Tag Archives: Research Life

Videos: Gary Finch Highlights ECOGIG Research

Gary Finch Outdoors produced a series of videos highlighting various aspects of the Ecosystem Impacts of Oil and Gas Inputs to the Gulf (ECOGIG) program, its science, and the important partnerships necessary to make ECOGIG successful. Many of these videos were used by local PBS affiliates in Gulf coast states and were available through the ECOGIG website and YouTube. All videos listed below were developed and produced by Finch Productions, LLC.

What Does ECOGIG Do? (PBS Part 1) (2:20)

Scientists aboard the research vessels R/V Endeavor and E/V Nautilus briefly describe the nature of ECOGIG research.

Collaboration Between Nautilus and Endeavor Tour (PBS Part 2) (2:06)

ECOGIG scientists discuss the research they are conducting on a recent cruise aboard the R/V Nautilus and E/V Endeavor.

ECOGIG R/V Atlantis/ALVIN Cruise: March 30-April 23, 2014 (2:00)

Researchers describe the crucial importance of ALVIN dives in assessing the ecosystem impacts of the Deepwater Horizon explosion.

Deep Sea Life: Corals, Fish, and Invertebrates (4:30)

Dr. Chuck Fisher describes his research examining the fascinating and long-lived deep sea corals impacted by effects of the Deepwater Horizon explosion.

The Eagle Ray Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) News Piece (5:12)

ECOGIG scientists use the Eagle Ray AUV (autonomous underwater vehicle) to map the seafloor and get visuals so they can better target their sample collecting for study. The National Institute for Undersea Science and Technology (NIUST) provides the submersible.

(Full Length)

(Shortened News Piece)

Food Webs in the Gulf of Mexico (4:30)

ECOGIG scientists Jeff Chanton and Ian MacDonald, both of Florida State University, explain their complementary work exploring the possibility that hydrocarbons from oil have moved into the Gulf food web. Chanton, a chemical oceanographer, tells of a small but statistically significant rise in fossil carbon, a petrochemical byproduct of oil, showing up in marine organisms sampled from Louisiana to Florida. In addition to the hypothesis that Deepwater Horizon oil might be the culprit, biological oceanographer MacDonald discusses other factors that could also be at play, including coastal marsh erosion, natural oil seeps, and chronic oil industry pollution. This is a Finch Productions, LLC video. For more information, visit ECOGIG.ORG. https://ecogig.org/

Landers Technology Development (4:30)

Most of the area around the Deepwater Horizon spill ranges from 900 – 2000 meters below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico. ECOGIG scientists Dr. Chris Martens and Dr. Geoff Wheat talk about Landers, a new technology developed at the University of Mississippi that allows scientists to study the ocean floor at great depths. Landers are platforms custom-equipped with research instruments that can be dropped to the exact site scientists want to study and left for weeks, months, or even years to collect ongoing data.

Marine Snow (4:30)

Dr. Uta Passow describes research she and her colleagues Dr. Arne Dierks and Dr. Vernon Asper conduct on Marine Snow in the Gulf of Mexico. Oil released in 2010 from the Deepwater Horizon explosion floated upwards. Some of this oil then sank towards the seafloor as part of marine snow. When marine snow sinks, it transports microscopic algae and other particles from the sunlit surface ocean to the dark deep ocean, where animals rely on marine snow for food.

Natural Seeps – Geology of the Gulf (4:30)

ECOGIG Scientists Dr. Joe Montoya, Dr. Andreas Teske, Dr. Samantha Joye, and Dr. Ian McDonald describe their collaborative research approach while preparing for the Spring 2014 cruise aboard the R/V Atlantis with research sub ALVIN. Long-term sampling and monitoring of natural oil seeps in the Gulf of Mexico, a global hot spot for these seeps, is crucial for understanding the impacts of oil and gas from explosions like Deepwater Horizon.

Remote Sensing & Modeling (4:30)

ECOGIG scientists Dr. Ian MacDonald and Dr. Ajit Subramaniam describe their work monitoring the health of the Gulf of Mexico via remote sensing. Using images from satellites and small aircraft flown by volunteers, MacDonald looks for signs of surface oil, which could be the result of a natural seep, anthropogenic seeps (chronic oil leaks from ongoing drilling operations), or a larger spill like Deepwater Horizon. Subramaniam uses the changes in light in these images to help him understand what is happening below the sea surface, with particular focus on the health of phytoplankton populations that make up the base of the marine food web. This is a Finch Productions, LLC video with additional footage provided by Wings of Care, a nonprofit that assists with volunteer filming operations.

ROVs in STEM Education News Piece (4:30)

ECOGIG’s Dr. Chuck Fisher describes the use of ROVs in researching deep -sea corals in the Gulf of Mexico, and Ocean Exploration Trust’s Dr. Bob Ballard explains the powerful impacts of ROVs in STEM education, as shown during a recent visit onboard the EV Nautilus by members of the Girls and Boys Club of the Gulf region.

