The other volunteers are all university students.

There are 29 people on board and everyone works on shifts. The ship operates 24 hours a day so all jobs must be done around the clock. Most teams have two shifts that each last for… you guessed it… twelve hours.

Personal Log

These first few days have been spent getting acquainted with the layout of the ship, learning the routines of life on the ocean and the people on the ship. The most striking feature is that there seems to be an incredible amount of equipment packed into such a small space. Everything a crew of 29 could need for three weeks, emergency equipment and replacement parts. Yet, in any one place, there is adequate room to move and work. I have a “stateroom” that I share with one other member of the science team. Each of us have a “rack” to sleep in, lockers and drawers for personal belongings as well as a fold out desk to work at. We also have a sink and mirror. All this in a room that is about 7’X10’.

view of Martin's stateroom. we see high sided bunk beds built into the wall, a sink and a cabinet, the edge of a desk and a desk chair, two backpacks. — stateroom with two berths

Rarely are we both in there but there is adequate room when that happens. The “passageways” are narrow and it takes coordination to pass another crewmember. The “mess” seats twelve people, at most, so we have to eat meals in shifts.

the mess, or dining area, of NOAA Ship Oregon II. there are two tables anchored to the floor by posts; each table has six swivel chairs anchored to the floor on posts, as at a diner. someone sits at one seat, facing away from the camera. there are two televisions mounted on the wall, one showing a baseball game. in the foreground is a small refrigerator with juices and tea. — NOAA Ship *Oregon II*‘s “mess” seats 12 people at most.

There are three bathrooms and two showers available for general use. Showers should be short to preserve water as well as to make it available for others to use. There are three different “gym” areas with equipment to work out in. My favorite is the flying bridge where you can look out over the ocean.

a view over the bow of NOAA Ship Oregon II, from high up. we can see the front mast, lines, part of a davit arm. the sky is blue, clear of clouds if a bit hazy on the horizon. the ocean is dark blue and calm. — view from the flying bridge of NOAA Ship *Oregon II*

Safety is a priority on board the ship. We start by using basic safety procedures while moving around the ship. While underway, the pitch (front to back motion) and roll (side to side motion) of the ship never stops. This becomes more or less pronounced depending on the weather. So moving through the passageways and doorways and especially on the outside decks, one must be careful to use a hand to keep their balance. The stairwells are narrow and steep but negotiable. When using stairwells always have 3 points of contact, that means use two hands and then a foot is the third point of contact.

view down a narrow metal staircase. equipment is stashed on the other side of a railing to the right of the photo. — view down a stairwell on NOAA Ship *Oregon II*

Moving around comes more easily with time. No open toed shoes are to be worn except on the way to and from the shower. Safety equipment must be worn when working. We will be wearing hard hats, gloves, glasses and a work vest. The work vest looks a lot like a personal flotation device but flat. If you fall overboard it will automatically inflate. There is a lot of equipment and devices all over the ship for use in emergency situations.

firefighting equipment mounted on an interior wall: an axe (labeled "Oregon II"), a crow bar, a folded up fire hose. a red plaque on the wall reads FIRE STATION NO. 4. — firefighting equipment in case of emergencies

Fire extinguishers, AEDs, masks for smoke, and, of course, life rafts. We have to do drills to make sure that we know what to do in emergencies.

four people stand on the aft deck "decked out" in firefighting gear. they wear yellow fireproof pants and jackets, heavy black and yellow boots, large yellow gloves, black or white helmets, gas masks, some sort of backpack. the sky is bright blue with some wispy clouds and the ocean is fairly calm. — our firefighting team

Martin stands on the aft deck in a heavy orange survival suit with his arms raised for the photo. it's only partially zipped, revealing his Teacher at Sea t-shirt underneath. He wears a Teacher at Sea hat and sunglasses. other survival suits and flotation devices rest on deck around him — That’s me in a “Gumby” suit for survival in case we have to abandon ship.

Did You Know?

Did you know that not all sharks reproduce the same way? Be sure to check future blogs to find out how.

Animals Seen Today:

the dorsal fin of a dolphin visible above water — dolphin

and also: masked booby, swallow, flying fish, barracuda.

