by Over the week at sea we were able to see the constant coordination and teamwork that go into running a research vessel and science expedition. Without a doubt those who live on the ship have created a culture that is lively, comfortable, and open which was very clear to us from day one. They work as a team and live as a family and are still excited to have us on board and share their lives with us. We all left the boat with mountains of knowledge just from the daily interactions. In addition to that, the marine techs, chief scientist, captain, crew, mates, engineers, and everyone in between took intentional time to do projects with us, show us the ropes, and tell their life stories. The balance of hard work and laughter was amazing to see and, as many of us discussed, hard to find in any job. At the end of the trip we had a moment to gather as a group and had quite an emotional discussion as the trip came to an end. Our instructor had been informed that the chief scientist wrote to the program about the hope, renewal, and respect that the students brought to the cruise. Working in the sciences is hard due to the bleakness of what we’re trying to do for climate change and restoring our natural world. The science crew felt the hope, energy, and fight from the students giving them a time to feel refreshed before going into a month out on the ocean. The week on board had many moments of connection and pushed us to dig into where we are headed with our lives and why. It gave us opportunities to see many careers and the wild life that can be lived at sea and around the world. Without a doubt everyone left the boat changed and ready for their next steps into science and applying what we gained from this experience to our everyday lives.
Just a few highlights of the week:
Devin Duvall (Seattle Central College)