(Full Length)

(Shortened News Piece)

Videos: “What’s That?” Series

This series of videos entitled “What’s That?” to explain the oceanography techniques that researchers use to collect data in the Gulf of Mexico.

Videos in the series may be viewed in any order and include the videos below:

Lamont Oceanographic Biochemical Observer (LOBO)

Nitrogen and Carbon Fixation Methods

Phosphorus and Nitrogen Filtration Methods

Sampling the Water Column

Sediment Trap Deployment

Safety First!

Videos: E/V Nautilus Clips

These videos were developed to demonstrate research aboard the E/V Nautilus.

ECOGIG in 60 Seconds

Dr. Katy Croff Bell, Chief Scientist of the EV Nautilus crew, explains the mission of ECOGIG.

Imaging Deep-Water Corals (Nautilus Live)

As part of the ECOGIG project, the E/V Nautilus made its way to the site of the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill to image affected corals. Using the ROV Hercules’ BEAST CAM, the scientists are able to capture extremely high resolution pictures. These pictures will be used to show change over time and growth rate.

ECOGIG and EV Nautilus Inspire Kids with ROVs

“It was really cool, because I want to be marine biologist when I grow older. So being able to see this and experience the boat and the submarines and how to work them and stuff like that, it was eye awakening. I really want to do this now.” As the Nautilus prepared to launch for a corals research cruise, led by Dr. Chuck Fisher, nearly 200-members of the Boys and Girls Clubs walked on deck to see how the remotely operated vehicles are used for deep sea research. They also built and tested their own miniature ROVs.

Scientists Share Personal Experiences with Deepwater Horizon Research

6716a — This image provided by Dr. Samantha Joye is from a Gulf of Mexico research cruise in the spring/summer of 2010. Joye describes it as “sunrise over a disaster scene,” the juxtaposition of nature’s beauty over waters where heavy fumes rose from oil slicks during the Deepwater Horizon incident.

Researchers who have spent a decade studying impacts from the Deepwater Horizon incident offered their personal perspectives as they reflected upon the oil spill’s 10^th anniversary in an engaging series titled “Deepwater Diaries.”

Published by the research consortium studying Ecosystem Impacts of Oil and Gas Inputs to the Gulf (ECOGIG), the diaries feature 10 scientists who candidly talked about what they were doing when the spill happened, what they have learned since then, what they wish they had known before the spill, how the Gulf of Mexico is doing now, and how the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) helped connect them to a larger research community.

Dr. Samantha Joye, ECOGIG Project Director and Regents’ Professor at the University of Georgia, shared her reflections at https://www.ecogig.org/news-item?type=N&id=207.

The scientists listed below shared their reflections at https://www.ecogig.org/news-item?type=N&id=206.

Dr. Joseph Montoya, ECOGIG Associate Director and Professor at Georgia Institute of Technology
Dr. Luke McKay, Assistant Research Professor at Montana State University
Dr. Erik Cordes, Professor at Temple University
Dr. Melitza Crespo-Medina, Researcher at Inter American University of Puerto Rico; CECIA
Dr. Annalisa Bracco, Professor at Georgia Institute of Technology
Dr. Kate Segarra, Coastal Science Lead for the New Orleans Regional Office at the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)
Dr. Amanda Demopoulos, Research Benthic Ecologist at the U.S. Geological Survey
Dr. Kai Ziervogel, Professor at the University of New Hampshire
Dr. Uta Passow, Canada Research Chair at Memorial University

The ECOGIG consortium has a strong focus on engaging the public with science, and here are a few of their outreach products:

Animated videos to share deep ocean science with kids: The Adventures of Zack and Molly
Videos about Gulf of Mexico corals: Jewels of the Gulf: Deep-sea Coral Educational Video Series
BBC’s Planet Earth: Blue Planet II Features Deep Ocean Research and Scientists
Videos, blogs, photos, and printable materials at https://www.ecogig.org/multimedia.
Educational resources at https://www.ecogig.org/get-educated

By Nilde Maggie Dannreuther. Contact maggied@ngi.msstate.edu with questions or comments.

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This research was made possible in part by grants from the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) to The Ecosystem Impacts of Oil and Gas Inputs to the Gulf consortia ECOGIG and ECOGIG-2.

The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) is a 10-year independent research program established to study the effect, and the potential associated impact, of hydrocarbon releases on the environment and public health, as well as to develop improved spill mitigation, oil detection, characterization and remediation technologies. An independent and academic 20-member Research Board makes the funding and research direction decisions to ensure the intellectual quality, effectiveness and academic independence of the GoMRI research. All research data, findings and publications will be made publicly available. The program was established through a $500 million financial commitment from BP. For more information, visit https://gulfresearchinitiative.org/.

© Copyright 2010-2020 Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) – All Rights Reserved. Redistribution is encouraged with acknowledgement to the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI). Please credit images and/or videos as done in each article. Questions? Contact web-content editor Nilde “Maggie” Dannreuther, Northern Gulf Institute, Mississippi State University (maggied@ngi.msstate.edu).

