Hello! My name is Lisa Werner and I am so excited to be a Teacher at Sea for the 2024 Season. I have been teaching for 15 years, and currently teach 3-year old kindergarten through 8th grade music, 4th-8th grade band, and 5th-8th grade choir in Wisconsin. I am passionate about showing students the link between music and other subjects, as music has so many connections to everything we do. The students in my classes are curious about the world around them and have a very adventurous explorer mindset. I will be entering this experience armed with all of their questions to answer upon my return!
Students regularly study sound waves in band, choir, and music classes!
Our school music program is a bit unique – we are regularly exploring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) concepts and turning them into STEAM (adding the A for Arts) concepts. Students in my classes use Virtual Reality headsets to practice performing their music to fight off performance anxiety. We study the effects of music and vibration on plant growth. We’ve even designed experiments for a zero-gravity parabolic flight. All of these music class units show students how music is interwoven into so many facets of our lives!
A St. Bruno student using a Virtual Reality Headset to practice for an upcoming performance.
Science and Technology Log
I will be aboard NOAA Ship Fairweatheras a NOAA Teacher at Sea. The Fairweather is a ship used to map the ocean in order to ensure safe navigation and commerce. The crew aboard the Fairweather collect data from sonar scans and echo sounders and then pass this information to NOAA cartographers who create updated nautical charts to support marine navigation. The data from the Fairweather is also used to study fishery habitats and marine ecosystems. The Fairweather is named after the tallest peak in the Fairweather Mountain Range, Mount Fairweather, located in Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park.
NOAA Vessel Fairweather (Photo Credit: Hydrographic Survey Tech Kevin Lally)
Personal Log: Why would a music teacher be selected for this program?
I enjoy showing students connections between music and other subjects. I am a master at finding similarities between many areas of STEM fields and music concepts. The students I teach love learning about these connections and they often find inspiration to research and dig deeper into these experiences. My goal as a teacher is to help the students I work with find their spark – I know very few students I teach will become professional musicians, but I can help give them the skills they need to be successful in whatever area they choose. I can also help them to find their interests through experiences such as this one. I love to open the students’ eyes to life outside of our classroom and community and inspire them to make a difference.
Lisa Werner executing a student-designed experiment in zero gravity through the Space for Teachers Embedded Teacher Program (Photo Credit: Steve Boxall)
I anticipate using this program in a few different ways – I want to share the information we learn through the experience with the students. I plan to share the data with the students, and have them sonify the data into a musical composition. I want to record the sounds of the ship and the life at sea for the students to use in their musical composition recordings. While I am on the experience, I will also find similarities between the research going on and musical concepts I teach in the classroom, drawing comparisons between concepts students know from my class to help them understand what happens on a research vessel. Additionally, I want students to be aware of the missions of NOAA, and the research being done. I want to inspire curiosity in the students and to empower students to make changes to help the health of the Earth’s water. Seeing the important research being done will encourage students to look at how water is important in their own lives, even living a distance away from oceans.
I am excited to be selected for the Teacher at Sea program and have the opportunity to learn about bathymetry and oceanography careers. I can’t wait to share all that I learn with my students. Thank you to NOAA for giving me this opportunity to experience hydrography research in Alaska. I know that the students I work with and our community will be very inspired to learn more about the ocean!
Mission: Hydrographic Survey of the Northern Gulf of Mexico
Geographic Area: Galveston, Texas
Date: June 8, 2024
Weather Data from the “Bridge” (My Deck):
Latitude: 37.8715 º N” Longitude: 122.2730 º W 65º Fahrenheit Wind: 11 kn, Wind direction: SW Air pressure: 1011 hPa Humidity: 70%, Sunny Rainfall: 0 mm
Introduction
Hello! My name is Jacqueline Omania and I am preparing to join a hydrographic project on NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson originating out of Galveston, Texas on June 17th.
I am a fifth grade teacher at Oxford Elementary School in Berkeley, California. This coming year will be my 20th year teaching. I have a masters degree in Environmental Education and teach with a strong emphasis on outdoor education in my curriculum. Prior to being in the classroom, I founded the first school Farm and Garden Program in our district. Now, every school in our district has a school garden program staffed by a garden teacher. I am known at school as the teacher who takes her students on the most field trips; we go sailing, cycling, hiking, climbing, camping and dragon boating. Since my students do not all have the same access to outdoor experiences, I believe it is essential to experience the natural world as part of school. My goal is for students to fall in love with nature and, thus, be inspired to work together to protect it.
