Mentors
Joe Montoya is a Professor of Biological Sciences and Director of the PhD Program in Ocean Science and Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is a biological oceanographer and biogeochemist whose research focuses on the marine nitrogen cycle and the role of nitrogen-fixation in structuring the flow of nitrogen and carbon through planktonic ecosystems. His work is highly interdisciplinary, incorporating work in plankton biology, marine chemistry, and isotope biogeochemistry both at sea and in the lab. He has worked extensively in offshore waters, as well as in coastal regions influenced by the freshwater plumes of large rivers including the Amazon, Mekong, and Mississippi. He has a strong interest in education and outreach and was a founding member of the Georgia Tech College of Sciences Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council. In 2022, he became director of the Graduate Program in Ocean Science and Engineering (OSE) at Georgia Tech.
Callan Bentley is a geological educator in Virginia. He holds the rank of Associate Professor at Piedmont Virginia Community College in Charlottesville. He is the co-author of an online Historical Geology textbook, and host of a series of YouTube videos about geology. For 13+ years, he wrote the “Mountain Beltway” blog for the American Geophysical Union. He received the 2012 Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence by the Virginia Community College System and the Biggs Award for Geoscience Teaching Excellence from the Geoscience Education Division of the Geological Society of America in 2014. The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia recognized Callan with the Outstanding Faculty Award in 2015. He was named a Fellow of the Geological Society of America in 2017. The National Association of Geoscience Teachers recognized his online outreach with the James Shea Award in 2018. Callan is a structural geologist most interested in the long-term evolution of mountain belts, including the Appalachians, Rockies, Sierra Nevada, and California Coast Ranges. He is a Past President of the Geological Society of Washington, as well as the two-year college division of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers. Callan is the current president of the Virginia Geological Field Conference.
Kris-An Hinds is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Anthropology at the University of South Florida. She holds a BA in International Studies and a Master’s in Applied Anthropology. Her research focuses on examining the adaptation and mitigation strategies used by coastal communities to increase their resilience to global climate change impacts and international environmental justice issues. As an applied environmental anthropologist, she advocates for equitable solutions that incorporate cultural heritage preservation in environmental protection. This will be her first time sailing and as a mentor on STEMSEAS. She is excited to show students how they can work with communities to strengthen civic engagement in environmental policy and enhance science communication to broader audiences.
Dr. Sandy Lucas comes to GOMO after serving for the past 12 years as the Program Manager for the Climate Variability and Predictability Program in the Climate Program Office (CPO) at NOAA. During her time at CPO, Sandy managed a broad portfolio of scientific research including ocean-atmosphere interactions, global ocean circulation, understanding the Madden-Julian Oscillation, field campaigns, and predictability of the growth and loss of Arctic sea ice. Sandy has a PhD in Atmospheric Sciences and a MS in Physical Oceanography from Stony Brook University, and a Bachelors of Science in Physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Before joining NOAA in 2008, she worked at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Her interests focus on the ocean and the Arctic’s role in climate variability and change, science policy, and the transformation of research to relevant information for society to better plan, prepare and respond to a changing climate. Sandy has a terrier-mix rescue dog named Mae and loves traveling, camping, reading, music and spending time with friends and family.
Amanda Williams is the Maritime Geographer and Marine Scientific Research (MSR) Lead in the Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Geographic Science from James Madison University and her Master of Science in Marine Science from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. This is Amanda’s first STEMSEAS cruise and she will be serving as a mentor. Amanda has prior ship-based MSR experience and she looks forward to sharing her career experiences with the students, but also learning from the students and other scientists onboard. She has a wide variety of interests, including running, cross-country cycling, gardening, and baking, and has a dog named Mya Papaya and a cat named Willow / Willowverine, who are best friends.
Students
Hello, my name is Bex Oaster. I’m entering my second year at Western Washington University where I’m studying Marine and Coastal Science and minoring in the French language. I’m originally from Denver, Colorado, and thus am very excited by any and all things to do with the ocean. In my freetime I watch ridiculous amounts of Star Wars content, read my fair share of fantasy books, play the French horn, swim when and where I can, and practice traditional beadwork.
Sam Gatuz: I am an undergrad at Stony Brook University, pursuing a degree in Marine Sciences with a concentration in Marine Ecology and Conservation. I am Filipino-American, having been born and raised in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and my parents being from Manila. This will be my first time traveling to Alaska and my first long-term stay aboard a research vessel! I look forward to being part of the Sikuliaq science team!
Hello! My name is Genavieve Pansera and I am currently entering my first year at Wellesley College after attending Community College of Beaver County. I am a Biology major with a passion for the environment and an interest in gaining valuable field work experience. I hope STEMSEAs will not only allow me to gain this valuable experience; it will also expose me to even more pathways that are available to me!
Hi! My name is Grace and I am a rising senior at Temple University studying Environmental Science with a concentration in Climate. After graduation, I plan to join the United States Coast Guard to help facilitate advancements in their environmental management department. Currently, I am working in Dr. Rebecca Beadling’s Ocean Climate Connections lab at Temple University. Under her guidance, I utilize Python to create high-resolution visualizations of wind speed across Antarctica from climate model data. I would like to thank Dr. Beadling for introducing me to the STEMSEAS program which will allow me to gain valuable field experience on a research vessel. I cannot wait to see what great opportunities StemSeas holds for me in Alaska! In my free time, I like to skate, sew, scrapbook, and read.