Samantha Joye and Simeon Pesch Tell Their Science Stories at Story Collider Event

6679 — Microbiologist Samantha (Mandy) Joye (left) and engineer Simeon Pesch (right) shared their personal science stories at the 2019 Fall AGU Meeting’s Story Collider event. Photos by Lauren Lipuma, AGU. Used with permission from Story Collider.

A journey reveals that her voice matters. A trip changes his work motivation. The theme of disaster response frames both of these touching and inspiring science stories. Members of the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative community, Samantha (Mandy) Joye and Simeon Pesch, joined scientists Jessica Moreman, Laura Guertin, and Paula Buchanan and shared their personal experiences at the 2019 American Geophysical Union’s (AGU) Fall Meeting Story Collider event.

Senior Producers Ari Daniel and Shane Hanlon hosted the December Story Collider show at the Tabletop Tap House in San Francisco. Helping to organize the event were Liesl Hotaling and Assistant Director Sherryl Gilbert with the Center for the Integrated Modeling and Analysis of the Gulf Ecosystem (C-IMAGE).

The packed room of 75 attendees thoroughly enjoyed the event and now you can, too! Listen to their stories though these recordings provided by the Story Collider.

Visit the original story to hear the recordings!

You can also read about the Story Collider event held during the 2017 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystems Science conference: Story Collider Unites Community, Research, and Restoration.

By Nilde Maggie Dannreuther. Contact maggied@ngi.msstate.edu with questions or comments.

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This research was made possible in part by grants from the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) to the Center for the Integrated Modeling and Analysis of Gulf Ecosystems III (C-IMAGE III) and the Ecosystem Impacts of Oil and Gas Inputs to the Gulf-2 (ECOGIG-2) consortium.

© Copyright 2010- 2020 Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) – All Rights Reserved. Redistribution is encouraged with acknowledgement to the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI). Please credit images and/or videos as done in each article. Questions? Contact web-content editor Nilde “Maggie” Dannreuther, Northern Gulf Institute, Mississippi State University (maggied@ngi.msstate.edu).

New Sea Grant Publication Describes Underwater Research Technology

Have you ever wondered how scientists ‘see’ under water? The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative is pleased to announce a new Sea Grant publication about the technology scientists use to look at and study the deep ocean, specifically manned and unmanned vehicles.

Scientists have used remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), and submarines, including human-occupied vehicles, to locate Deepwater Horizon oil and monitor its impacts below the water’s surface and on the seafloor.

Read Underwater Vehicles Used to Study Oil Spills to learn about how these underwater robotic devices work and how researchers have used them in the Gulf of Mexico. Included is a chart that gives the cost of use, type of use, advantages, and disadvantages for each of these technologies.

Read more about recent deep ocean research:

The Sea Grant Oil Spill Outreach Team synthesizes peer-reviewed science for a broad range of general audiences, particularly those who live and work across the Gulf Coast. Sea Grant offers oil-spill related public seminars across the United States.

Information about upcoming Sea Grant science seminars and recently-held events is available here. To receive email updates about seminars, publications, and the outreach team, click here.

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GoMRI and the Sea Grant programs of the Gulf of Mexico (Florida, Mississippi-Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas) have partnered to create an oil spill science outreach program.

The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) is a 10-year independent research program established to study the effect, and the potential associated impact, of hydrocarbon releases on the environment and public health, as well as to develop improved spill mitigation, oil detection, characterization and remediation technologies. An independent and academic 20-member Research Board makes the funding and research direction decisions to ensure the intellectual quality, effectiveness and academic independence of the GoMRI research. All research data, findings and publications will be made publicly available. The program was established through a $500 million financial commitment from BP. For more information, visit https://gulfresearchinitiative.org/.

© Copyright 2010- 2018 Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) – All Rights Reserved. Redistribution is encouraged with acknowledgement to the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI). Please credit images and/or videos as done in each article. Questions? Contact web-content editor Nilde “Maggie” Dannreuther, Northern Gulf Institute, Mississippi State University (maggied@ngi.msstate.edu).

Student Researcher Blogs Highlight Exciting Deep-Ocean Discoveries

6371a — Corinne Meinert holds a deep-sea fish collected during a research cruise. Corinne studies the biodiversity of fish eggs and larval fish that drift in ocean currents. (Provided by DEEPEND)

The Gulf of Mexico is one of four “super-diverse” ecoregions in the world; yet, we don’t know much about how its deep environment changed after Deepwater Horizon because very little was known about it before the spill. Since the spill, the data about deep-ocean life are growing as scientists with the DEEPEND research consortium study the deep Gulf’s organisms and processes. Their findings will help develop a baseline to monitor future changes.

Master’s-level graduate students working alongside DEEPEND scientists are writing a weekly blog series about their research contributions. “When these disasters occur, the deep sea is not often thought of – it is kind of an out of sight, out of mind situation,” said student Devan Nichols. “The deep sea is a mysterious place, and scientists still have a lot to learn about its complexity and the organisms found there.”