One special feature of my class is our success as a Zero Waste Classroom. For most of the last 9 years, we have made less than a quart of landfill waste for the entire school year. I weave a theme of sustainability into all the academic content areas all year. My students learn to be activists and to use their studies to make a difference. Recently (after 3 years of activism) my students have successfully persuaded our school district to switch from throwaway paper and plastic foodware to reusable foodware for school meals.
Landfill Waste for the ‘23-’24 School Year Photo credit: Jacqueline Omania; student photos courtesy of Oxford Elementary
Outside of teaching in the classroom, I run a local chapter of a youth group called Heirs to Our Ocean through which I continue to mentor my former elementary students in their middle and high school years. Currently, I have two students on our city’s Climate Commission, occupying the first-ever youth seats.
In my free time, I am learning sailing (started in 2022)—both locally in the San Francisco Bay and in the Caribbean, where I have roots. I am also fascinated by Polynesian wayfinding and the journey of Hokulea (a Polynesian double-hulled voyaging canoe which is circumnavigating the Earth to raise awareness of the importance of the ocean) and have been eagerly reading to learn more. I will definitely be working on knots and the star compass while at sea. Besides sailing, I love to be outdoors and enjoy long walks, gardening and trips to local beaches. I have two grown children—Mehrnush (PhD student in Geography at UCLA) and Farhad (working in a restaurant and reflecting on his next steps); I enjoy being a mother of grown children.
Caribbean Sea/ Photo credit: Jacqueline Omania; Hokulea photo Polynesian Voyaging Society Farhad and Mehrnush
Personal Log: Why am I doing this?
I love being at sea. I was fortunate to spend 100 days on Semester at Sea in my second year of college, sailing on the SS Universe from Seattle, Washington around the world to return to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. This experience gave me a strong experience in shipboard life, a deep respect for the ocean and a glimpse at many diverse cultures around the world. I continue to love exploration and marine science and work to weave ocean literacy into my classroom curriculum to cultivate students who will be inspired to learn more and care to protect our ocean.
I am excited to be selected for the Teacher at Sea program and have the opportunity to assist with hydrographic research, as well as learn about marine science careers. I can’t wait to share all that I learn with my students. They will be interested in how hydrographic surveys work, since we already study charts of the SF Bay. They will also be interested in jobs at sea since many absolutely love our class sail on the Pegasus and want to know more about ways to be at sea. Thank you to NOAA for giving me this opportunity to experience work in marine science in the Gulf of Mexico. This part of the world is new to me and I am very curious about what wildlife I will see.
Science and Technology Log
NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson is a 208 ft. long hydrographic survey ship that maps the ocean floor to help maritime commerce, to preserve the coastline and to better understand the marine environment. It uses side scan sonar to create images of the seafloor that help locate marine hazards as well as multibeam echo sounders to find accurate depths and create detailed images of the sea floor. The ship became part of the NOAA fleet in 2003 and was named after President Thomas Jefferson because he created the Survey of the Coast in 1807. NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson has also responded after hurricanes—as well as after other catastrophic events like the Deep Horizon oil spill—to determine when it is safe again for ships to travel.
NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson. Photo courtesy of NOAA.
Please write if you have comments and questions and I’ll respond to you!
Mission: Hydrographic Survey of the Pribilof Islands
Geographic Area of Cruise: Pribilof Islands, Alaska
Date: July 27, 2023
Weather Data
Location: 55°54.11’N, 168°33.69W
Outside temperature: 11°C
Water temperature: 10.5°C
True Winds: 8nm, 211.9°
Skies: Overcast and Foggy
Visibility: 5nm
Sea Wave: 1 ft
Swell Wave: 2 ft
Science and Technology Log
The entire survey department has diverse backgrounds rooted in Science and each took different paths before coming to NOAA Ship Fairweather. Their studies in college include Geography, Quantitative Geoscience, Environmental Science, Economic Environmental Policy, Space Studies, Physical Oceanology, Applied Math, Computer Science and Marine Biology.
I wanted to highlight two people in the survey department who I worked with over the last 3 weeks.
Alex Dawson, Physical Scientist, Project Manager for the Pribilof Islands
Alex studied in one of the only hydrographic programs in the U.S. for undergraduates, at the College of Charleston. This is a unique program where students gain technical, practical and research knowledge and experience. Alex obtained bathymetric data and translated this into a research project. She presented this information at a professional conference, which put her ahead of many of her peers.
