The Ocean’s Many Gifts

When I first found this program, I never imagined myself here. I couldn’t foresee the deeply impactful and inspiring events to come. At the time that I applied, I felt adrift. I had little to no confidence in myself or what I could give to science, I questioned if there was even space for people like me in STEM, and whatever space there was I was sure that I wasn’t worthy of it. Finding my niche has been a long and tangential journey. Growing up with ADHD, and being generally misunderstood by my instructors, meant that I was often made to feel less than; less intelligent, less worthy, less potential for success. But the moment that I stepped onto the R/V Sally Ride, this was all washed away with the waves. Little did I know that this moment was just the very beginning of something so wonderful it is almost beyond words…

The August 2022 STEMSEAS group on the gangway of the R/V Sally Ride, preparing to sail out of Seattle.

The following is a quote from a journal entry about my first day at sea, “Every second that I spend on the Sally Ride feels like the peak of my life until that moment ends and the next begins. And this is just the beginning.” I am pleased to say that this sentiment remained true throughout our voyage. Every day I was learning and experiencing something new and exciting. Finding my sea legs was a struggle at first and sleeping on the top bunk is a bit more complicated at sea. But conquering each thing was a triumphant milestone! Every first that I experienced felt like a new gift the waves had brought me.

I’m not even sure where to begin with the marine life! Going into this experience my expectations were low, if I kind of maybe saw a whale out in the distance, I was going to be happy.  So to see a huge pod of whales swim right past us, on the first day, blew my expectations right out of the water. It didn’t stop there, from jellyfish to otters, seals to sea lions, dolphins to plankton, and even a tiny octopus larva, the marine life we saw was endless and beyond anything I could have previously imagined. It shouldn’t be a shock that my expectations for my next excursion are infinitely higher. By far the best sighting happened under the clearest night sky I’ve ever seen, with the milky way stretching over the infinite horizon, bioluminescence littered the water as if the sea and sky were one. I’ve never seen anything like it, it lit something inside me, a new curiosity to be explored. The night that we first saw it, Melanie and I collected plankton from the sea water hose in the lab to look through the following morning. That began a pattern of late nights spent looking down from the bow and long days spent looking down through a microscope. The following night we were blessed with an even greater gift, dolphins leapt and glided through the bioluminescent water, leaving trails of light behind them. It was almost like a dream, one that I never wanted to wake up from.

As I mentioned before, I have often questioned my journey through science, I have felt like my path was uncommon and abnormal. Everyone I knew had relatively straightforward paths, with few detours, obstacles, or dead ends. So, by far one of the more impactful aspects of this trip was to hear from the instructors and crew members about their own journeys full of unexpected destinations, detours, obstacles, etc. I even felt validated by the stories of my peers. To see that the people who inspire me, have been where I am now, some with similar doubts and worries, was the greatest relief. It was just what I needed to hear in order to refuel myself and continue down this path I’ve started. Similarly, hearing about what career paths are available to me helped me to broaden my ideas of what I could accomplish in my future career and how. Science communication in particular was of great interest to me, and it is something that I think everyone in STEM should have a proficient understanding of. Sara ElShafie’s way of using these concepts of storytelling to communicate science was world expanding for me. Not just for how I plan to communicate science to the general public, but for how I communicate to my friends and family, many of which have limited understanding of my field. Sara ElShafie’s work inspires me in many ways to be a better scientist and science communicator. I am certain I will use this knowledge, as well as everything that I have learned on this cruise, in my future career. Each instructor brought many things to the table, I learned such a wide array of concepts from each of them, and the ship made the best classroom.

In short terms, this week was life-changing. It reaffirmed my passion for science, it revived a childlike wonder for the curiosities of the world, it provided me with the opportunity to explore new interests, it connected me to so many amazing people; I learned about oceanic systems, marine life, how to communicate to a variety of audiences, and how to find myself when I’m feeling adrift. I am beyond grateful for each moment I spent on board and for each person that I had the privilege to spend them with.