Here are some deep-ocean research areas that these students have written about, which can help inform management decisions to predict, protect, and increase recruitment for future populations.

Gulf Shrimp

6371b — Sergestes corniculum, one of the species Richard Hartland studies. The sergestids are important members of the oceanic community, both as consumers of zooplankton and as prey for higher trophic levels. (Provided by DEEPEND)

Devan Nichols, Richard Hartland, Ronald Sieber, and Nathan LaSpina at Nova Southeastern University are studying potential impacts to Gulf shrimp (family Oplophoridae, family Sergestidae, family Euphausiidae and family Benthesicymidae). They are examining data collected in 2011, comparing them to data collected in 2015, 2016, and 2017, and identifying changes in abundance, biomass (weight), and vertical migrations.

The data are beginning to show a sharp decrease in abundance between 2011 and 2015 – 2017 and that the warm water input from the Loop Current may affect abundance. Further analyses are required to verify if the Current affects migration habits.

Young Fish

6371c — Corinne Meinert displays a snake mackerel (Gempylus serpens) on her fingertip to demonstrate ichthyoplankton’s tiny sizes. She and her research group have collected and identified over 18,000 individual larval fish across 99 different families. (Provided by DEEPEND)

Corinne Meinert (Texas A&M University at Galveston), Sebastian Velez (Florida Atlantic University), and Nina Pruzinsky (Nova Southeastern University) are researching the biodiversity, dispersal processes, and spatial distribution of early life stage fishes.

Meinert uses genetic methods to analyze oceanic ichthyoplankton – fish eggs and larval fishes that drift in ocean currents – and learn about their biodiversity and population dynamics. This information gives insight into the status of the oceanic environment, since higher fish diversity typically indicates a healthier ecosystem.

Velez focuses on larvae from nearshore species (snappers and groupers) that utilize offshore habitats (up to 1,500 m depth). He observed strong biodiversity in these expatriates and found that some species, such as the Wenchman snapper, have the ability to stall their settlement, likely in search of a suitable habitat. “When you walk into a restaurant and order sushi or a fish dinner […] the odds against a particular animal making it to a harvestable size are astounding,” said Velez. “These fishes [often] represent multi-million dollar industries in the form of commercial and recreational fisheries. Understanding the biology and life history of [these] species is imperative in informing future management decisions.”

Pruzinsky studies the spatiotemporal distributions of early life stage tuna to learn about their habitat preferences and help compile key identification features for juvenile tuna species. These features include pigmentation patterns, body shape, ratios of different body parts, and fin ray counts. She developed high-resolution models of larval and juvenile tuna distributions as a function of habitat. These models represent some of the first for juvenile tunas (as opposed to the better-known larvae and adults).

Adult Fishes

6371d — One of the largest (>15cm) ever recorded specimens of the Bullis’s Barracudina (Stemonsudis bullisi). This endemic species had previously only been known from two juvenile specimens around 6 cm long. (Provided by DEEPEND)

Characterizing the behaviors and distribution of deep-sea fishes is a major focus of DEEPEND. Rich Jones at Florida Atlantic University is researching the important but poorly known fish family Paralepididae (barracudina), whose unique bioluminescence is derived from liver tissues. Using data from large pelagic trawls (NRDA ONSAP sampling), he observed that barracudina actively avoid smaller, research-sized nets, suggesting that we have probably underestimated their abundances and importance historically. He also noted distinct differences in diet and water column distribution between barracudina species.

Nova Southeastern University student Kristian Ramkissoon researches the composition, abundance, and vertical distribution of the bristlemouth fish genus Cyclothone, the most abundant vertebrate on the planet. He has observed that these fishes do not vertically migrate, but instead occupy relatively predictable and distinct depth ranges. He is attempting to assess the impact of hydrographic features such as the Loop Current and its eddies on Cyclothone distribution.

Fellow Nova student Natalie Slayden studies otoliths – ear stones whose rings represent a fish’s age. She plans to describe and correlate otolith ring patterns with the fish’s life history and estimate the ages of various mesopelagic and bathypelagic fishes, most for the first time.

Max Weber at Texas A&M University at Galveston uses genetic methods to investigate if population size fluctuations in deep-sea fishes mirror those of coastal species. Stable populations reflect a stable environment, yet Max’s preliminary analyses reveal population declines and expansions that indicate the environment is more volatile than previously assumed.

Eating Habits

6371e — Examples of microplastics ingested by deep-pelagic fishes and crustaceans in the Gulf of Mexico: (A) microbeads, (B-E) microfragments, and (F) microfibers. (Provided by Ryan Bos)

Three Nova Southeastern University students analyze fish gut contents as part of their focus on food webs. Mike Novotny is researching bathypelagic fishes called “Tubeshoulders” (family Platytroctidae) to explore their feeding behaviors and prey preferences – the first known study into the diet of this important family. He observed that these creatures are zooplanktivores that feed on gelatinous animals (e.g., jellyfishes and relatives), something not previously known.