May 26, 2023May 26, 2023

Kiersten Newtoff: How My College Choice Led Me Here, May 26, 2023

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Kiersten Newtoff

Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

June 3 – June 16, 2023

Mission: Groundfish Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of Mexico

Departure Port: Pascagoula, MS

Arrival Port: Galveston, TX

Date: May 26, 2023

The inner marine biologist in me is EXCITED. I shouldn’t say inner, as I do have a master’s degree in marine biology! But I definitely feel like a phony as I studied birds… on land… and never once needed to snorkel or SCUBA dive. I am embarrassed to admit it given my educational background and the fact that I grew up in a coastal town, but I cannot even swim. So sure, sign me up to live on a boat for two weeks!

A life-sized dolphin statue, mounted on a black post in a rock bed lining a brick building. The dolphin is painted with images of dolphins and other marine life (fish, seahorses) swimming in a deep blue background. — One of the hundreds of dolphin statues that dot the Virginia Beach, VA landscape. Photo by Mechelle Hankerson.

If I were to trace back the threads to how I ended up in NOAA’s Teacher at Sea program, it would likely have started in 2007, when I was a junior in high school. Like other juniors, we were all feverishly searching College Board on universities to attend, majors to study, and regions to live in. Growing up in a coastal town and like many girls my age, I was obsessed with dolphins. To be fair, we literally have statues of dolphins all over my hometown, so how can you not be intrigued by them?! In Virginia at the time, there was only one university that offered a degree in marine biology: Old Dominion University. Unfortunately, ODU was only 15 minutes from where I grew up and I was ready to spread my wings and fly a little further from the nest. A great school I found for marine biology was the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), where I applied and was accepted, but the out-of-state tuition was too great for me to financially handle. After conducting more searches on College Board, I applied to Radford University, which is in the mountains of Virginia. Here, I settled into a degree program in Biology, with a concentration of Environmental Biology.

One of the requirements of the Environmental Biology concentration is to take a GIS course. GIS stands for geographic information systems and is a growing technology that has unlimited applications. The intro class I took focused on how to use ArcGIS, the software that is used in the industry. I elected to take an intermediate class where I got to practice my skills more and learn about the applications of the tool. I was the only biology major (and woman!) taking the intermediate course, which is surprising given how much GIS is used in the field now.

As my years at Radford came to an end, I knew that I wanted to teach. I had earned countless opportunities in various teaching or tutoring roles at the college and enjoyed every minute. Well, not every minute. I would get incredibly nervous before each class period and that… processed itself… in different ways… Anyway, if I wanted to pursue a career as a professor, I needed to at least get my master’s degree. With the help of my college professors, they reviewed my materials and shared the expectations of grad school, how to apply, and how to find a research mentor. Since funding was less of an issue as a graduate student, I was not worried about staying within the confines of Virginia. With this boundary lifted, I also set my eyes back on marine biology.

With my environmental background, I was able to shift my mindset away from dolphins to focusing on how humans impact marine organisms. I sent emails to over 50 different professors across 20+ schools and maybe only heard back from about half. I interviewed at 5 different schools, got a verbal offer to study sharks, but was rescinded when their funding fell through. One of the last people I emailed was Dr. Steve Emslie, whose lab at UNCW focused on mercury toxicology in marine birds. I had no interest in birds, and I think they are cheating at being considered a marine animal, but I was starting to realize I needed to expand my scope more because marine biology is a competitive field. And opportunities to study marine organisms larger than an oyster are even more competitive. Steve brought me on to his lab where I shifted my previous dolphin obsession to birds.

I definitely… terned…

Dozens (hundreds?) of two species of terns crowd a beach area. Most are standing, though a few have their wings outstretched. ALl of the terns are white, with black legs, andblack, tufted crowns. The sandwich terns have black bills, while the royal terns have vibrant orange bills. — Colony of Sandwich (foreground) and Royal Terns (background). Photo by Kiersten during graduate school research in the Cape Fear Estuary, North Carolina.

Kiersten, wearing shorts, a t-shirt, a hat, and sunglasses on a sunny day, poses for a photo while gripping a brown pelican carefully with two hands. Her left hand hoists the bird's back, between two semi-outstretched wings, while her left hand holds its bill closed. The pelican braces itself against her middle with its left foot. The right ankle sports a metal band. In the background, we see upland marsh plants, water in the distance, more shoreline beyond the water, and birds flying in the air. — Picture of Kiersten holding a Brown Pelican that she just banded. Taken at Ferry Slip Island in the Cape Fear Estuary, NC.