In her current job at NOAA headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, Alex is a Physical Scientist and a Project Manager. She plans projects for the entire U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and planned this Hydrographic Survey of the Pribilof Islands; she is aboard NOAA Ship Fairweather for their Pribilof Island Surveys . Each project takes about 2 to 6 months to plan depending on the complexity of the specific area being surveyed. Alex and her team do this by looking at the environment of the area, known features and existing charts. She develops environmental compliance best management practices so the survey does not impact the local ecosystem or marine life. Any features that are on existing charts such as obstructions, shipwrecks, rocks, or pipelines will be included in the project’s GIS files, and she determines if those features need to be investigated more thoroughly. This is all put together in a project package that is sent to the hydrographic ship– the footprint of the survey, any special features that need to be investigated, environmental compliance information, and any previous surveys in the last 20 years that may abut or overlap the planned survey area. Alex also does hurricane response work; if a hurricane hits a port, then the port will be closed until a federal hydrographic survey comes in to make sure it is safe for commerce. This is done as fast as possible, sometimes within 24 hours.
Which projects get fulfilled depends on the navigational risks of each area. Alex explains: “Coast Survey determines which areas to survey within U.S. ports, harbors, and approaches, as well as U.S. waters more broadly, by using the risk-based Hydrographic Health Model. The model assesses risks to surface navigation from charted bathymetry and features, including both the likelihood of a risk (e.g. traffic density, known hazards to navigation, reported ship groundings, etc.) and the consequence of a risk (e.g. proximity to search and rescue stations, proximity to public beaches, reefs, or marine sanctuaries, etc.). A resulting accuracy factor indicates the urgency (or lack thereof) for new hydrographic surveys.”
In Alex’s own words: “I love mapping in general, but I think it’s really cool to map in an area such as the Pribilofs… to uncover what hasn’t been uncovered before – mapping where no one has mapped before.”
Alex Dawson aboard NOAA Ship Fairweather en route to the Pribilof Islands
Sara Ober, Hydrographic Survey Technician
Sara got her B.S. in Marine Biology from Texas A & M University. After college, she worked for 5 years in Alaska as a fisheries observer contracted through NOAA through the North Pacific Observer Program. She worked on smaller fishing boats to observe what they were catching and when. The calendar of the fishing seasons and quotas in Alaskan waters are mostly federally managed and she would observe the catch at the beginning, close and during the season and pass on that data to the Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle.
Sara then became a survey technician with NOAA. At the time, hydrography was new to Sara, but she is currently in her second year and likes training newer survey technicians on how to precisely look at the data and check for accuracy. Every morning she makes sure everything is ready for the plan of the day in terms of surveying, ensures the processing from the night before is ready and addresses anything if needed. She likes helping others learn and members of the survey team often go to her for advice.
In the future, Sara is hoping to combine her marine biology and hydrography experiences together and do benthic habitat map work. The benthic zone is the ecological region found at the bottom of a body of water. Sara would like to use sonar data to see what the seafloor looks like and why fish live there, as well as predict where they migrate to.
In Sara’s own words:
“I really like hydrography, the technical part is fun and new to me. I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I do. Being able to visually see something is very cool to me and having such an impact on things. We can see our direct impact when we submit our data and later on when nautical charts get updated. It’s like, this is what I did and here’s the final product.
I love being in Alaska. I like working on a ship, I think it’s fun.”
Sara Ober working in the Survey Department aboard NOAA Ship Fairweather
Personal Log
We will be arriving at port tomorrow in Dutch Harbor and my time on NOAA Ship Fairweather is coming to a close. I want to thank the entire crew for showing and explaining to me the amazing work they do and making me feel at home. The crew is highly skilled, patient, respectful and willing to pretty much do anything to help the mission. Their commitment to Science, to NOAA and to each other is commendable.
I especially want to thank LT Taylor Krabiel and Commanding Officer CMD Meghan McGovern for their hospitality, guidance, continuous check-ins, and making the most of my time.
Mission: Hydrographic Survey of the Pribilof Islands
Geographic Area of Cruise: Pribilof Islands, Alaska
Location (In Port): 57⁰43.8384’N, 152⁰30.8319’W
Date: July 12, 2023
Hi Everyone, my name is Elli and this week, I arrived in Kodiak, Alaska and right now I am aboard NOAA Ship Fairweather. This is my first time in Alaska as well as my first time being on a scientific research ship. I teach high school Mathematics, specifically Algebra 1, Algebra 2 and AP Calculus at Special Music School, a public school located in New York City. I also instruct two classes at the College and Graduate level as an adjunct lecturer at City College and Hunter College. My high school students are musically gifted and many go onto Music Conservatory Education. I am constantly in awe of their talent, grit and perseverance in pursuit of becoming better musicians. My students at the college and graduate levels are all learning how to be educators in the New York City school system. Their sense of purpose, commitment and openness to new ideas is inspiring.