Ryan Bos focuses on fish and shrimp ingestion of microplastics (ranging 1 μm – <5 mm), which can cause false feelings of fullness, obstruct feeding appendages, decrease reproductive fitness, and premature death. He identified microplastics (which burn, melt, curl up, or repel when touched with a hot needle) and observed that nearly one-third of the fishes and crustaceans tested ingested at least one piece of plastic. These findings highlight the ubiquitous influence of anthropogenic pollutants in the deep ocean.

Matt Woodstock is studying mesopelagic fishes to better understand the ecology of endoparasites, which live within another organism (a host) and travel through the food web to complete their life cycles. The presence of many different parasites suggests that the fish’s diet may have shifted over time or may come from many different prey. These results will help researchers make conclusions about the connectivity and stability of different ecosystems.

Rare Finds

6371f — Imaging demonstrating the cranial pigmentation that Kristian Ramkissoon uses to differentiate between Cyclothone species. (Provided by Kristian Ramkissoon)

Many of the students’ research projects focus on little-studied Gulf of Mexico organisms and processes and are the first studies of their kind. For example, three of the nineteen barracudina species captured for Jones’s research represent the first records of those species, and Woodstock is the first person to record parasites within the species he studies.

“Some of the fishes we have identified have only been seen by a handful of people before in oceanographic history,” said Rich Jones. “The opportunity to study the habits of these rare animals with a comprehensive suite of data, let alone hold them in your hand, is a unique pleasure of working with DEEPEND.”

Learn more about DEEPEND research:

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This research was made possible in part by a grant from the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) to the Deep-Pelagic Nekton Dynamics of the Gulf of Mexico (DEEPEND) consortium.

© Copyright 2010-2018 Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) – All Rights Reserved. Redistribution is encouraged with acknowledgement to the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI). Please credit images and/or videos as done in each article. Questions? Contact web-content editor Nilde “Maggie” Dannreuther, Northern Gulf Institute, Mississippi State University (maggied@ngi.msstate.edu).

C-IMAGE Celebrates Teacher @ Sea Program

C-IMAGE-III In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, the consortium highlighted the efforts of Gulf Coast teachers who have accompanied Mud & Blood expeditions, gaining hands-on experience dissecting fish and processing sediment cores.

Learn more about the Teacher @ Sea program here.

Blogs written by current and previous teachers in the program can be found here on the C-IMAGE Blog.

Webinar: The Benefits and Challenges of Interdisciplinary Research

4448/4489 The webinar, titled “The Benefits and Challenges of Interdisciplinary Research,” features Drs. Rajeev Ramchand and Michael Blum as they discuss their experiences collaborating with researchers from other disciplines.

Learn more here!

Video: “Motion of the Ocean” Shows Technology Used to Study Currents

5081 Scientists completed four field experiments in the Gulf of Mexico, linking the dynamics of deep ocean, shelf, and coastal surface currents (where materials such as oil or debris naturally accumulate) in a way that has never been done before. So how did they do that?

The team representing 30 universities used 2,000 custom-made, biodegradable, GPS-equipped drifters; 15,000 biodegradable drift cards; hundreds of thousands of infrared images and high-resolution photos; 5 drones; 6 small boats; 2 planes; 2 research vessels; and a suite of instruments that measured physical properties and conditions of water and the atmosphere. Whew!

Take a look at the technology that researchers with the CARTHE consortium used to answer the question: Where is water going to go in the ocean? The data they collected will help develop the next generation of ocean circulation models.

Motion of the Ocean from CARTHE on Vimeo. Video credit: Waterlust

The CARTHE experiments have far-reaching applications with new scientific insights that can inform navigation, energy production, climate science, hurricane predictions, search and rescue, beach safety, and tracking floating non-biodegradable plastics pollution, which is a rapidly growing ocean problem.

Read more about the Gulf of Mexico field experiments that these scientists conducted:

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This research was made possible in part by a grant from the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) to the Consortium for Advanced Research on Transport of Hydrocarbon in the Environment II (CARTHE II) and CARTHE I. Other funding sources included the Office of Naval Research (Grant #N000141110087).

© Copyright 2010- 2017 Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) – All Rights Reserved. Redistribution is encouraged with acknowledgement to the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI). Please credit images and/or videos as done in each article. Questions? Contact web-content editor Nilde “Maggie” Dannreuther, Northern Gulf Institute, Mississippi State University (maggied@ngi.msstate.edu).

Teachers Participate in ECOGIG Research Expedition

4896 Two Georgia middle school teachers recently joined a consortium research cruise through the AMP-IT-UP (Advanced Manufacturing and Prototyping Integrated to Unlock Potential) program, a multi-year grant focused on cultivating the next generation of STEM innovators. The research was relevant not only for the teachers but also for their students, who have been studying AMP-IT-UP curriculum modules on the Gulf ecosystems. Learn more about the program and the educators’ experiences here.

