Author: Allison Cusick (Page 1 of 9)

Thriving in an Inhospitable Place: One Woman’s Journey Working in Antarctica

April 15, 2024 / Allison Cusick

This post was originally written for the Antarctic Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) blog 9 April 2024. You can read the original post here.

Inhospitable: a word invented to describe places unknown – places where people are not welcome and shouldn’t dare to go. And yes, seeking out the unknown is an innate part of the human spirit. Through discovery of new, sometimes dangerous places, we explore our deepest desires, fears, and aspirations. Antarctica is inhospitable. It’s also a place where, for the last ten years, I have had the opportunity to visit and discover more about myself than ever anticipated, testing my drive and learning how to thrive.

When I first learned about Antarctica, it was through stories about explorers trying to get to the South Pole: Roald Amundsen, Robert Falcon Scott, and Ernest Shackleton. While I found these stories intriguing, they never personally resonated with me. My idea of Antarctica was not based on people, but built on the image of a tough harsh environment (true), a lonely landscape (somewhat true), and a flat expanse of nothingness (not true on the coast or peninsula). If I’m being honest, the fact that all of the stories were about men was probably part of the problem too. I couldn’t see myself in that history. I wondered why anyone would be compelled to go to such a desolate place. I hadn’t yet considered the many gifts hiding on the cold, isolated continent.

Growing up, I always wanted to be an astronaut (I still do). Exploring the furthest reaches humans could go had, and still has, deep personal appeal. I had not yet considered becoming a scientist working on the continent, but I knew that most astronauts held degrees in STEM. I pursued a Bachelor’s degree at the University of Washington in Biology and minored in Earth and Space Sciences, all the while keeping Antarctica tucked in the back of my mind to visit some day. Then, in 2013, I was serendipitously invited by my boss to go on an icebreaker to the Ross Sea for a 53-day expedition TRacing Algal Carbon Export in the Ross Sea (TRACERS) as a model system. I had no training in oceanography and had never been to sea, but I leaped at the opportunity to learn as much as I could, as fast as I could.

On the expedition, I met a woman named Cassandra Brooks. While working on her PhD to find the larval stage of the Antarctic toothfish, she was also advocating for a policy to establish the Ross Sea Marine Protected Area (now the world’s largest MPA). Her work opened up my eyes. I realized you could do more with science than just run experiments in the lab, publish papers, or teach. I wanted to do something big like Cassandra.

Inspired, I sought a Masters degree in Marine Biodiversity & Conservation at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego. Through the yearlong program, I found a kindred spirit and advisor, Dr. Maria Vernet. Together with Polar Expedition Guides, we brainstormed how we could pursue scientific questions while engaging the tourism community. We wanted to know more about how melting glaciers influence the base of the food web, and we wanted to get as many people as possible involved and ignite enthusiasm and care for this amazing place.

After a year of development, we launched the FjordPhyto Citizen Science Program. We got the program running with a National Science Foundation Public Participation in STEM Research grant and were eventually awarded a grant from the NASA Citizen Science for Earth Systems Program. As this funding comes to a close, I’ve started an entrepreneurship program called Start Blue at Scripps Institution of Oceanography with my colleagues Christian Johnson and Dr. Martina Mascioni, to innovate a new way of sustainably growing the program so it thrives.

Today, I’ve spent more than 300 days working in Antarctica, and I have more trips scheduled for later this year. Even though many have come before me, I like to think of myself as a pioneer. In a way I am. In The Storied Ice, a comprehensive book chronicling many of the early Antarctic expeditions, you can read all about the early (male) pioneers. Men have been to the continent for nearly 200 years, but what about the women’s journey? Many early women-visitors were captains’ wives or stowaways. The first female scientist working in Antarctica was in 1955 Professor Maria Klenova, a Russian Marine Geologist. The first all-women’s research team from the USA to work at the south pole was led by Dr. Lois Jones in 1969. It’s not that women didn’t want the opportunity to see the unexplored continent – we just weren’t allowed. Take the expedition of Rear Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd, for example. Admiral Byrd was a polar explorer, aviator, and officer for the US Navy from 1925–1957. He led seven expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic. Not a single one of those expeditions included women. His files contain letters from women who were qualified, but they were rejected solely on the basis of sex. Many snippets of these letters are public: “I am very strong for a girl and can stand most anything, I do not catch cold easily, I have never fainted in my life, I am five feet five inches and weight is one hundred and thirty pounds,” one said. Another directly questioned the gender bias, “I know this letter sounds hectic, but tell me, why, simply because we are females, must we be banned from worthwhile achievements?”

