Tag: UAF

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Frank Hubacz
Aboard NOAA ship Oscar Dyson
April 29 – May 11, 2013

 

Mission: Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory Mooring Deployment and Recovery

Geographical Area of Cruise: Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea

Date: May 10, 2013

Weather Data from the Bridge (0200):

W wind 10 kt. Chance of light snow.

Air Temperature 2.6C

Relative Humidity 82%

Barometer 1025.5 mb

Surface Water Temperature 4.30 C

Surface Water Salinity 32.91 PSU

Seas up to 3 ft

Science and Technology Log

As we continue to complete CTD sampling on our last full day at sea, the major change from previous days is that the depth of the Bering Sea has increased dramatically. For the past couple of days we have been riding along the 70 m depth line.  We are now casting down to 1,500 m with the ocean bottom currently at 2,298 m.

My previous blogs have focused on the instrumentation and sampling methods used on the cruise.  I would now like to introduce you to the members of the science team on board the Oscar Dyson for this cruise.

William (Bill) Floering, Chief Scientist

Education:  BS Biology, University of Washington; BS Wildlife Biology, Oregon State University.

Position/Affiliation: Chief Scientist on Cruise, Field Operations Specialist/ NOAA/PMEL/OERD (30+yrs)

Duties on cruise: Oversee the entire cruise operations, objectives, staffing, and mooring deployment.  He is constantly “on duty” and serves as liaison between ship personnel and the science team.

Data:  Data collected will be used to better understand the physical and biological properties of the ocean water in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea.  PMEL makes this data readily accessible to scientist of many disciplines to use.

Alphabetically Listed

Carol DeWitt

Education:  BS Biological Oceanography, Florida Institute of Technology

Position/Affiliation: Field Operations Specialist/PMEL/FOCI (25+yrs)

Duties on cruise: Ensures that all of  FOCI’s instruments are prepped, shipped to the Oscar Dyson prior to departure, and in working order once the cruise begins.  Join in with all other team members in helping to complete onboard operations.

Data:  Data collected will be used to better understand the physical and biological properties of the ocean water in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea.  PMEL makes this data readily accessible to scientist of many disciplines to use.

Scott McKeever

Education:  BS Atmospheric Science, University of Washington

Position/Affiliation: Research Scientist, Physical Oceanography Technician (2+ yrs)/ NOAA/PMEL/OERD

Duties on cruise: Mooring deployment and recovery along with CTD water sampling.  Join in with all other team members in helping to complete onboard operations.

Data:  Data collected will be used to better understand and monitor the physical properties of the ocean water in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea.

Kathy Mier

Education:  MS Statistics, University of Louisiana, Lafayette

Position/Affiliation: Statistician (19+ yrs)/ NOAA/Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC)

Duties on cruise: Complete CTD water sampling as well as oversee Bongo tows and preservation of tow samples.  Join in with all other team members in helping to complete onboard operations.

Data:  Some of the data collected by her group will be analyzed by scientist in Poland.  Kathy offers her statistical expertise to researchers reviewing collected data. Once data is analyzed it will be used to better understand and monitor the physical properties of the ocean water in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea.

Dan Naber

Education:  BS Geology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks

Position/Affiliation: Research, Mooring Technician (5+ yrs)/ UAF Institute of Marine Science

Duties on cruise:  Prepare various monitoring instruments for deployment on moorings.  Water sampling for nutrients, dissolved inorganic carbon, and dissolved oxygen.  Join in with all other team members in helping to complete onboard operations.

Data:  Data collected will be used to better understand and monitor the physical properties, including monitoring ocean acidification, of the ocean water in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea. 

Peter Proctor  

Education:  Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University

Position/Affiliation: Research Scientist/ Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean (JISAO), University of Washington (11+ yrs)

Duties on cruise: Oversee the operation and data collection of CTD casts.  Additionally, collect nutrient, salinity, DO samples from CTD drops. Join in with all other team members in helping to complete onboard operations.

Data:  Data collected will be used to better understand and monitor the physical properties of the ocean water in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea.  Data will also be used collaboratively in fisheries assessment within this geographical region.

Matthew Wilson

Education:  MS Fisheries, Oregon State University

Position/Affiliation: Fisheries Research Biologist (25+ yrs)/ NOAA/Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC)

Duties on cruise:  Oversee Bongo tows and preservation of tow samples as well as ensure proper collection of chlorophyll samples.  Join in with all other team members in helping to complete onboard operations.

Data:  Chlorophyll samples will be used to standardize instrumentation used on board. Once data is analyzed it will be used to better understand and monitor the physical properties of the ocean water in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea. Matt’s research in helping to better understand Pollock fisheries will soon be published in the Journal of Marine Science.

If you are interested in pursuing a career in “marine science”, broadly defined, the collective advice from the science team is as follows: let your passion for studying the Ocean be your drive; experience this field firsthand through internships and volunteer opportunities aboard cruises; diversify your studies so that you have a broad background in several disciplines; through all of these experiences make certain that you truly do have a desire to pursue this field of science.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Peter Proctor for his time, expertise, and willingness to share his knowledge of the ocean with me.  I also appreciated his patience in teaching me the techniques of CTD nutrient sampling, my “job” on the cruise. His humor and wit helped to make the downtime on our cruise enjoyable and always a learning experience.

Finally, I continue to be impressed with the leadership that Bill exhibits on board ship. His efforts ensured that valid “science” research was conducted during the cruise.  The data collected, once analyzed, will add to our knowledge base of the ocean waters of the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea.  I would like to personally thank Bill for allowing me to have the opportunity to actively work alongside the science research team on this cruise.

Personal Log

In my “science and technology” log above I introduced you to the science crew.  In this section, I would like to introduce you to someone who works very hard to keep “everybody happy” on board ship.  Frank Ford is Chief Steward aboard the Oscar Dyson for this cruise. 

Frank is an experienced chef providing us with nutritional, well balanced, food 24 hours per day.  On a ship, meals are served at specific times but everyone works different shifts and therefore is not always able to be at a serving.  Therefore, Frank needs to ensure that all of our dietary needs are met regardless of our personal work schedule. As I have indicated in previous blogs, I never went hungry. There is always a wide range of fruit, yogurt, snacks, leftovers, etc. available.  Frank also closely monitors the temperament of the crew as we eat our meals in the galley, via his open kitchen, and is always there to chat with us.  Thanks Frank for your multiple and varied menu offerings! I know that my students would be very pleased to have Frank Ford as our head chef on campus.

On this cruise I have had the opportunity to not only work with the science team but to also meet and work with members of the NOAA Officers Corp as well as the NOAA deck crew.  I have discovered that they come from a variety of backgrounds as well as from all over the United States. However, they all have in common a love for being on the open sea.  I am impressed with their candor, openness, and their professionalism.  I have made many new friends! Thank you for the opportunity to sail on your ship!

Since leaving Seward, Alaska on April 29^th, we have steamed over 2,000 nautical miles (2,300 miles) and traversed from the Gulf of Alaska (North Pacific) into the Bering Sea.   This journey has truly been a rewarding and phenomenal educational opportunity for me.  I am truly honored to have had the opportunity to be a NOAA Teacher at Sea “student” and truly hope that other teachers, from across the United States, will continue to have this opportunity.  Recognizing and understanding the role that the “Ocean” plays in the overall health of our Planet is critical.  It is imperative that we provide our students with a robust education along with an understanding and appreciation for the discipline of Ocean science research. 

Did You Know?

Seniors, not to worry , I will be back on campus to attend your graduation!