NOAA Teacher at Sea Jennifer Widdig Aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson June 17 – June 30, 2026
Mission: Hydrographic Survey
Geographic Area of Cruise: Lake Erie and Lake Ontario
Date: June 2, 2026
A New Adventure Begins
Welcome! My name is Jen, and I call the small town of Minford, Ohio, home. For the past decade, I have had the privilege of teaching a variety of life science courses at Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center in Chillicothe, Ohio. While environmental and animal sciences have been at the heart of my teaching career, I am now preparing for a brand-new chapter that is as exciting as it is unfamiliar.
This upcoming school year, I will be stepping into a role that is not only new to me but also new to our school. My focus will be supporting students through online coursework across multiple subject areas while helping ensure they earn the credentials necessary for graduation. It is a unique opportunity to combine education, technology, and student success in ways I have never experienced before, and I am eager to see where this path leads.
One thing I have learned throughout my career is to embrace opportunities that challenge me to grow. That mindset has taken me far beyond the walls of a classroom. Over the years, I have had the incredible opportunity to travel to Belize, Tanzania, Malaysia, and Peru. These experiences allowed me to collaborate with educators and researchers, participate in meaningful projects, volunteer in communities around the world, and gain perspectives that continue to influence both my personal and professional life.
Amazon Rainforest, Peru
Amazon Rainforest, Peru
Belize Classroom
Malaysia
Belize
Malaysia
Orphanage in Tanzania, Africa
Orphanage in Tanzania, Africa
Belize Classroom
Amazon Rainforest, Peru
Now, I am preparing for an entirely different kind of adventure.
For two weeks, I will be living and working aboard a research hydrography vessel on Lakes Erie and Ontario. Unlike my previous international experiences, this opportunity will immerse me in the daily life of a scientific research crew as they collect data, map underwater features, and contribute to our understanding of the Great Lakes. It is a chance to experience science in action, learn from experts in the field, and gain firsthand knowledge of the technology and research that support navigation, environmental monitoring, and resource management.
As someone who has spent years teaching science, I am excited to step into the role of learner once again. There is something humbling and inspiring about leaving your comfort zone and diving into an entirely new environment especially when that environment happens to be a research vessel floating across two of North America’s most significant freshwater ecosystems.
As I prepare to trade lesson plans for lake charts and classrooms for the deck of a research vessel, I am reminded that some of the best learning happens when we step into unfamiliar territory. This blog will serve as a real-time account of that experience. I’ll share the sights, the science, the challenges, and the unexpected moments that come with living aboard a hydrographic survey vessel. From learning the day-to-day operations of the crew to exploring the technology used to map the lake floor. I hope you’ll join me as I navigate life aboard the Thomas Jefferson, explore the science of the Great Lakes, and embrace this adventure one day at a time.
Mapping the Ocean with NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program
Before embarking on my adventure, I want to share some information about the agency, program and vessel.
NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson (Credit: NOAA)
NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program is an exciting opportunity that allows educators to step out of their schools and onto research vessels to experience real-world science firsthand. The organization behind this adventure is NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA is a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce that studies and protects our oceans, atmosphere, weather, climate, and coastal resources. From forecasting hurricanes and tracking marine life to mapping the ocean floor, NOAA’s mission is to better understand our planet and help keep people safe.
Since 1990, more than 850 teachers have participated in NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program, joining scientists aboard research vessels and bringing their experiences back to classrooms across the country. Teachers become part of the science team, helping collect data while sharing photos, blogs, and lessons that connect students to real scientific discoveries.
Teachers selected for the program observe and actively participate. Depending on the mission, they may deploy equipment, record scientific observations, monitor instruments, assist with data collection, and take part in safety drills. Research operations run 24 hours a day, and teachers often work alongside scientists during 12-hour shifts.
For my mission, I will be aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson, a hydrographic survey vessel. The 208-foot ship can travel nearly 19,200 nautical miles and remain at sea for up to 45 days. The Thomas Jefferson is essentially a floating science laboratory. Its mission is to map the seafloor, support maritime commerce, improve coastal resilience, and provide data used to update the nation’s nautical charts. These charts help ships navigate safely through coastal waters and busy ports.
Hydrography is the study and measurement of underwater features and navigable waterways. Just as cartographers create maps of mountains and rivers on land, hydrographers map the hidden landscape beneath the water’s surface. Their work helps identify shallow areas, underwater hazards, shipwrecks, and other features important to safe navigation.