I met two of the original women on Dr. Lois Jones’s expedition, Terry Terrel and Eileen McSaveney. I asked them what stood out to them about their time then and our time now. They said so much has changed in 50 years. Women now are being put into leadership positions, and Antarctica has opened to women working on the continent. Their pioneering spirit opened doors for people like me. I cannot imagine the huge burden they carried, being the first women to enter the man’s realm. They had to prove their value, prove their competency, prove their worth.

I still feel that I need to prove myself. Disparity in gender and women in the workplace still exists, especially in STEM. Women still carry the social expectation of housekeeping and child rearing, while also pursuing careers. I feel like I – like many women – have to pick between a career and a family. I wish we could just expect that we could have both. Men certainly can. I’ve spent years trying to learn how to balance my own negative encounters of bullying, harassment, and objectification with how I think I show up in the world. I’ve had to stand up for myself through complicated power and gender dynamics. I will continue to do so because I want to change the system for the better for the next generation. I refuse to let gender define me or separate me from my colleagues and limit my potential. Instead, I use it as a source of strength, drawing inspiration from the trailblazing women who have paved the way before me.

In Antarctica, every day brings new discoveries and unexpected challenges. Whether braving hurricane force winds to collect samples, analyzing data in a makeshift laboratory, talking with travelers about their experiences on board expedition vessels or collaborating with colleagues from around the world, each experience fuels my passion for exploration and discovery. I love learning about the edges of our knowledge and then figuring out ways to find answers through creative collaborative efforts.

One of the most rewarding aspects of my work in Antarctica is the opportunity to inspire the next generation of scientists. At first I started logging my own adventurous science stories on www.womanscientist.com (@womanscientist). Then I started sharing examples of other women I learned about. My colleague Martina and I work with the NASA OCEANOS team to bring polar science to students in Puerto Rico, inspiring them toward marine sciences and seeing how Antarctica is connected globally and to the tropics. By sharing my experiences and encouraging young scientists to pursue their passions, I hope to break down barriers and foster a more inclusive and diverse scientific community. After all, the future of science depends on the contributions of everyone working together to solve the complex challenges facing our planet.

For me, working in Antarctica is not just a job—it’s a calling. It’s an opportunity to push the boundaries of knowledge, defy expectations, explore the human spirit, and leave a lasting impact on the world. I’m thankful for the first people who explored Antarctica and for the women who have gone before. By embracing the challenges, celebrating the victories, and inspiring others along the way, I am proud to be part of a legacy of women who have made their mark on Antarctica and beyond.

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Undergraduate Next Generation of Polar Scientists in the Vernet Lab

September 1, 2021 / Allison Cusick

Meet the next generation of polar scientists working with me in the Vernet Lab at Scripps Institution of Oceanography!

For the 2021 summer (10-weeks), Anesse Pinpokintr and Christian Johnson, two incredibly bright and passionate undergraduate students, worked on analyzing FjordPhyto data as part of the Scripps SURF program (Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship)!

It has been awesome to finally interact in person, show them the lab, and to also finally meet last year’s SURF student Karina Halliman who worked with Tammy Russell and who just graduated with her Bachelors degree!

These students helped analyze years of FjordPhyto phytoplankton data and wrapped their minds around all things Antarctic – all the while learning a splash of bioinformatics, genetics, statistics, and what it means to be a polar scientist!

They presented their findings after 10-weeks of the program at the SURF Student Symposium, in person on campus! This was their first scientific poster presentations and they did an outstanding job! I’m very proud of them and honored to work with them.

Before the summer ended and everyone had to disperse back to their homes, the Vernet Lab was able to have an in-person BBQ where we could actually interact in person for the first time for some of us!

The Vernet Lab is the best!
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Climate Change: What do all scientists and governments agree on?

September 1, 2021 / Allison Cusick

Scientists from around the world come together to write giant reports on everything we scientifically know about how the climate on Earth is changing. The current state of the climate, possible climate futures, climate information for risk assessment and adaptation, and limiting future change. This report is called the IPCC report.

The IPCC is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Since 1988 they’ve been producing reports that are the consensus of the world’s scientists & experts AND the consensus of the world’s governments too.

They even won the Nobel Prize.