While I could drone on and on about my research on Brown Pelicans and their mercury loads, we need to focus on the GIS, which is the thread that led me to NOAA. With my fundamental GIS background, I added a spatial variability component to my research to analyze how mercury concentration in Brown Pelican tissues in their breeding colonies varies over space. At UNCW, I took a higher level GIS course entitled Environmental GIS. In this course, I was able to learn about the ecological applications of GIS and about the exciting world of remote sensing. When you think of satellites, you likely think of sensors looking for alien life or GPS or Starlink. And while that is true, NASA has a series of satellites that point back at Earth that remotely sense various parameters, such as particulate matter in our atmosphere, the amount of chlorophyll a on a surface, water temperature, soil moisture, and so much more.

Near the end of the semester, a student in this course shared about an internship she completed and passed out flyers around the room. I took one, but it wasn’t related to teaching so I didn’t immediately jump on it. At this point, I was nearing graduation and was starting my search for a full-time faculty role. Looking back, it was quite ambitious to think I was just going to land a full-time faculty position directly out of my master’s degree. But I did try! I was able to get a couple interviews but was always outcompeted by someone with far more experience than me. Panicking that I need an income after I finished school, I applied for the internship.

a graphic depicting illustrations of satellites on orbits around earth. there are fifteen in this illustration, orbiting earth on three arcs. — Graphic of a subset of NASA’s Earth Observing Satellites. Created by NASA.

In the summer of 2014, I started my internship at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in the DEVELOP program. This program utilizes Earth remote sensing to answer ecological questions for organizations around the world. The project that I had worked on that summer was using satellite imagery to measure forest fragmentation. We then compared it to bird presence data, which we collected from the Breeding Bird Survey, a yearly bird count through the U.S. Geological Survey. There were 7 other interns working together in a windowless office that was probably 150 sq ft in size. I would not be surprised if this was originally a storage room, given the wires, pipes, and electrical boxes found in the room.

Let’s do a quick speed run through parts that do not matter too much to this story: I worked at NASA Goddard for about 1.5 years before transitioning to teaching. I had been teaching part-time at a local community college for some of that time and received another part-time role, leading me to leave NASA. I worked at two institutions for a year, before getting the opportunity to move to China to teach the sciences at an international high school. I was there for 6 months before moving back in January 2017 to the United States after landing a full-time professorship at Montgomery College, a community college in Maryland. I have been with MC since then teaching ecology, evolution, and environmental biology.

Flash forward to 2019, and I see a post by one of my friends on social media. This friend was one of the other interns at NASA, whom I literally shared a desk with (it was a very small office space), who went on to work with the U.S. National Weather Service. And, if you did not already know, they are a part of NOAA! Jamie had shared about the Teacher at Sea program on his social media and after I read through the stories of educators on board, I knew I needed to apply. Add in four years while the world sorted itself, and here I am!

screenshot of a Facebook post from October 24, 2019 announcing NOAA's Teacher at Sea Program's application.

I am incredibly excited for this opportunity. The groundfish survey measures population size structures of the species caught and characterizes the water column at the sampling locations. I look forward to creating data driven lessons for my students to use statistics to measure diversity between stations and to compare that diversity with water quality samples. Our world is changing, and if we are to do something about it, we need to understand it.

May 5, 2023May 5, 2023

Julie Hayes: Shipshape and Onward! May 4, 2023

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Julie Hayes

Aboard NOAA Ship Pisces

April 22-May 5, 2023

Mission: SEAMAP Reef Fish Survey

Geographic area of cruise: Gulf of Mexico

Date: May 4, 2023

Weather Data

Clouds: Scattered

Temperature: 74 degrees F

Wind: 4 kt.

Waves: 0 ft.

Science and Technology

Environmental DNA

NOAA fisheries research vessels often work with colleges to help provide experiences for the students by allowing them to come on the ship to collect data for their research. On this leg, Makaila Hernandez was aboard to collect environmental DNA (eDNA) under Dr. Alexis Janosik for the University of West Florida. Water samples are taken from different sampling sights in the Gulf of Mexico. Environmental DNA tells scientists what organisms are in the area of water. DNA can be found in the water when organisms shed materials such as the skin, scales, feces, mucous, and gametes. Once the water is collected, a lab will extract the DNA from the water. The extraction is done in such a way that only the purest form of DNA is obtained. It will then be amplified so that it can go through the DNA sequencing process for organism identification. Collecting DNA for the purpose of knowing what organisms are present is done for several different reasons. It helps check the biodiversity and compare the health of the ecosystem to the previous years.