Hi! My name is Malva Wieck and I’m a senior Environmental Studies major at Amherst College. I’ve always had a love of the outdoors, and knew I wanted a degree that holistically covered a little bit of everything earth-related. Now, I’m hoping to narrow down my focus to what I’d like to specialize in; both for further education, and future career. I am so excited to participate in a STEMSEAS expedition, as I’ve never had the opportunity to conduct research while sailing! I look forward to meeting everyone and learning throughout this experience.”
Mara Cox is an undergraduate geology student. She earned an AS in Science in May 2024 from Piedmont Virginia Community College in Charlottesville, Virginia, where she was immersed full time in geology for the previous three years. In Fall 2024, she will matriculate at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, pursuing a BS in Geology. Her long-term goal is to inspire students as a community college geology professor. Mara’s field experience includes Shenandoah National Park, Death Valley and Owens Valley in California, the Mojave Desert, and Costa Rica.In 2023, Mara completed an internship at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and NASA where she performed mineral analysis on lunar regolith samples from the Apollo missions. Much of her independent research has been focused on breccia, including landscape-scale sturzstroms and tiny microbreccias from the surface of the Moon. In Fall 2023, she completed an independent research project about the formation of unusual fault breccias in Cambrian sandstones in Virginia. A major legacy at PVCC was founding and developing the college’s Geology Club. It is currently the largest and most active club on the campus and engages in hikes, outreach, educational talks, and more. Mara is the recipient of the PVCC Community Service Award (2023) and the Geology Club leadership award (also 2023). In her spare time, Mara enjoys jogging, hiking, and crocheting.
Hello, my name is Michelle Melancon and I’m a student at Delgado Community College in New Orleans, Louisiana . I am working towards an Associate degree in Science. What brings me to STEMSEAS is the hopes of narrowing down the specifics of my career path. Some of my passions are topics in Geology, Environmental Science, and Coastal Studies. However, every since I was a small child I have been a fan of all Sciences. I am grateful for this opportunity and hope to take away some hands on experience dealing with Scientific Research and the technology they use to collect data. My ultimate goal is to see if this is something I can see myself doing and I will be using this experience to guide future academic choices. I have never been to a region with this type of climate so this is a huge opportunity to to explore factors on the opposite side of the spectrum. Lastly, I would like to thank STEMSEAS and the NSF for making this opportunity possible. I am truly grateful for this experience, thanks to all that’s affiliated.
Greetings, my name is Bryan Rosier, a third year Pre-Mechanical engineering major hailing from the oh so live, 305, Miami FL. A fun fact about is that I am a member of the me Incomparable Marching “100”. Some of my hobbies include roller skating, swimming, and playing various instruments like the flute, piccolo, and piano. I am elated to have been chosen as a STEMSEAS student! I’ve always had a fascination with the ocean and its vast mysteries. This trip will potentially open up a new world of possibilities I never knew existed. This will be my first time traveling to Alaska and my first long-term stay aboard a research vessel! I look forward to being part of the Sikuliaq science team!
Hello, my name is Jules Drummer. I am an undergraduate student at Fullerton College, currently preparing for transfer to a four-year institution. My areas of study include marine phycology and ichthyology; I ultimately hope to become involved in research initiatives surrounding such topics. Having lived in California for my entire life, I’ve always had a profound fascination with the ocean. Aside from my scientific career aspirations, I spend lots of time producing multimedia artworks centered around thematic explorations of existentialism, eco-horror, biopolitics, and misanthropy. In my leisure time, I like to read, solo-travel, drink coffee, and SCUBA dive. Admittedly, what lies ahead– in terms of my career– still feels quite hazy since I’m only at the beginning of my journey. However, I hope that the skills I gain during this invaluable experience at sea help me to refine my plans for the future.
Hello, I’m N. A. Tobias from northern California! I am a rising sophomore animation student at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. I am interested in exploring the ways in which the arts and STEM overlap. I have always been fascinated by the ocean and its many wonders, so I thought exploring ocean sciences would be a good place to start. I have created multiple short films, and this experience taught me exploring a variety of aspects of life will help me create richer works. My hope is this will, in turn, encourage those who see my films to become curious, explore unfamiliar aspects of life, and gain a better appreciation for the world. I am hoping STEMSEAS will help me learn more about what opportunities exist in the overlap between the arts and STEM. In my free time I like to make experimental music, read, look at pictures of cool fish, and come up with increasingly silly nicknames for my cats.
My name is Isabel M. Martínez-Farrington. I am a coastal marine biologist, graduated from the University of Puerto Rico at Humacao. I have a passion for education and conservation, and a goal to specialize in phycology, the study of algae. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, I grew up volunteering with conservation organizations and quickly identified a love for marine sciences. During my college career, I had the opportunity to intern at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS), where my first experience with research took place. With the STEMSEAS program, I look forward to further this research experience and determine a clearer professional path. In my free time, I enjoy partaking in the arts, everything from painting to music. I strongly believe in the power of the arts to transform lives and contribute to the development of STEAM and science communication. Looking ahead, I aim to delve deeper into the fields of marine sciences, constantly seeking new ways to innovate and contribute to my community.
Hello! My name is Adrián Martínez and I study Biochemistry at Scottsdale Community College. I have a passion for two things, acquiring knowledge and sharing it. I spend my time involving myself in different activities and participating in research projects. In the past years, I have worked on analyzing the epigenetic regulation on a gene complex on the fruit fly and measuring toxin concentrations in the desert milkweed. I also work as a math tutor on campus, and mentor high school students for the Chemistry Olympiad. After graduating, I plan to do research in the field of genetics. I am very excited for the experience that STEMSEAS is offering us, and I am hoping to learn new skills and gain experience that will help me in my path towards the future.