– Alexis Watkins

Reflecting on My Time on the R/V Sally Ride

Monday, August 22, 2022

Wow, where do I start… This past week and a half have been one of the most fun and enriching experiences I have ever had. Middle school Ahmad would be hopefully proud of his older self and be jumping for joy. I have loved the ocean and marine life for as long as I can remember. So, when I had the opportunity to go on a research vessel and sail along the Pacific Coast, my obvious answer was yes. We had pre-cruise zoom meetings, multiple documents explaining the trip, and watched numerous videos about the R/V Sally Ride. However, I still didn’t really know what to expect when I got on the ship. People can tell you what it’s like to live on a ship, however it doesn’t compare to being on a ship. The constant swaying of the boat, camaraderie between the crew, and the cool science instruments can only be truly experienced in person.

My first time feeling like a real scientist.

Throughout the trip I experienced a series of “firsts”, which is one of two themes that stuck with me after the trip. When you are put into a new situation and environment, you are most likely going to have first time experiences. Some of my firsts were my first-time seeing whales in the wild, first-time seeing bioluminescence, first-time seeing the Milky Way, first-time using a drill, first-time living on a boat for a week, and many more. These were some things I have always wanted to see and experience in person. It was so amazing to have all these firsts happen within a week. I saw things that some people will never see, and I am truly grateful to have the privilege to witness these amazing spectacles. This has encouraged me to seek discomfort more and strive to do new things as much as possible. I shouldn’t think that something is out of reach or not possible. When I do more out of the ordinary things, I can experience more firsts. I can’t have these magical moments if I stick to the status quo and stay in my safe bubble of familiarity.

I am looking out into the ocean from the winch (crane) control room.

The second theme that stuck with me is the overall theme of this STEMSEAS cruise, which is science communication. Before this cruise, I never truly paid attention to the way scientists communicate and never understood how integral it is while building a relationship with other scientists and the public. Scientists spend several years, sometimes decades, researching their topic of interest. They’ve gained an understanding of their research and can spit out facts for days about it. However, all that hard work goes to waste if they can’t effectively communicate their ideas to other people. Maybe they can communicate their thoughts to other scientists who are researching similar subjects, but that’s not very productive. The ideas are being shared among people who already understand your research and know why it’s important. The real challenge is communicating what you’re researching and why it’s important to an audience who is less knowledgeable about your research topic.

One of my instructors on the cruise and new friend, Dr. Sara ElShafie, is fortunately an expert on this very subject. Throughout the cruise, Dr. ElShafie taught us numerous ways to effectively communicate to different audiences. One of my favorite things I learned was that there is an entire spectrum of learning types. There are low context learners who focus on the details and the overall goal of what they’re learning. There are also high context learners who need hands-on learning and need to learn the process of how something works. There are also learners who need both and are in between. There is an entire spectrum of learners, which means there must be a multi-context approach to teaching new ideas to diverse audiences. Understanding this concept makes you a better communicator and overall, a better scientist. I believe this was an excellent aspect of science to learn and will allow me to better communicate science to the public.

Azrael, Brontë, and I using our new science communication skills while presenting our research project.

STEMSEAS gave me the opportunity to live out my wildest dreams and melt my little marine biologist heart. I was able to see beautiful megafauna and other types of marine life. I was able to use cool science instruments like a CTD, plankton tows, secchi disks, and even saw some Argo floats get launched. However, the most meaningful aspect of the trip was the people I met and the relationships I built. My network has expanded greatly and the opportunity for collaboration with my new peers is exciting. I can’t wait to see what waits for us in the future.

Our amazing group looking really cool under the A-frame.

– Ahmad Crawford

Happier than ever

Saturday, August 20, 2022

It was a few days into the trip and I had barely talked to anyone back at home. The days are so fast and exciting that before you know it, you’re settling into bed again in preparation for the long day ahead. I was standing on the stern of the ship when I tried to call my mom. Thankfully she picked up! 