Webinar: CRGC Student Webinar Explores the Graduate School Process

4888 Graduate students Jacqueline Fiore and Vanessa Parks recently discussed their graduate school experiences and working on a transdisciplinary research team in a recent webinar for the Student Spotlight Series. Watch the webinar here.

Fact Sheet: CRGC Two-Pager Details Transdisciplinary Student Outreach

4557 Experts at the Consortium for Resilient Gulf Communities (CRGC) come from from diverse fields. Working directly with experts outside their own fields of study enhances students’ insights about disaster, recovery, and resilience, while improving their problem solving skills and passion for their work.

The two-page pamphlet describes the consortium’s efforts to provide graduate and undergraduate students with hands-on opportunities to work with transdisciplinary research methods and best practices for addressing community disasters.

Read the brochure to learn more!

LADC-GEMM Undergraduate Student Reflects on Summer Cruise Experience

4532 Matt Firneno recently completed Bachelor’s degrees in physics and mathematics at the University of New Orleans. He participated in LADC-GEMM’s recent research cruise aboard R/V Pelican, where he assisted learned about different forms of data acquisition and real-time data analysis. Learn more about his research and experiences here.

CWC Blog Series Features Undergraduate Interns

4528 Since 2011, LUMCON has been host to groups of undergraduate students taking part in the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program. The REU Program helps student interns interested in scientific careers gain experience conducting research in the field. CWC will profile these students and their research through a series of blog and social media posts.

Keep up with the blog series here.

For more information about the REU program, check out the REU Internships page on the LUMCON website.

Video: Tour of the R/V Pelican

4498 The clip invites viewers to tour the research vessel alongside Board of Regents members and learn about the research that scientists conduct during cruises.

Watch the tour!

Podcast: DEEPEND’s Tamara Frank Discusses Research and Struggles Entering Marine Biology Field

Dr. Tamara Frank

Dr. Frank works with the consortium’s crustacean team studying creatures such as crabs, lobsters, shrimp, and krill. She speaks about her research and shares why getting a job as an aspiring female scientist was very challenging.

C-IMAGE Releases One Gulf Expedition Photos and Videos

One Gulf Expedition – Photo Credit C-IMAGE

From 2 Aug-10 Sept, 20 researchers from the C-IMAGE Consortium circumnavigated the Gulf of Mexico studying fish toxicity between 20-180 fathoms (36-330m). The science crew caught 2,442 fish through 69 demersal long-lining stations.

Over 600 photos documenting the expedition’s equipment, crew, and research activities are now available through Flickr. The 40-day cruise resulted in thousands of fish, sediment, water, and plankton samples that will help scientists better understand how mega-spills impact the Gulf’s diverse ecosystem.

C-IMAGE Public Education and Outreach Site

Visit their social media pages….

CONCORDE’s Mission to Mentor Young Scientists Apparent in Spring Campaign and Beyond

Two postdocs, Ali Deary and Adam Greer, took turns as Chief Scientist aboard the R/V Point Sur during the Consortium for oil spill exposure pathways in Coastal River-Dominated Ecosystems (CONCORDE)’s recent Spring Campaign, while three others—Kemal Cambazoglu, Sabrina Parra, and Inia Soto-Ramos—devised the cruise plan for the R/V Pelican. Earlier in the year PhD student Adam Boyette organized and led a research cruise to study the impacts of the sudden and dramatic opening of the Bonnet Carré spillway, while working alongside Soto-Ramos to marshal CONCORDE’s resources to research a damaging harmful algal bloom in the Gulf. The consortium is also encouraging both postdocs and students to serve as lead authors on papers to be submitted for publication.

PI Ian Church (l) trained Lauren Quas, an USM graduate student, on operating the Multibeam before sending her out on the Point Sur alone during the Fall Campaign. (photo credit: Heather Dippold)

CONCORDE postdocs and students are working in the spotlight—and sometimes outside of their comfort zone—as part of a carefully-crafted, consortium-wide plan to create competent scientists while gathering useful data. Education and Outreach Coordinator Jessie Kastler said, “I’ve never seen so many young scientists put in leadership positions. It’s very much something that’s being done on purpose.”

Teacher-At-Sea Chronicles DEEPEND Cruise

Science Selfie at Sea with Dr. Heather Bracken-Grissom onboard the DEEPEND Cruise (Image credit: DEEPEND)

Christia Hewlett was the official Teacher-At-Sea during the consortium’s most recent research cruise. She documented the equipment, experiences, and even the researchers on board for the DEEPEND blog. You can find all of her posts about the cruise here.

“I hope that I will be able to take back what I have learned and share it with generations of students; inspiring them to explore the world around them, ask questions and love science – especially marine science!”

Teacher At Sea,…. Christia Hewlett

Visit DEEPEND’s Education/Outreach Program

Kids Blog Adult Blog

Visit our social media pages…

CARTHE Blogs Document Researchers’ At-Sea Lifestyle

The Walton Smith, patiently awaiting departure. Photo by CARTHE.