To “see” underwater, the Thomas Jefferson uses advanced technology. Side-scan sonar sends sound waves across the seafloor to create detailed images of underwater objects. Multibeam echo sounders measure water depths with incredible precision and create three-dimensional maps of the ocean floor. The ship also carries smaller survey boats that can reach shallow areas inaccessible to the larger vessel.
Hydrographic data has many uses beyond navigation. Scientists use it to study marine habitats, determine whether the seafloor consists of sand, mud, or rock, support dredging and construction projects, and assist with routing underwater cables and pipelines.
As I prepare to step aboard the Thomas Jefferson, I can’t help but feel a mix of excitement, curiosity, and gratitude. This experience is so much more than a professional development opportunity. I get a chance to become a student again, learning directly from scientists and crew members who dedicate their lives to exploring and understanding our oceans. I’ll have the opportunity to see hydrography in action, witness cutting-edge technology mapping parts of the seafloor, and experience life aboard a NOAA research vessel firsthand. Most importantly, I’ll be able to bring these experiences back to my students, sharing not only the science but also the adventure, teamwork, and discovery that happen beyond the walls of a classroom.
Geographic Area of Cruise: Northeast Atlantic Ocean
Date: May 12, 2026
Weather Data from Richburg, South Carolina (Piedmont Region) Latitude: 34.7218° N Longitude: Longitude: -81.0197° W Wind Speed: E at 6 mph Air Temperature: 20°C (69°F)
Introduction Hello! My name is Amanda (Mandy) Freeman from Richburg, South Carolina and I am BEYOND ecstatic to begin my adventure aboard NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow for the NOAA Teacher at Sea 2026! This is my 28th year of teaching high school science and my 19th year at Lewisville High School in Richburg, South Carolina.
Lewisville Lions
In my classroom, I work to bridge science concepts with real environmental challenges so students recognize their impact on the world and understand how biology applies to their daily lives. As a high school science teacher, I often talk about ecosystems, human impact, and sustainability, but this experience will allow me to move beyond talkingabout it and actually doit! The NOAA Teacher at Sea Program will allow me to bring authentic scientific research into my classroom while exposing students to a variety of potential career paths.
Packing OH MY…What do you even pack for life at sea?! What shouldn’t I pack?!
In South Carolina, May usually means temperatures somewhere between 26°C to 13°C (80°F – 56°F), so trying to prepare for the much chillier weather in Rhode Island has definitely been a challenge. My suitcase currently contains everything from t-shirts to sweatshirts to rain gear… and I’m still convinced I’m forgetting something important.
Hopefully, I’m just overthinking it – although there’s a very real possibility I’ll either freeze, overpack or both!
Excitement Excited doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel about this opportunity. In just a few days, I will go from teaching biology in a classroom to living and working aboard the NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow alongside real scientists conducting fisheries research.
I’m excited to experience what life is really like on a research vessel, learn how scientists collect and analyze data at sea, and see technology in action through the HabCam survey. Most of all, I’m excited to bring these experiences back to my students. OH – and did I mention I’ll have the opportunity to deploy TWO drifter buoys?! How amazing is that???!!
For many of my students, careers in marine science or ocean research may seem far away from our everyday lives in South Carolina. I hope this journey helps them see that science is more than a textbook or lab activity — it’s exploration, discovery, teamwork, and problem-solving in the real world.
I can’t wait to share photos, stories, challenges, and discoveries from this adventure. Hopefully my students will learn right alongside me as we trade our normal classroom walls for the open ocean!
Stay Tuned!
Science and Technology Log
Next Tuesday, I will board NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow from Woods Hole, Massachusetts via a small boat transfer. The ship is a “state-of-the-art fisheries survey ship that studies a wide range of marine life and ocean conditions” ( NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow).
NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow. Credit: NOAA
The ship was named after Henry Bryant Bigelow, an oceanographer and marine biologist, who was the founding director of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). “He is credited with describing 110 new species for science and authoring some 100 scientific papers over the course of his career” (WHOI).
Henry Bryant Bigelow (1879-1967). Credit: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
The annual Northeast Fisheries Science Center scallop survey will use the Habitat Mapping Camera System (HabCam) to determine the distribution and relative abundance of Atlantic sea scallops (Placopecten magellanicus). According to preparatory materials from the science team, the HabCam V4 is an underwater “boat towed camera system that takes continuous paired photos (typically 6 pairs per second) at approximately 2 meters above the sea floor.”