I hadn’t realized how much I had missed talking to her until I heard her voice. I told her all about our trip thus far. About the dolphins we had seen, the huge pod of whales, the otter, and the albacore the crew caught. Most importantly I told her about our STEMSEAS group. 

Everyone in our group is so amazing, so individually astounding. They each shine from within, their passion for marine science and their particular subjects evident in all that they do. Each person in the group made me feel so welcome and genuinely appreciated. I have never had the fortune of meeting so many like minded people before. 

I have been prone to homesickness my entire life. Yet, standing there on the stern of the R/V Sally Ride looking out at the water, I felt like it was exactly where I was meant to be. I couldn’t help but cry, it’s an emotional thing to realize that your childhood dreams and hopes are still alive. Finally, having proof that chasing those dreams all this time had been the right choice. To know, without a doubt that I was the happiest I had ever been. I had never been more comforted than I was at that moment.

The R/V Sally Ride and the STEMSEAS group on board were exactly what I needed in my life. This voyage was just the beginning. The beautiful start to a life devoted to STEM that I’ve wanted since I can remember. I can never thank the crew of the R/V Sally Ride or the STEMSEAS group enough for this opportunity. You all made me happier than I thought possible, and I’ll never forget it.

– Melanie McCoy

The August 2022 STEMSEAS cohort!

Taking the route less sailed

Saturday, August 20, 2022

The day began with cloudy skies, in conjunction with the impending storm forecast to approach from the north. Over a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, pancakes and fresh fruit, Captain Cameron informed us that the storm actually dissipated somewhat along our ship track, and that the anticipated 10-foot swells were luckily no longer expected. 

Another day of great breakfast from our cooks, featuring Keisha and her full plate!

Instead, the strong northerly winds provided a powerful tailwind boost, allowing the Captain to pull back on the throttle, thereby burning less gas, all the while maintaining the same speed.

I washed down the last of my breakfast with a delicious piña colada smoothie, and we headed off to the lab to listen to a presentation by one of our instructors, José Cuevas. The entire day revolved around the stories of the career paths of those around us, and José began by explaining the tough choices that shaped his educational background and the details regarding his work collecting ichthyoliths (fossilized fish parts) on the JOIDES Resolution, another research vessel in the UNOLS (University National Oceanographic Laboratory System) fleet. He expressed his trials and tribulations during his time in the American education system and normalized transitioning between careers as interests and opportunities change.

Jose pointing out the ARGO float network, a collection of underwater drones that take oceanic measurements. 

Following a great lunch of fresh-caught tuna, pulled pork, and fried chicken sandwiches, we had a round-table discussion with the two ResTechs (Research Techs) onboard the Sally Ride—Ian and Josh. As ResTechs, their jobs revolve around maintaining and operating equipment involved in deploying and recovering scientific instruments used for research. They explained their fascinating career paths and the winding roads they took to arrive to their current occupations as ResTechs. Ian was born in Minnesota and got his start on the ocean after college when he took a job on a whim maintaining dive boats in Florida. Josh graduated with a degree in biology and a concentration in marine science and secured several marine/hydrological research internships before making his way on full-time ship expeditions.

Listening to Ian and Josh’s nonlinear career paths in the lab.

We took a quick ice cream break (which we do daily here on the Sally Ride!) and Kristen spotted some whales off the fantail in the distance on the horizon line. Large pieces of kelp floated by—fragments of the giant kelp forests that proliferate along the Santa Barbara Basin. A small silver fish jumped aboard the fantail, discovered by Azrael, upon which Melanie and Alexis brought in the specimen for later research.

Excited Melanie and Alexis holding their fish find!