Graduate student Nathan Laxague’s recent posts to the CARTHE blog describe the methods, experiences, and challenges of researchers working on the ongoing LASER expedition. You can read his entries here and here to keep up with the project’s development.

Excerpt from the CARTHE Blog: “… Walton Smith is somewhere off the middle Keys, dressed to the nines with fancy scientific equipment and filled with the scientists and crew who weathered driving rain, whipping hail (!), and ominously rough seas to put it there. The next few days, though spent at sea…”

Video: DEEPEND Slideshow Depicts Life Aboard a Research Vessel

Click to visit DEEPEND.

This kid-friendly slideshow uses photos and helpful captions to explain researchers’ routines aboard the ship and how they operate various equipment to collect and analyze samples.

For more videos like DEEPEND Slideshow Depicts Life Aboard a Research Vessel, click here.

Scientists Coordinate Research with Responders in Santa Barbara Oil Spill

Crews clean-up the oil using boom operations off the coast of Goleta, Calif., May 21, 2015. The clean-up operation for the spill began the evening of Tuesday May 19, 2015. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrea Anderson)

One of the most significant outcomes of the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) has been the fostering of a multi-disciplinary collaborative academic community ready to put science into practice.

Members of the GoMRI community have been cultivating relationships with emergency responders so that science gets to the right people at the right time.

These efforts have helped scientists provide support to responders by tracking contaminants, conducting chemical analysis, and monitoring affected environments. Since the 2010 Gulf oil spill, scientists affiliated with GoMRI have provided research support for several hydrocarbon-related incidents, including the 2012 oil sheen near the Deepwater Horizon site, the 2013 Hercules gas blowout, the 2014 Galveston Bay oil spill, and now the Santa Barbara county oil spill.

The Incident

On May 19, a 24-inch wide oil pipeline belonging to the Plains All American Pipeline ruptured and was leaking crude oil along the shore side of Highway 101 at Refugio Beach, Santa Barbara County, California. The Refugio Incident Report stated that an estimated 500 barrels (21,000 gallons) of crude oil was released that then flowed into the Pacific Ocean. The oil was traveling from an above-ground storage tank facility in Las Flores to refineries throughout southern California via the pipeline. The Coast Guard established a unified command for response with local, state, and federal agencies, clean-up contractors, and industry personnel. See a map of the impacted area here and an updated status from the NOAA Office of Response and Restoration here.

Coordinating Science

Coordination with NOAA and the Coast Guard is essential for interactions between scientists and emergency responders. Within hours of the incident, engagement began between the academic and response communities – some through volunteering and other by invitation. The NOAA Emergency Response Division Scientific Support Coordinator worked with the Coast Guard’s liaison officer to help provide scientists access to the incident site, with the understanding that there was no funding or endorsement for research activity.

When emergencies strike, expertise from many areas are needed for response. Gathering data as soon as possible and continuing to do so throughout an incident can help inform ongoing response and assessing impacts. Oceanographer Uta Passow at the University of California Santa Barbara Marine Science Center commented on how her colleagues established communications to coordinate multi-disciplinary efforts so that their expertise could be efficiently and effectively used:

“All types of oceanographers and ecologists responded quickly and in a coordinated manner. Some tracked the oil using models, radar, drifters, and other in situ approaches. Others investigated oil weathering, microbial response and carbon processing, and effects on the kelp forest and beach communities. Researchers from various institutions sent sampling gear to those in the field and helped with preparations. Scientists on site collected samples for their teams and for researchers affiliated with other institutions.”

Specific Activities

CARTHE director Tamay Ozgokmen at the University of Miami said that they are helping to determine the speed and location of oil spreading, not a trivial task as very small scale processes near the beach influence this transport. He noted unique aspects of this incident:

“This incident occurred on the beach, usually the final destination of oil from a spill. In some ways, the problem is the reverse of many ocean spills. Oil is moving along the beach, with some coming on shore and some advancing off shore.”

Ozgokmen’s colleague James McWilliams at the University of California Los Angeles is using the Regional Ocean Modeling System to provide information about oil transport in this situation. He described the applicability of this technology:

“This system was already configured for the affected area and a simulation model was available with very high spatial resolution. We have been using this model to study dispersal of river inflows along the north coast of the Channel, but now it can be applied to this particular event. We are providing data about currents and dispersal rates to our contacts at the NOAA Office of Response and Restoration in Seattle.”

ECOGIG director Samantha Joye at the University of Georgia and her team are using radiotracers to directly measure hydrocarbon oxidation rates in waters and later in beach sands impacted by the spill. Joye explains why this research is important:

“Such measurements were not made during the Deepwater Horizon disaster and the lack of those measurements led to a large data gap in calculating the oil budget.”