Hello from Brooklyn! Don’t get too excited—I’m originally from Long Island, just about 60 miles from where I now live with my partner, Clara, and our cat, Samson. I enjoy live music, building composting systems, reducing waste through organic collection, gardening, and bicycling around the city. I turn 41 on August 13—the same day we set sail on the Oregon II. This journey marks another step in my personal life and in my unexpected path as an environmental educator.
Grandfather at a house we built on the coast of Long Island.
As a kid, my grandfather used to take me to the beach on his only day off from framing houses—Sunday. I would splash in the Atlantic Ocean while he lounged under an umbrella with his aviator sunglasses on—pretty sure he was sleeping under those shades. Throughout my childhood, I subconsciously absorbed the interconnectedness between our vast ocean and our lives. Just took some adulting to figure it out. Life experiences have shown me that coastal environments offer a range of benefits, including work, play, food, culture, love, and spiritual enrichment. From my attempt at surfing in high school, being rescued by lifeguards, attending high school beach parties, and spending time at sea fishing with my commercial fisherman friend, to framing houses with my grandfather on the beaches of Long Island, I was absorbing that people use our coasts for many things. As a kid, I underestimated its importance, size, and power. It wasn’t until I moved to NYC in 2002 that I began to learn from others and observe what I had been surrounded by all my life.
Aspiring Lawyer. 🙂
I often share my high school yearbook quote with my students. It said, “I want to be a lawyer and live in a penthouse in NYC.” After graduating from high school, I set out on that path and was determined to make it happen. After island-hopping at various academic institutions in the metro area, I graduated from Stony Brook University with that degree in 2009. I continued pursuing these goals and enrolled in a master’s program in Political Science at Brooklyn College. I’m not sure what happened, but I changed course and pursued a master’s degree in Adolescent Education with a focus on Social Studies.
During my final year of the master’s program, I became involved in writing a curriculum for my final project, which focused on place-based learning and utilized the National Park Service. This would inspire me and encourage me to seek a position with the National Park Service. Over two years, I had the privilege of working at three parks: Gateway National Recreation Area, Governors Island National Monument, and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. All of these locations sparked my passion for working with youth and engaging with our communities as a classroom. The traditional classroom seemed a distant place.
Rangering at Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park
While working on Governors Island National Monument, I collaborated closely with the New York Harbor School on the island to encourage their students to use the park as a classroom. Additionally, I participated in field experiences with their students as a ranger at the school. This led me to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. I didn’t want to be a lawyer. I didn’t want to be a classroom teacher. I wanted to be an environmental educator with the National Park Service. But the dream was beyond reach and so competitive. To be honest, I also didn’t have the science chops at that point in my life.
Room 207, NYHS Global History, my first year of teaching
While at Sequoia, I got an email to come in for an interview at the New York Harbor School. I came, interviewed, and was offered the job. I began my teaching career in 2012, specializing in social studies. After spending two years at Harbor School, I relocated to New Orleans to pursue my career in education, teaching U.S. history. Eventually, I returned to Harbor School, where I was tasked with developing a policy and advocacy course as part of their offerings. With support from academic institutions and industry partners, I created a hands-on curriculum for a cross-disciplinary program called Marine Affairs, focusing on environmental science and sustainability. In this program, students explore emerging issues related to natural resources and work on solutions through advocacy. I took the leap, and I didn’t know that one day I would use all the skills from my youth, my 20s, and 30s to be doing all the professional goals I aspired to do—engaging students in environmental place-based learning that considers all the facets of the economy, environment, and culture, with the end result advocating for positive change.
Seaweed students and I help grow through volunteering with Seaweed City.
What I teach now wasn’t where I started. However, time and again, experiences I pursued led me to this path. All that I teach today, I’ve learned by doing and from those in the field. Much of what I teach has evolved from its inception—primarily because the community’s needs have evolved. Projects like seaweed farming and composting have opened my eyes—and those of my students—to the impact of local actions on global systems. I’ve become a student alongside them. My goal is always to make learning relevant, hands-on, and rooted in advocacy. I had no idea I would be teaching students about urban agriculture, stormwater management, and estuary health through greening, resilience, waterfront design, and beekeeping, with the list growing longer. I initially aspired to be a lawyer to effect change. Now, on any given day, I work with youth to create change through hands-on solutions in science and advocacy. If it weren’t for partners such as Earth Matter, Waterfront Alliance, Newtown Creek Alliance, Billion Oyster Project, FFA, Bee University, and Seaweed City, among others, I wouldn’t have gained the knowledge to have such an enriching career in environmental education. I’ve learned from my community and what the community needs. By expanding my network, my students’ networks also grow.