We then sat down for talk by Dr. Sara ElShafie, another of our instructors, about her captivating career path. She began with an initial innate attraction to marine science, volunteering at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago through her early years, and later conducted several citizen science surveys of the California coasts. But her interests shifted as she volunteered to clean fossils for a professor, realizing her love for paleontology. I had never thought about the study in such vibrant terms, but in her words, paleontology requires a combination of science to understand what organisms one has found and the imagination to reconstruct ancient worlds in which these organisms roamed. To avoid the saturated focus on the study of dinosaurs, she dove into herpetology—the study of reptiles and amphibians. Sara gave us a crash course of her intriguing dissertation results regarding the effects of climate change on reptiles over time. She additionally discussed her Science Through Story initiative on science communication training—its origins, its partnerships, its associated events, and its short future ahead as she ends the self-employed chapter in her life and moves on to a full-time job with Weber Shandwick.

Us sitting in the lab fascinated by Sara’s research about ancient reptiles and climate. 

After Sara’s lecture, we enjoyed a wonderful outdoor dinner of tender and juicy swordfish alongside spinach salad with green apples, feta cheese, red onions, and a honey lemon vinaigrette, and a scoop of fresh-steamed broccoli and carrots. 

Dinner on the fantail with a great view of the sea.

Kristen and Melanie spotted some sea lions swimming comically on the starboard side of the boat sporadically popping their heads out of the rolling waves. We also unfortunately saw a deceased whale calf in the water. We paid our respects to it as it floated by.

A sad sight of the deceased whale calf.

We debriefed following dinner, reflecting on our STEMSEAS experience over the past 5 days. A highlight for many of us was catching just a glimpse of the myriad of careers—most that many of us were previously unaware of—that exist in the marine realm. The sighting of the lifeless calf reinforced a common theme that we had been enveloped in all day: our lives are so precious and fleeting that we have to ensure that we spend it doing what makes us happy, and unapologetically alter our life tracks if that entity fluctuates over time.

Lastly, we ended the night listening to Beyoncé while preparing our decorated Styrofoam cups for their journey on their descent with the CTD (Conductivity Temperature Depth) enclosure the following morning. As they plummet to depths of thousands of feet, the intense pressure at these deep levels of the ocean cause them to shrink and shrivel to nearly a quarter of their size. I am excited to see what my octopus will end up turning into!

My Styrofoam cup octopus! 

STEMSEAS has been an incredible experience: I have been immersed in life at sea and have learned so much about marine science and science communication in such a short span of time, together with wonderful people. I am endlessly grateful for this opportunity as an augmentation to my Rutgers meteorology education!

– Jeremy Lewan

Behind the scenes on the R/V Sally Ride

Friday, August 19, 2022

Today we spent the morning learning more about the R/V Sally Ride by touring the bridge, the server room, and the science gear room. I’ve really enjoyed seeing the ship behind-the-scenes, and the crew have been super welcoming and helpful in their tours and descriptions of machinery and job roles.

Up on the bridge, Captain Cameron showed us the array of ship system controls, radar and charts, the steering system, and the dynamic positioning system. This ship uses a unique adjustable forward propeller that can hold the ship in a precise position for science operations such as CTD (conductivity, temperature, and depth) deployments and plankton net tows. In addition to the ship controls, Cameron also described his career path from a lifeguard all the way to ship captain.

Captain Cameron answers our questions about plotting course and steering the ship.

Next, we toured the server room, bathymetry, and data collection station with the IT specialist, Jeff. His station consists of an enormous array of 15 monitors that, among other things, show real-time fluorescence, the ship’s position, camera feeds, radar, and a bathymetry feed that visualizes the sea floor topography under the ship. The data are continuously collected by the ship, saved, and available for researchers to use in their projects.

IT specialist Jeff’s dizzying array of monitors for data collection.

Our last tour of the day was led by the Restech (Research Tech), Ian, who brought us to the science gear room, which holds a variety of tools related to the winch (for deploying science gear), extra CTD bottles and gear, one of many firefighting gear caches, oil spill response gear, and a collection of wooden plugs in case of an emergency hull breach. We finished out the morning by learning, practicing, and racing to tie knots such as the bowline.