Over the past couple years, they have been working on contributions to the 6th Assessment Report (AR6) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (also known as the IPCC AR6). They take these giant reports and then try to distill them down into an even smaller, 42 page, very clear report, with bold headings, summary titles, and summary figures in the hopes that policy makers can have the most current, accurate, high confidence information possible when making their policy decisions. You can read this Summary for Policymakers here.

How many people do you think actually know about or read these reports? Lets crack open the pages and be some of those people!

We would like to challenge you all to download the ‘Summary for Policymakers‘ report and just take a gander. Dont let overwhelm or despair stop you! Dig in. Heck, dont even bother reading the fine print, just read each bold heading, and read each figure caption.

Additionally, you may be wondering what is going on with the Polar Regions. Well, here is a Polar Fact Sheet with that information as well!

• Annual mean surface air temperatures and precipitation will continue to increase during the 21st century under all assessed emissions scenarios in both Polar regions (high confidence).

• There is high confidence that mean precipitation and precipitation intensity will increase, the Arctic is projected to be dominated by rainfall and in Antarctica rainfall will increase over the coastal regions.

• There is high confidence that glaciers have lost mass in all polar regions since 2000 and will continue to lose mass at least for several decades, even if global temperature is stabilized.

• Both major ice sheets – Greenland and Antarctica – have been losing mass since at least 1990, with the highest loss rate during 2010–2019 (high confidence), and they are projected to continue to lose mass.

There you have it. An official, formal consensus of scientists and governments. Depressing. Despairing. Ya, we feel that too. But we have to keep hope, look for solutions, and take action in the ways that we can best!

We designed the FjordPhyto citizen science project to engage the Antarctic Tourism industry as our way of involving more people in polar science. We hope FjordPhyto efforts, which have had over 13 IAATO Tour Operators, many polar guides and more than 3000 travelers assist in, inspire people to love, care for, and understand these rapidly changing precious regions of the world.

Chin up! We’ve got lots of work to do! Thanks for being here with us.
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Interviews about Citizen Science in Antarctica and FjordPhyto

April 16, 2021 / Allison Cusick

April is Citizen Science Month!

April 2021 marks an entire month where people around the world are celebrating Citizen Science Month. The citizen science project I co-founded and manage – FjordPhyto – is celebrating too by sharing our work and collaborations occurring in Antarctica between scientists and travelers on tour ships.

Collaborations in this part of the world are incredibly important for increasing our understanding of changes in the polar regions. To get a sense of this importance, my colleague and FjordPhyto scientist Martina Mascioni and social scientist Daniela Cajiao wrote a post about the role of Tour Operators in Polar Research.

I hope you enjoy watching these interviews. I think I’m getting better and better at this each time 😉 Please share the links with a friend, a colleague, your kids, or fellow traveler! I would love to know your thoughts and questions if you want to comment below.

Interview 1 – Viking Cruises TV

Follow an informative conversation focused on citizen science as Dr. Damon Stanwell-Smith, Head of Science and Sustainability for Viking Expeditions, is joined by polar guide Laura Smith and biological oceanographer Allison Cusick. We discuss the role of future expedition voyages, understanding how citizen science contributes to research, what factors make it successful, how guests can participate and why it is relevant to global environmental conservation.

Interview 2 – Hurtigruten Expeditions on SciStarter

SciStarter’s Caroline Nickerson speaks with Tour Operator Hurtigruten Expeditions’ Chief Scientists Dr. Verena Meraldi and citizen science project FjordPhyto co-founder and PhD graduate student Allison Cusick about how Antarctic travelers are contributing to polar research through ship-based citizen science

Interview 3 – Citizen Science Around the World on SciStarter

SciStarter’s Caroline Nickerson leads us around the world speaking to project leaders from Asia, Africa, Antarctica, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America (for Antarctica see minutes 17:07 to 25:55)!

How can you get involved:

For projects occurring around your neighborhood, be sure to check out the web-based catalogue of thousands of project at SciStarter.

Whats in a name?

For those of you wondering why there are so many terms for people-powered science – “citizen science” , “community science” , “crowdsource science” – take a look at this blog post and publication in Citizen Science: Theory & Practice on which name to use and why terms matters.
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Tiny but Mighty – Why we owe our existence to algae

July 23, 2020 / Allison Cusick

(This blog was originally written for the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators Blog here).

