There’s a particular kind of bittersweetness that accompanies the end of an adventure. As I look back on this journey, there’s a sense of accomplishment that mingles with the faint melancholy of parting ways. It’s strange how the closer you get to the end, the more you start to cherish each remaining moment, knowing that […]
Going Beyond Disciplinary Bounds on the High Sea (SKQ2024-11T)
Throughout our voyage, connectivity and collaboration have been common themes. On a social level, we have experienced the interconnectivity between twelve students and five mentors who may have never met otherwise. On a professional and academic level, we have discussed the importance of making connections with professionals in our field. Our mentors come from unique […]
A Time to Remember (SKQ2024-11T)
Dearest Gentle Reader, Today, August 3rd, 2024, marks about 6 days that my fellow STEMSEAS scholars and I have been out and sea, and the experience thus far has been nothing short of amazing. Being from the Sunshine State, Florida, and having never traveled so far northwest or anywhere this far for that matter, this […]
Reflections from Jules (SKQ2024-11T)
Caught in the fray of a full-blown identity crisis– the stage of which had been set by sweltering California heat and unbearable amounts of G.E. summer classes’ busywork– I had very few expectations as I hopped on an early-morning flight after yet another sleepless night spent packing bags at the very last minute. When I arrived in […]
Rollercoaster Ride (SKQ2024-11T)
Dearest Reader, I’m usually a fan of roller coasters–your hair getting swept across your face, the inevitable adrenaline rush when you see the first big drop–but I was certainly not on the morning of July 31st, 2024. I wasn’t actually on a roller coaster, rather, I was lying in my stateroom (boat talk for bedroom), feeling […]
The Greatest Thing You’ll Ever Learn (SKQ20024-11T)
It’s currently about 700 miles to Nome. We’ve got a fully stocked boat, a half charged portable battery pack, it’s never dark, and there’s rain on my glasses. Hit it. To those of you lovely readers out there who get that reference, I tip my hat to you. That fact combined with the fact that […]
Interview with Amanda Williams, Maritime Geographer & Marine Scientific Research Lead (SKQ2024-11T)
Interviewer: Genavieve Pansera Cruise: Sikuliaq Interviewee: Amanda Williams Q1) Where were you born? A: Alexandria, Virginia – I grew up in a suburban neighborhood outside of Washington, DC and spent time boating with my parents and sister. I fostered a love for the ocean that way because we would always go to the ocean and […]
The Spirit of Science (SKQ2024-11T)
Imagine you are an old person. You sit in your yard, drinking a warm cup of coffee as you see the sunrise. As the first rays of sunlight illuminate your home, you reflect on everything that you have gone through: every single choice that made you the person you are today. Those were the good old […]
My STEMSEAS Experience – Sam Gatuz (SKQ2024-11T)
Dear Reader, It’s hard to imagine that the past three days have been a reality; much less that they truly were only three short days. In this stretched time, I’ve questioned my surroundings more times than I ever had before. Often, I ask myself whether there is a miscommunication between my eyes and my mind. […]
Reflections from Grace (SKQ2024-11T)
July 31, 2024 Dear reader, I am currently writing this blog post a day later than I was supposed to write it. I have been bedridden for the last 18 hours. We departed from Seward at 08:00 sharp on July 30, 2024, so swiftly that I could barely tell we were even moving. I was […]