Ship operations require crew members to perform multiple duties – such as standing watch on the bridge, firefighting, repairing and maintaining machinery and gear, and supporting the science team on board. Many thanks to the R/V Sally Ride crew!

– Azrael Wilson

Ride

Thursday, August 18, 2022

One of the most surprising items to find on board the R/V Sally Ride is a picture of two older women standing relatively close to each other with smiles on their faces. The image, located on the bulkhead of the Aft Stairtower, gives no context to who they are, why they are memorialized on this ship or when the photo was taken. As you move into the galley, a small case contains an image of Dr. Sally Ride in her uniform and another features President Barack Obama with his arm around Dr. Tam O’Shaughnessy when she accepted the Presidential Medal of Freedom on behalf of her partner. A book co-written by the women is positioned in front of the case, and when flipping through the pages you can sense the mutual interest of the pair in promoting environmental stewardship and science education.

In preparing for this journey, I wanted to know who Dr. Ride was. What I never expected to find was a podcast episode called, ‘Loving Sally Ride.’ In fifteen minutes, Dr. Tam O’Shaughnessy tells the listener about her life as Sally Ride’s partner. She outlines their one tennis match as children, how they navigated Dr. Ride’s career at NASA, their long distance relationship, Dr. Ride’s cancer diagnosis and how she became the sponsor of the ship. In 2001, they established Sally Ride Science to help encourage young people to pursue education in the sciences, and for this purpose, they stayed closeted. After Dr. Ride passed, the world found out about their twenty-seven year old partnership. At the end of the podcast, Dr. Tam O’Shaughnessy talks about how she wished Sally Ride could’ve lived to see society and science start to become more accepting.

When I left Texas, the last thing I expected to find was a group of people who live freely as themselves. Many members of the science crew represent different communities from across the United States. Each of us came here with different expectations for what six days at sea would mean. For me, the journey on board the R/V Sally Ride has been one of the most honest and accepting experiences I’ve had as a member of a scientific community. There have been a few moments when I’ve wished Sally Ride could have been here with us, but it’s comforting to imagine how happy she would’ve been to see a group of young scientists deploying Argo Floats, seeing the Milky Way Galaxy for the first time and freaking out over bioluminescent dolphins swimming at the bow of her ship in the middle of the night. Our purpose aboard this vessel serves as a reminder that we are a part of the vision Sally Ride had for science, and because of her, we are also the next generation of science advocates and leaders.

– Brontë Heerdink

Feeling unexpectedly at home

Thursday, August 18, 2022

Today is August 18^th, 2022, and our third day sailing aboard the research vessel R/V Sally Ride. It is a completely new experience to be on a research vessel. The whole experience has been quite a learning experience for me. You have to relearn how to walk with the boat rocking, be extra careful with science equipment, and be patient with your body getting used to it. I am finally beginning to walk confidently while the ship is rolling from side to side. I have been able to avoid sea sickness so far with Dramamine and being outside. A good tip is to look at the horizon so you can see the ship moving. It helps reorient yourself for the constantly moving vessel. 

Today we started collecting data. We sent off the CTD which collects data about the water as it travels to the bottom of the ocean. The deepest ours went today was about 3030m. I learned about the CTD in my marine science classes at Coastal Carolina University, but I have not been able to work with one until now. Another instrument we used was a plankton net. The net was towed at a depth of 100m. We picked that point since we saw a peak of oxygen around 100m from the CTD sensors as it was lowered. The peak of oxygen indicates that photosynthesis is occurring which is most likely from phytoplankton. 

The CTD getting set up to be lowered into the ocean. CTD stands for conductivity, temperature, and depth since it is able to measure these properties in the water. Water samples are collected inside the grey tubes and can be taken at different depths. 