The collage below is now my classroom. I’ve learned to make the physical and cultural aspects of my community my classroom, adopting this approach from my surroundings and all that they have to offer—including mentors, nonprofits, city officials, and experiential learning. The Teacher at Sea mission is the icing on the cake, expanding my network and providing an opportunity to learn and acquire additional skills that I can then apply to my students. Fill in some gaps in my knowledge that I might have. As I stated, this isn’t what I intended, but I am all in now. Part of what I love, which is both a blessing and a curse, is that the course I teach depends on evolving and being spontaneous. I enjoy learning alongside my students. I am excited to bring back some fresh ideas for them to experiment with after my time at sea.
Student photos courtesy of New York Harbor School.
Last summer, I spent a week learning about the USDA’s diverse work around our economy, environment, and food systems from dedicated USDA employees.
Kika De La Garza Fellows and Secretary of Agriculture 2024Composting in a People’s Garden during a USDA Luncheon
This summer, I am heading to the open water to engage with NOAA on the Oregon II, which promises to be an entirely different experience—no suit jackets required.
But ultimately, it encourages me to engage in material and with people in the industries I train my students to aspire to become a part of. Once again, I have the chance to enrich and learn from a new network of stakeholders working with natural resources. I am excited to add more networks for my students to see that what we do in class isn’t just projects Rob likes. Well, I do—they just happen to be all connected, and I am lucky enough to work at an institution that aligns with both my personal and professional lifestyle.
I’m eager to get started. I hope my students are prepared for a little light summer reading about my journey, and I look forward to some new projects this fall. The Teacher at Sea excursion will fill some missing pieces in my curriculum and enhance our current projects through science and data analysis.
Preparing for My Mission
Preparing for this mission has been a surreal experience—mainly because I can’t believe it! To be honest, it’s been a little stressful. It’s been a flood of discovery, and often, unexpected uncertainty. It’s been hard to balance the wave of excitement, the fear of school starting upon returning, and wondering if I passed the medical and security clearance. I think the most challenging part was remaining present and not thinking about what’s to come. The anticipation and quest to be both mentally and physically competent were tried throughout the summer. But throughout the summer, I realized that all I had done in the last 14 years was new to me; this was going to be familiar and different—yet at the same time, very different.
NOAA Ship Oregon II Type of Ship: Fisheries Hull Number: R332 Length: 170.00 ft Range: 3800 nautical miles Endurance: 33 days Speed: 11.00 knots
Part of my preparation involves reading about where I will be sailing and what I will be doing while at sea. I’ve been going down a rabbit hole of all things about the Oregon II, sharks, red snapper, long-line fishing, and the geography of the area. I am excited to be part of this exceptional place-based learning experience.
Between all that literature and content review, I bought a car with my partner and toured the East Coast, attending some live music shows. I hit places I love: Charleston, Philadelphia, and Saratoga Springs. Just before my mission, I will be spending some time on the West Coast in San Francisco. Although this doesn’t seem like much preparation, it’s been vital to get some respite after a long and successful school year. My partner is also an educator, and we’ve become quite skilled at managing our time during summer break. My bags have been mostly packed all summer and just need to be swapped out for gear for my Teacher at Sea experience. In all honesty, I’m probably packing the most efficiently for this trip. The Teacher at Sea packing list made my life simpler than I was making it—that’s for sure. I generally overpack for any journey, especially when it involves time at sea; following directions is typically a safe bet when it comes to the sea.
Hiking Catawba River
Phish Forest Hills
Hudson River in Champlain Region
Eagle a top Forest Hills
Sunset over the harbor
I’ve spoken to a TAS alumnus who sailed on this same mission, and it was beyond helpful. Talking to people has been the most beneficial. I have some friends in the business: one is involved in NOAA fisheries enforcement, another is a commercial fisherman, and a longtime mentor of mine was also a Teacher at Sea. These folks have shared valuable insight on dealing with life at sea. Always good to ask for help.