Joye’s team will conduct a series of lab experiments using samples collected from impacted and nearby unaffected waters to evaluate how microbial and phytoplankton populations are altered by oil exposure. Her colleague Passow will also conduct comparison experiments to quantify rates of marine hydrocarbon-enriched snow formation and discover more about the drivers that produce sinking particles. Passow noted that every oil spill is different – water temperature, oil chemical properties, and remediation methods can trigger different behaviors. Joye described how their experiments will help scientists and responders have a better understanding of ecosystem responses to oil, especially in the absence of dispersants:

“Dispersants were not used in this oil spill and, thus, this event provides an opportunity to monitor microbial response to an influx of only crude oil. We will compare this data with ongoing research of the Gulf oil spill where dispersants were used to mitigate impacts.”

Science Readiness

Despite heightened awareness of oil spills and industry efforts to improve safety measures, accidents still happen and can have significant environmental and socio-economic impacts. As unfortunate as these incidents are, they do offer the possibility for advancing knowledge, science, and technology and informing response. Joye explains how she and her team were prepared for quick action to this oil spill:

“We have an “emergency spill response kit” ready with written instructions. Even though just about every pipette we have was being loaded onto the EV Endeavor for our ECOGIG research cruise, we held enough materials back just in case something happened. So we were able to conduct critical analyses of hydrocarbon oxidation rates in seawater and beach sands impacted by this pipeline breach.”

There is an established west coast scientific community with oil spill research expertise. The GoMRI program includes scientists from this region who have studied oil spills throughout their careers. Being a member of the GoMRI science community has played a role in science readiness and to be involved quickly, as Passow explained:

“GoMRI has made a large amount of research on the effects of oil on different aquatic habitats possible and has promoted the development of a science community who know and trust each other and their respective expertise. This is the most important pre-requisite for any rapid, coordinated effort. Scientists have gained significant knowledge and advanced technology as a result of research on the 2010 Gulf spill. Now the expertise and instruments exist in the community of oil researchers to address the most pressing issues after a spill.”

GoMRI has facilitated efforts to engage the science community with the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research (ICCOPR) and with NOAA. Starting with the first Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science Conference, response agency representatives and senior scientists have come together to improve the integration of science expertise into local, regional, and national decision-making and response. As a result, they have formed the Science Action Network – Enabling Scientific Collaboration for Disaster Planning and Response. These efforts have produced robust and positive relationships that will extend beyond the life of GoMRI.

Video: High School Students Work Alongside Woods Hole Experts

Watch how these high school students work alongside Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution experts conducting oil spill science.

A C-PALMS perspective Video by Catherine Carmichael.

A Match Made in Florida: Citizens and Scientists Team Up for Research and Education

Teens from StreetWaves deploying a variety of CARTHE drifters near Miami Beach. (Provided by: CARTHE)

What do the Consortium for Advanced Research on Marine Mammal Health Assessment (CARTHE), the International SeaKeepers Society, and Fleet Miami have in common? Ocean research!

Last September, CARTHE researchers from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School partnered with SeaKeepers and Fleet Miami to widen the reach of ocean and oil spill research in the local community. The alliance led a three-day expedition aboard a 54-foot East Bay yacht to test the accuracy of various GPS-enabled surface current drifter models and to introduce students to marine science.

Surface drifters track ocean currents and can help researchers and responders monitor oil’s movement through the ocean following a spill. CARTHE researchers aboard Fleet Miami yacht Shredder deployed and retrieved a variety of surface current drifters, including several biodegradable models.

The CARTHE, Seakeepers, Fleet Miami, and StreetWaves team celebrate a successful experiment. (Provided by: CARTHE)

During the expedition, researchers tested each drifter’s accuracy by monitoring wave height and frequency, water speed, wind speed, and ambient stratification. This data will expand existing ocean current models and help improve emergency response to oil spills, rescue missions, and other disasters.

The team dedicated the expedition’s final day to teaching teenagers about ocean research. The students are members of StreetWaves, a non-profit program in Miami Beach that introduces underprivileged youth to surfing, paddle boarding, and sailing. Aboard Shredder, CARTHE researchers showed the students how the drifters work and explained why data from ocean monitoring devices is so important to ocean health. The students then experienced ocean research first-hand by helping deploy the drifters.

A student watches CARTHE scientist Guillaume Novelli demonstrate how to measure wind with a handheld anemometer. (Provided by: CARTHE)

This exciting expedition was a warm up for CARTHE’s collaborations with SeaKeepers, which the consortia hopes to continue in future research.

Watch CARTHE Outreach Coordinator Laura Bracken describe the Drifter Design Expedition and Outreach.

CARTHE brings together over 50 of the nation’s top ocean experts to share knowledge and explore the fate of the hydrocarbons from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

CARTHE graduate student David Ortiz-Suslow deploying drifters just off the coast of Miami Beach. (Provided by: CARTHE)

The International SeaKeepers Society works directly with the yachting community and enables them to take full advantage of their unique potential to promote ocean research, conservation, and education efforts and to raise awareness about global ocean issues. Watch a video of SeaKeepers’ Highlights for 2014!

More information about these organizations is available on the CARTHE, SeaKeepers, and Fleet Miami Facebook pages!

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