Elli aboard NOAA Ship Fairweather
I am a Math for America (MfA) Master Teacher and first heard of the NOAA Teacher at Sea Program (TAS) in 2019 through MfA – I researched the TAS program, and thought this is something I definitely want to do, and applied. I was accepted in the 2020 cohort, but because of COVID was rolled over to 2023 so here I am, three and a half years later embarking on a hydrographic survey of the Pribilof Islands.
I have been teaching math for 20 years and at various points have had experiences learning about the oceans and marine life. I started my career as a Peace Corps Volunteer and lived in Zanzibar, Tanzania for 2 years. In addition to teaching math, I was able to take students to study the coral reefs that surround the island through the Chumbe Environmental Education Program. They snorkeled, learned about coral and how to preserve and protect this environment. I also like to scuba dive and have completed over 90 dives at various places around the world– learning not only about shoreline habitat at each diving spot I visited, but how different facets of the ocean interact. In 2019, I was awarded a Fund for Teachers Grant where I traveled to Australia, scuba dived and learned first hand about the Great Barrier Reef. And now, I’m still on a journey to learn more about the world’s oceans and marine environments, this time with NOAA in the waters around Alaska.
Elli scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia
So, what is a hydrographic survey you might ask? And where are the Pribilof Islands? The Pribilof Islands are four volcanic islands about 300 miles west of mainland Alaska in the south Bering Sea and about 250 miles north of the Aleutian Islands; the two largest islands are Saint Paul and Saint George. A Hydrographic survey uses sonar data to interpret the ocean floor and coastlines which then is used to produce Nautical charts. The Pribilof Islands Hydrographic Survey will map the ocean floor and surrounding coastline to provide updated accurate charts of this area. The Pribilof Islands have not been mapped since the 1950’s.
I will be onboard NOAA Ship Fairweather. The ship embarks in Kodiak, Alaska and disembarks in Dutch Harbor, Unalaska, Alaska. I am very much looking forward to spending time with the Science team on NOAA Ship Fairweather and learning about what everyone does on a NOAA ship. I plan on taking this information back with me to New York City and bringing this real-world research experience into my classroom.
NOAA Ship Fairweather
Did you know?
NOAA has three different types of Scientific research ships: Hydrographic surveys, Fisheries survey and Oceanographic research
Since 1990, the TAS program has sailed more than 850 teachers aboard their ships. Teachers have come from every state and 4 territories. (For any fellow teachers reading this, TAS has cohorts every year and applications are due in the Fall.)
We are making great progress! This is an Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) display of our current hydrographic survey progress. ECDIS is a system used for nautical navigation that serves as an alternative to paper nautical charts. The colorful lines indicate where we have used the Multibeam Echo Sensor (MBES) to measure the depth and physical features of the lake bottom.
Science and Technology Log
Seeing several people aboard in uniform caused me to ask, “Is NOAA part of the military?”
NOAA Commissioned Corps Insignia
According to the NOAA Corps website, “The NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps (NOAA Corps) is one of the nation’s eight uniformed services. NOAA Corps officers are an integral part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, and serve with the special trust and confidence of the President.”
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps, known as the NOAA Corps, is one of just two uniformed services with no enlisted or warrant officers. The Corps is made up of engineers, oceanographers, geologists, and meteorologists (among others) who support federal departments in earth science projects. The officers operate NOAA’s ships, fly aircraft, manage research projects, conduct diving operations, and serve in staff positions throughout NOAA. Prior to going out to sea, NOAA Corps officers attend 18 weeks of training at the US Coast Guard Academy’s Officer Candidate School (OCS) in New London, CT. They are not always out to sea; NOAA Corps officers who work on ships rotate between driving the ship for two years and supporting science missions ashore for three years. NOAA Corps officers enable NOAA to fulfill mission requirements, meet changing environmental concerns, take advantage of emerging technologies, and serve as environmental first responders.
The history of the NOAA Corps can be traced back to 1807 when Thomas Jefferson signed a bill establishing the “Survey of the Coast,” which charted the country’s coasts and waterways. Their mission has expanded well beyond coastal mapping. It currently has 320+ officers who oversee more than a dozen ships and nine specialized aircraft, including the Hurricane Hunters.
Aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson, ~ 30% or 10 out of 34 souls aboard are part of the NOAA Corps. The positions of Commanding Officer (CO), Executive Officer (XO), Operations Officer (OPS), and Operations Officer in Training (OPS IT) are all filled with members of the NOAA Corps. The OPS is also called a Field Operations Officer (FOO). (OPS = FOO) The Medical Officer (MO) is often an ensign, however, on TJ, our MO is a professional mariner. All officers are trained to be an Officer of the Deck (OOD); prior to qualification they serve as a Junior Officer of the Deck (JOOD). These are the people who drive, or are learning to drive, the ship. Other duties the Junior Officers serve are Navigation Officer (Nav-O), Damage Control Officer (DCO), and the Environmental Compliance Officer (ECO).