TAS Alum and Harbor School ColleagueA Teacher, a NOAA Enforcement Officer, and a Marine Educator Learning to fish with Cap’t Neil
Dissection of Drifter Buoy
I am most excited about and have been preparing to participate in NOAA’s Adopt-a-Drifter Program. As it states in the Global Drifter Program: “A drifter, or drifting buoy, is a piece of scientific equipment that measures sea surface temperature, but most are also equipped to measure other variables. As the drifter moves around, guided by ocean currents, measurements of atmospheric pressure, winds, wave height, and salinity can be taken. This data is collected by sensors in the drifter and transmitted to overhead satellites. Tracking the location of drifters over time allows scientists to build a profile of ocean currents.” I’ve been reviewing some of the data and starting to think about all the exciting ways this can support my curriculum to be more real-life and data-driven.
Sipping a cup of BK Roasters, a new partner to NYHS
After my Teacher at Sea journey, it’s back to the classroom. Between summer travels and some preparation for the new school year, my time has been taken up. I work with several partners who will be supporting our students next year. From designing an advocacy project with the Newtown Creek Alliance to participating in work-based learning experiences with Brooklyn Coffee Roasters, it has been exciting to consider how Teacher at Sea experiences will enhance these initiatives and help connect the dots. Brooklyn Coffee Roasters is even sending ten pounds of coffee for this mission!
Hanging in BK at Roll N Roaster
I’ve been mentally preparing by remaining humble and open-minded about what’s to come—a practice I need to adopt every August as the new year approaches. I just need to start that mental gymnastics a little earlier and take a breath.
I am excited to travel to Miami to catch up with family and friends before departing, celebrating my departure, and officially entering middle-aged territory. Particularly my grandfather, someone who has been a part of my Renaissance-like knowledge loop in my life. It’s been nice to see him this summer, and it will be good to see him before he leaves the dock. What better way to celebrate life and my career than by going on this experience to once again be a student? I’m eager to learn and fill some knowledge gaps I have.
Samson the cat
And honestly? I’m also just trying to prepare for how much I’ll miss my cat.
Thanks for reading about my journey that inspired me to apply to Teadher At Sea. Life isn’t linear, and I’m excited to learn further from those who are sure, and where the wind takes us.
Fair Winds. Stay tuned for more blogging while at sea.
P.S. Shout out to Tiffany Duong, an Author from EcoWatch, for giving me pointers on taking photos and writing a blog.
Mission: Integrated West Coast Pelagics Survey (Leg 4)
Geographic Area of Cruise: Pacific Ocean, California Coast
Today’s Date: August 1, 2025
Personal Introduction
I am a city boy from the North side of Milwaukee. All of my education from kindergarten through my Master’s is from schools in Milwaukee and the greater Milwaukee area. I also teach in Milwaukee Public Schools and have done so for the last 20 years. When it comes to sports, I am a homer, and I am very proud of where I come from.
My family and me at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI.
With that being said, I do love to travel and have new experiences. Many of the students that I teach come from the same neighborhood in which I grew up, which is not especially affluent. As a result, many of the children in my classroom do not have opportunities for experiences outside of the neighborhood, let alone outside of the city. Since they do not get to see a lot of the world, I make a point to try to bring as many experiences as I can into the classroom to help open up my students’ minds to the world around them. When they see and hear new unimaginable things, they begin to recognize that with education they too can go out and have adventures beyond what they thought was possible.
Enjoying the South Pacific Ocean.
I wanted to start with this background as it shows how I ended up in the NOAA Teacher at Sea Program. Jumping out of planes, swimming with sharks, hiking up mountains, playing college football, traveling to five continents (and more) are experiences that I draw from to make education more alive for my students.
Another way that I try to bring new opportunities for my students into the classroom is through incorporating agriculture into regular lessons. I helped to turn my school into an agriculture specialty school and we pair with a public high school that also specializes in agriculture education to make a pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade program.
I am sure that many of you reading this remember during Covid seeing empty shelves in the grocery store. For me, this was a startling sight as it was a first for me. It became clear to me that many people need to learn to be more self sufficient and supplement the food we have with what we can grow ourselves. To do that at my school we have made agriculture education a part of our regular curriculum. Many of my students eat a large percentage of processed foods, even when healthier and fresher options are provided to them. However, when they grow their own food, e.g. lettuce from our hydroponics machines, fruits from our “food forest,” and vegetables from our raised garden beds, they always come back for second or even third helpings. Providing them with real experiences in their education is affecting their lives now and, no doubt, into the future.
Some of my students learning about where their food comes from.
This is where I saw the Teacher at Sea Program fitting in. It is one thing to teach science and learn about the scientific method. I am looking forward to living it during my time on NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada. The knowledge, skills, and experiences that I gain as a part of this program will allow me to positively influence students’ education for years to come.