As I am writing this, my fellow STEM SEAS members are identifying the organisms we caught. They were able to find phytoplankton, tunicates, and many more to identify. Everyone, including me, has been excited collecting data. I have just been informed that there are dolphins off the portside!! We believe they are common dolphins. 

Dolphins off portside of the Sally Ride.

The research vessel we are on is named after the famous astronaut Sally Ride. You can learn more about Sally Ride around the ship. There are pictures in the stairways and information posters in the mess hall. There is one picture that particularly speaks to me. There is a picture of Sally Ride and her partner. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, spending a week on a ship with people I met over zoom and crew I did not know was a bit scary. I did not know the type of atmosphere that would be created when everyone came together. I am glad that there is nothing to worry about. Everyone has been kind and respectful. The ship being named after a queer woman and not hiding that history made me feel more comfortable. It is refreshing to have the stereotype of sailors not be fulfilled. The captain is young and the crew is diverse as well as the science party. It truly feels like the next generation of scientists and sailors will be more diverse than the past. 

A picture of Dr. Sally Ride and her partner Dr. Tam O’Shaughnessy in the stairway of the R/V Sally Ride.

– Finn Gillette

Perspective Shift

Wednesday, August 17, 2022

Fog is deceptive. It descended on the R/V Sally Ride as we moved from Puget Sound to the open Pacific. Our world was compacted to a small circle of visible water and the echo of the foghorn in the yellow clouds. As we stood on deck, tracing the skyline for a sliver of sunset, my eyes wandered upward and found a fog ceiling above us. We were surrounded, isolated, and blind. Fog is deceptive; it makes you lose perspective. The longer I’m at sea, the more it strikes me that everyday life can be like that fog: deceptive.

Jeff, one of the ship techs on board the Sally Ride, chuckled to himself as he gestured to the wide surface of the ocean, laughing gruffly that being out here on the water really gives you perspective. He commented that all the little things that clog daily life, things like cars, local politics, petty drama, the hunt for the shiniest, newest thing… here, all of it feels so unnecessary. All the things that fog your perspective melt away on the water. 

That shift in perspective covers more than just material things, it touches on the differences between people as well. Research vessels attract people from varied walks of life; men from the navy, from the ship academies, from tech-centered jobs, to all around academics. Our collective goal, to maintain a vessel to produce scientific data, melts the fog. It melts the deceptive ‘importance’ of the little things that fog and isolate us; regardless of backgrounds on the Sally Ride, there stands a mutual respect and focus on the task at hand.

Today, just after crossing the boundary from Washington to Oregon, the fog has cleared and there’s a little light on the water. It stands for me as another reminder that science gives us the opportunity to brave through the fog in search of a new perspective. 

– Cameron Stacey

Gratitude

Tuesday, August 16, 2022

Today was our first official day out at sea. I feel both excited to be here and nervous about seasickness. So far, I’ve managed to escape feeling sick. I owe this to a good combination of ginger, hydration, and plenty of time outside. 

The ship’s crew have taught us an incredible amount about sailing so far. One of my favorite things was learning about the safety procedures during an abandon ship call. When this happens, the crew meets at an assigned station by a raft with a vest and “Gumby” suit (in reference to the Claymation character because the suits made us look like Gumby). We all had to practice putting this on today – it felt a lot like an oversized scuba suit. Although easy to slip in, I hope I never have to wear one again. 

The afternoon was probably the most incredible part of the day. There were dozens of whales around the ship swimming in different pods. A sailor on board said they were likely Humpback Whales. Jose, one of our instructors, thought they were Minke Whales. The experience was incredible, I’ve never been whale watching before and am glad to have been treated with such an amazing first experience. It’s moments like these that remind me of the blessings the Earth grants us. 

I feel small being on this ship. The vastness of the Ocean has me in complete awe. It’s a reminder of how small of a role I play in Nature. However, I’m ever grateful to be part of it, and hope to continue discovering natural beauty in experiences like this one. 