Makailyn stands at a workbench in the ship's lab. Wearing blue latex gloves, she slides two sample tubes into a plastic bag. On the bench nearby is a squirt bottle with a curved spout. It's labeled, but we can't read the writing. Other cardboard boxes and crates with sampling gear surround the work surface. — Makailyn working on eDNA samples

NOAA Ship Pisces

On this mission we have 28 people aboard Pisces. Without the engineers, technicians, deck crew, and the NOAA corps, the scientists wouldn’t be able to do their job. As most of you know, when things go wrong with a vessel out in the ocean, you have to rely on those within. The engineers work hard and I haven’t gotten to talk with them as much as I would have liked, but after all they have been busy down below keeping the ship going. While touring and visiting the bridge, the amount of technology there and knowledge from the officers on maneuvering the vessel is astonishing. I even had a slight go at it, and with the waves and current my travel line was a bit everywhere and not even close to being as straight as theirs. No worries, they were right by my side the whole time.

Drew Barth, Second Assistant Engineer

Drew, facing the camera for the photo, stands at a control panel in the engineering room. We can see screens, buttons of different colors, meters, levers. — Drew Barth, Second Assistant Engineer

Drew grew up in Montana and has been working for NOAA for around 18 years. Drew has worked his way up through the years, and the knowledge he knows about how to keep everything on this ship running is incredible. I had no idea there was so much down below us, and the amount of things that have to be checked and continuously working to keep this working vessel going. Drew tried to summarize all the things he did to me from operating all the equipment (including plumbing, HVAC, engine), maintaining all of the equipment, and every 2 hours all gauges have to be completely checked. At midnight a full report of how much fuel is being consumed as well as other things. Drew said some challenges he has had to deal with are bad weather, flooding, and having to fix multiple things at once. Drew states that working hands-on, growing up with a dad as a mechanic, and taking welding vocational classes really helped him, but training today can be done by attending a maritime school.

view of the bridge: two rows of computer screens facing one another; the captain's chair far toward the back of this view; windows surround three sides of the room — Bridge

Julie stands at the bridge controls, facing away from the camera, attempting to drive the ship. She looks off to her left side to attend to instructions. We can see the ocean out the window ahead of her.

NOAA Corps

LCDR John Kidd, Commanding Officer

LCDR VanDine sits at a table in the mess, turned to face the camera for a photo. — LCDR Ben VanDine, Executive Officer

LT DeProspero, on deck, pauses for a photo. He is wearing a navy blue NOAA Corps t-shirt. His right hand holds a travel mug, and his left is on his hip. — LT Nicolas DeProspero

ENS Aaron Macy, Junior Officer

Personal Log

Today is our last day at sea. Later this evening we will start working our way towards Pascagoula, MS. We are finishing up our last camera drops and preparing to disembark. I can already tell this morning by looking at the water that we are getting closer to Mississippi. The coloration of the water is more of a brown hue than blue due to the Mississippi River meeting the ocean. Several deck crew are making last minute plans as we prepare to port. I have met so many amazing people from all walks of Earth, and listening to their stories and how they ended up on Pisces is remarkable. There are a lot of hard-working and dedicated people who keep this ship running.

I can’t believe I have been on the ship now for two weeks. I have several more questions from my students back home that I can’t wait to answer when I get back. When I return there are only 10 days of school left, so it will be a whirlwind. I have been blessed to have experienced this, and I have learned so much that I hope to inspire my students to dream big and put themselves out there. I told them before I left how nervous I was and that blogging for the first time ever and doing the unknown was way out of my comfort zone. However, hopefully I have taught them that it is important to take chances and pursue things that they want to do even though they may seem scary. My hopes are to also talk about all the different career paths involved in keeping this mission going aboard NOAA Ship Pisces.

view over the bow of NOAA Ship Pisces from an upper deck. the water is calm and blue; the sky is blue with fluffy white clouds. — Front (Bow) of Pisces

view over the aft deck of NOAA Ship Pisces from an upper deck. We can see an A frame, davit arms, a large spool. the water is calm and blue, and the sky is blue with small white clouds. — View of the back of Pisces

Julie takes a selfie in front of an orange life preserver mounted on an outside wall. The life preserver is stamped NOAA Ship Pisces. Julie's t-shirt has a tiger on it, her school mascot, and the letters MMS for Macon Middle School. — Final Day at Sea!