I have been trying to prepare myself for this opportunity in a number of ways. I will be working the midnight to noon shift and have been trying to adjust my sleep patterns a little already. Of course that means naps during the day and staying up late. I think I kind of like this schedule, although my wife probably would like me not to nap so much 🙂 Another thing I am trying to be proactive about is sea sickness. I stocked up on various treatments, but hopefully I’ll adjust quickly on the boat. I was recently on a boat for the day in Alaska, but I don’t think that will compare.
In Alaska at Holgate Glacier.
Growing up in the city, you don’t get to see as many stars with all the street lights. I can’t wait for the starlit skies at night and the sunrise over the ocean. There is so much to learn and experience and my journey is just about to start.
Hello! My name is Dorothy Holley and I have been teaching Science in North Carolina for my whole career. While North Carolina does touch the Atlantic Ocean, I live in the capital city of Raleigh, about two and a half hours from the beach. And that’s just it…. my family, my students, my community….. we all think about going to the beach. But what is beyond the sand and the surf? The OCEAN!! Over 70% of the world is water!! That is a LOT of science lab space!!
For the next two weeks, I am going to be a NOAA Teacher at Sea. NOAA stands for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA is one of the seven uniformed services of our government, whose roots stretch back to 1807 when President Thomas Jefferson established the Survey of the Coast to create nautical charts for safe navigation. Today NOAA is responsible for weather forecasting, severe weather prediction, climate monitoring and research, ocean and coastal management, deep-sea exploration, as well as data collection and dissemination. In other words, NOAA helps us live better by supporting the economy, protecting life and property, and promoting environmental stewardship.
Map of North Carolina. Raleigh is in the center. (Credit: World Atlas)
A couple of years ago, I worked in Washington, DC, to grow as an education leader. I wanted to understand how science education was being supported and how I could better prepare my students for life after high school. One of my first “field trips” was to NOAA offices in Maryland where I saw science being used to improve our quality of life.
NOAA headquarters
The picture below shows a Tide Predicting Machine that was designed by the U.S Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1895. Construction began in 1896 and was completed in 1910. The machine was used continually until 1965, when it was replaced by a computer.
Tide Predicting Machine, used until 1965
I also got to tour a NOAA “Hurricane Hunter.” These planes fly right into the eye of Hurricanes to gather important and real-time data.
Dorothy Holley in front of a Hurricane Hunter
Hurricane Hunter airplanes are modified for the mission!
The stickers on the bottom of the plane are like the stickers our football players put on their helmets each season to recognize special achievements on the field.
Real time data was collected from all of the Hurricanes listed here on the belly of the airplaneClose-up view of the stickers commemorating the storms this Hurricane Hunter surveyed
Last December, some of the other teachers at West Johnston High School and I participated in a teacher workshop on RESILIENCY. We visited a ghost forest and the second oldest federal marine laboratory in the nation. This NOAA facility in Beaufort, NC conducts scientific research to help us understand and preserve coastal environments, manage sustainable fisheries, and maintain coastal resilience.
Teachers at West Johnston High School in a ghost forest on the NC coast.
As a Teacher at Sea, I will sail on NOAA Ship Pisces to better understand and relate the jobs of the scientists and the science being used. The Teacher at Sea program was established in 1990 and has been in existence for 35 years. Teachers from all 50 states as well as four territories have logged over 20,000 days at sea, sharing thousands of blog posts, conducting more than 100,000 hours of ocean-based research, and relating countless stories of science application. To become a Teacher at Sea, I had to fill out a lengthy application (which included asking people to write letters of reference on my behalf), attend virtual training sessions, read and fill out quite a bit of paperwork, and speak with a seasoned team of NOAA specialists who are invested in helping teachers make connections for their students. Charts, maps, and calendars have been consulted, checked, and analyzed!
NOAA’s 200th Celebration Time Capsule and Geodetic Mark
One special opportunity for me as a Teacher at Sea will be to deploy a DRIFTER and for us to monitor and analyze the drifter data. The Global Drifter Program began in 1979 with over 1,000 drifters already deployed. We can make predictions about marine debris, animal larvae paths, and oil spills, and then track our drifter after it is deployed. This data will ultimately help us make more accurate weather forecasts and track storms and hurricanes.
I will share my NOAA Teacher at Sea journey here for you to read and to see. You are welcome to ask questions here on the blog and I will ask the team for help in answering them.