– Mariana Lie

Prelude to life at sea

Monday, August 15, 2022

The day began with my 8:30am alarm going off on the night stand next to my bed. I got up, showered, prepared for the day and headed to breakfast. Being in downtown Seattle at 9am was a refreshing yet intriguing experience. Took a cool walk to the Public Market Center while observing the people of Seattle along the way. I stopped for breakfast at Lowell’s restaurant. They had great service, great views and the food was 10/10. After breakfast the real work began, well slightly. 

Our group of 11 split up into 4 smaller groups to conduct field research. The goal of our experiment was to find the minimum and maximum values of atmospheric pressure,wind speed and temperature within the Seattle area using the pocket lab and a ananometer.

Photo of the anemometer measuring wind speed at Pier 52 in Seattle.

My team set out on our experiment. We had a Navy Veteran, a Marine Science student and myself, a Computer Science student. We took the same walk I took earlier for breakfast and headed to the Public Market. On our way to the Public Market we recorded a high wind speed of 6.8mph and a low atmospheric pressure of 101.1. Our journey continued mostly with us chatting, getting to know each other and stopping to take readings along the way. In our conversations I learnt a lot about Pier Safety Ratings from the Navy Veteran and heard about his interesting experiences serving this country. After successfully measuring the experiment we got lunch from the public market, then headed back to join the larger group. It was very exciting to hear the results of the other groups and the cool locations they checked for values. One group even saw a Rat Fish near the water which was the highlight of their day. 

Later that day the entire group got loaded up into four cars and headed to our home for the next few days, R/V Sally Ride. As a post pandemic world would have it, we all had to swab our nostrils before boarding the ship. We met the captain briefly when he handed us a box of home covid tests. After testing, we all sat or stood outside the ship anxiously awaiting our test results. I took my focus off the test and turned my anxiety into awe by placing my attention on the exterior of the ships in port. Behind Sally Ride was by far the biggest cruise ship I’ve seen in my life – the Quantum of the Seas. This gigantic ship almost seemed like a floating apartment complex, but back to the main character.

Photo of the R/V Sally Ride at Pier 90, Seattle.

Eventually we got on the Sally Ride and the privilege of meeting the crew on board. The first room we saw was the ship’s lab which houses the Network/IT Engineer on board. His area has over 10 monitors that keep track of the ship’s speed, dynamics, cameras and most importantly track possible whale movements in the ocean. My little computer science heart was filled. I was intrigued to learn that there’s an IT guy on board, and I could possibly be in his shoes one day. After leaving the lab, we all went to our assigned rooms. I’ve got to say, I thought life at sea would be a little sufferable but the rooms exceeded my expectations. I stored my stuff and headed to dinner at 17:00, since ship time is on the 24 hour clock. The dinner was amazing. The food here is to die for, not literally but figuratively. It’s so good, you’d be content with it as your last meal. After dinner, we had a tour by an intern working on the ship for the summer. The ship is cool with small hallways, lots of amenities including a library, lounge, gym, and even a hot tub. 

Beyond all of the amenities, technology, and beautiful scenery, what really resonated with me is the people I’ve met so far. After meeting my peers and the crew I was really amazed at the diversity. Everyone has their own personality, sense of style, passions, and ways of doing things. No two people I’ve met are the same and it was so important for me to see that. In my head and maybe yours too, there’s an image of what a scientist looks like and it’s probably not

someone who looks like you. The truth is a scientist looks just like me or you, just like anyone else would. I would have never imagined someone like myself would be here on the Sally Ride but here I am . You can become a scientist if you so desire but don’t let the lack of diversity discourage you. We are here doing the work to make a difference and you can too regardless of your race, gender, religion or any identity. You are welcome in the Sciences. 

I’m glad I followed my heart – not society, not my family, not the defined path, but my own path. This is an ode to follow your own path, let your heart guide you and your passions lead the way. You never know to which ships or beautiful places it can take you.

– Keisha Jackson