TJ serves as a training ground for Ensigns. These are people new to the Corps. Some have attended maritime academies, or been in prior service, such as the U.S. Navy. However, their prior experience must include a baccalaureate degree, and completion of at least 48 semester hours in science, technology, math, or engineering course work pertaining to NOAA’s missions. They become ensigns after graduation from OCS, also known as NOAA’s Basic Officer Training Class (BOTC). You see them all over the ship. They are eager to learn and seem to train or study non-stop! No wonder! There is so much to learn. Ensigns fill many “collateral positions” such as Medical Officer (MO) and Damage Control Officer (DCO). The DCO are on the fire and emergency squad.
Currently, there are five NOAA Corps Ensigns on Thomas Jefferson. From left to right are ENS Geiger, ENS Brostowski, ENS Castillo, ENS Foxen, and ENS Meadows. They are all very fun-loving, dedicated, knowledgeable, and eager to learn.
The maritime academies in the United States are listed below. Click on the links below if you wish to learn more about any of these institutions.
College Degree granting institutions offering maritime degrees and USCG-approved courses include:
I wish I had known about the NOAA Corps when I was making career decisions. It has the discipline and culture of the armed services, yet it is focused on the sciences. The upper age limit to enter the Corps is 42 years old. I guess at this point, I can only encourage others to consider the NOAA Corps as a career option. 😊
Click here &/or watch the following video for more information about the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps.
NOAA Corps Recruiting Video
Personal Log
I have been asked to give a presentation to the crew about the Dalton Local School’s STEAM program. They also would like to know possible lesson ideas I will develop in the future and “takeaways” from the Teacher at Sea experience.
The following is a slide show of my presentation.
A presentation given to the crew about the Dalton Local School’s STEAM program.
Dalton Local Schools serves students in the Kidron and Dalton communities in rural Ohio.
LEGO EV3 Mindstorm robots and 3D printing are the focus of 8th grade.
Students focus on energy and inventions in 7th grade STEAM.
The 6th grade STEAM curriculum focuses on life sciences.
Let’s go to Mars!
STEAM supports the elementary science curricula.
Katherine Johnson was a “calculator” during NASA’s Apollo program.
Thomas Jefferson is a ship dedicated to hydrography.
Enriching the middle school STEAM lessons
Enriching future elementary STEAM lessons
I’ve learned so much during this experience!
I am very grateful for this experience! Thanks, NOAA!
Human Interest Poll (HIP)
Recently, I started a Human-Interest Poll (HIP) where I post a question on the bulletin board outside of the lounge and give the crew 2-3 days to respond. The latest question was, “Where was the coolest place you have gone on a ship?” See their responses below.
Results of Human-Interest Poll. It is so HIP!
A = The Channel Islands
B = San Juan Islands
C = Japan
D = Guam
E = Norfolk, VA (Home)
F = Bering Sea in Winter
G = Point Hope, AK
H = Panama Canal
I = Little Diomede Island, AK
J = St. Lawrence Seaway
K = Bali
L = Adak, AK
M = The Equator
N = Ocean View, DE
Stay tuned! The next HIP is, “What were the highest seas you have ever experienced? Where?”
For the little Dawgs . . .
Q: Where is Dewey today? Hint: Athletes like to use this room.
Dewey likes to move around, stretch and strengthen his muscles. After All, he is a monkey.
A: Dewey is in the Exercise Room. This room is in the bottom floor of the ship. I heard that it is one of the best exercise rooms in the NOAA fleet of ships! Even though this is a large ship, you really do not get many “steps” each day. Exercising is part of staying healthy. I try to work out each day. It is an interesting experience to use the treadmill when we are experiencing 4–6-foot waves!
Welcome to the TJ Exercise Room.
Dewey is hanging from a piece of exercise equipment.
Looks like he is going to do some heavy lifting!
Wow, Dewey! Can you lift that heavy barbell?
Is Dewey taking a break?
Nope! He is getting ready to work out on the treadmill.
How about using the exercise bike or the elliptical trainer?
Dewey has many hand weights to choose from!
The flag of the Thomas Jefferson exercise room. See the eagle lifting weights?
Joke of the Day
Q: Where do ghosts go to sail?
A Lake Eerie!
I am one very happy NOAA Teacher at Sea!
I am enjoying sharing my NOAA Teacher at Sea experience with you. I am looking forward to sharing it with my K-8 STEAM students in the fall!
