Hey everyone! It’s RaeNeice, your captain for the Day 1 takeover of our epic expedition! Let me tell you, our adventure really kicked off a few days ago in sunny Waikiki. We gathered for a delightful dinner at ShoreFyre Fresh Grill, and after a scrumptious meal, we strolled through the vibrant streets of Waikiki, made […]
A Journey of Discovery: The Final Day of the HBCU Faculty STEMSEAS Expedition
Today, March 23, 2025, marks the final day of our sea expedition. We began the morning by tidying up our rooms and preparing for disembarkation. At 9:30, everyone gathered at the bow for a group photo. Despite the chilly weather, everyone was in high spirits, excited to capture the moment. Around 10:30, our ship began […]
Mar 22, 2025. What a wonderful day!
Ah, what better way to begin than with a triumphant stack of blueberry pancakes aboard the illustrious R/V Neil Armstrong? By 8:30 a.m., the day had already flexed its muscles as the final of three moorings joined its comrades on deck. There they sat, seven golden orbs glistening in the sunlight, like pearls plucked from […]
Ocean sciences, engineering, and coding – oh my!
Friday, March 21, 2025 We knew today would be a big day, but we weren’t sure what to expect. The sky was cold and gloomy, and the waters had turned from bright and deep blue to navy, almost grey. It was clear we were no longer in the Gulf Stream and much closer to Florida […]
March 20, 2025
Today was a very busy day on the R/V Neil Armstrong! Our morning was spent retrieving and casting data collecting instruments. First, we searched for and collected two CPIES. These are inverted echo sounders (IES) that have the ability to monitor bottom-pressure and current. These tools help scientists better understand the physical changes of the […]
19 March Part 2
After a delicious lunch, which I feel like I would be doing my trip a disservice by not mentioning how incredible the food is onboard, we met with the chief engineer who showed talked to us about being an engineer aboard a vessel and also showed us the engine room. Once again, this was something […]
19 March 2025 part 1
I am Becky Noel MacKay, an assistant professor of biology at Fort Valley State University. I was chosen to be a part of the STEMSEAS cruise aboard the R/V Neil Armstrong voyage AR 86-07, which is really a transit from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Coming into the program, I had been aboard […]
AR-86-07 Oceanography training at sea
STEMSEAS Blog (3/18/2025) – AR86-07 – Eric Lewallen Today, aboard the R/V Neil Armstrong, the STEMSEAS participants engaged in a series of educational activities designed to increase awareness and understanding of how oceanographic data are collected, analyzed and interpreted. To begin, we attended a seminar about the types of data that can be collected from […]
Monday March 17, 2025 And so it begins…
“¡el mar amado, el mar apetecido, el mar, el mar y no pensar en nada!…” (¡the beloved sea, the desired sea, the sea, the sea, and to think of nothing!…) (Manuel Machado: Ocaso) It has been many years since I set foot on a research vessel to do blue water work, but here I am […]
Embarking on a STEMSEAS Adventure Aboard the R/V Neil Armstrong
On March 15, 2025, a group of excited HBCU faculty, scientific researchers, and research assistants from all over the U.S. arrived in Fort Lauderdale, FL, ready to embark on a unique scientific journey. After an overnight stay at a local hotel, we boarded the impressive R/V Neil Armstrong on March 16, eager to begin our […]