As you plan your trip to Antarctica you dream of seeing the ice, the whiteness, the dramatic landscape, the penguins, whales, and seals. You pack your camera and imagine the wind biting your cheeks, wondering how it’ll feel to be in one of the most extreme environments on Earth. You’ll be amazed to see how these tiny penguins withstand such harsh winds, below freezing temperatures, and dark cold nights. You’ll feel giddy when you see a seal blubber along an ice flow or slip gracefully into the water. You’ll shout for joy when you see large baleen whales lunge feeding on a swarm of krill at the ocean’s surface. And you will be even more amazed, when you learn about, and see with your own eyes, what makes this whole ecosystem come alive.

But for that surprise, you will have needed to pack a microscope. And prior to your trip, you most likely will not be dreaming of this peculiar set of organisms that give life to a seemingly inhospitable place.

Within the crystal aquamarine waters of Antarctica lie tiny little organisms you cannot see with the naked eye. They are like plants – in that they use sunlight and carbon dioxide to make energy through photosynthesis – yet, they’re not plants. They are also not bacteria, nor fungi, nor animal. They belong to a group of organisms called protists; mysterious otherworldly life that has had millions of years to evolve.

Biologists call these little solar panels adrift in the ocean ‘phytoplankton’, stemming from two Greek words phyton or ‘plant’ and planktos or ‘wanderer, drifter’. Each type of phytoplankton is only one single cell – just one. Humans are made up of trillions of cells. And each single phytoplankton cell, when growing in massive groups called blooms, collectively produce over 50 per cent of Earth’s oxygen; just as much, if not more, than the plants and trees on land combined.

They draw carbon dioxide out of the ocean and atmosphere and upon death sink to the sea floor below, cycling carbon around the globe. These microscopic life forms also make up the foundation of food for all marine life to survive—the life of those same large charismatic animals you’ve come to Antarctica to see – and the life living on the sea floor; they all depend on the presence of phytoplankton for their survival.

The Antarctic Peninsula is the fastest warming region in the Southern Hemisphere, with air and ocean temperatures increasing, causing sea ice and glaciers to melt at accelerated levels. When glaciers melt, this brings freshwater to the ocean and alters the physical and chemical nature of the marine environment. With warmer temperatures, the surface of the sea cannot freeze into a skin of sea ice, which provides a protective habitat for Antarctica’s dominant keystone animal, krill. Baleen whales, seals, and penguins eat krill, their breeding success depends on it, and krill depend on sea ice and phytoplankton to survive.

All the breeding cycles of Antarctic animals – from big to small — occur in synchrony and follow in succession with the spring phytoplankton blooms that come after winter’s end. These marine ecosystems have developed over millions of years and adapted to natural seasonal fluctuations and climate variability, but current rising temperatures of today, caused by human sources of carbon emissions, will test the limits of these systems beyond what their natural variations have predetermined. At what point will we tip the scale and yet again alter the Antarctic marine environment as we know it?

With this complex layered dance going on, it would be wise to pay attention to how phytoplankton – the krill food – changes during a season. Just like the harvest for produce changes during certain months of the year, not all phytoplankton types exist in the same months. Not much is known specifically about what happens to phytoplankton throughout an entire summer season because research funding and monitoring at this fine time scale has been limited, leaving Antarctica a relatively data-poor region of the world.

Tackling this challenge to learn more about a data-limited region, is exactly what motivates scientists like me to dedicate my career to solving these mysteries. With researchers in the Vernet Lab at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, we are looking in to these patterns. Every season since 2016, the citizen science project FjordPhyto has partnered with multiple vessels that are members of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO). Each time a ship explores a specific location along the Antarctic coast, travelers hop into a dedicated science boat to help collect samples for science.

With the assistance of trained guides, travelers concentrate phytoplankton using a net to strain out the seawater. They filter the sample onto a membrane and preserve it for analysis by us researchers back in the lab at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and University Nacional de la Plata in Argentina. We will look under high powered microscopes to identify species, and pair that information with analysis using genetic tools to look in more depth at their role in the ecosystem.

These samples provide data to two PhD student’s dissertation theses: my own at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego California, USA, and Martina Mascioni at Universidad de la Plata in Argentina (SCAR and IAATO Fellowship recipient).

With many ships collecting multiple observations at many locations over time, we can start to look at changes in phytoplankton throughout the season and learn even more about the seasonal cycles of growth. After analyzing samples collected by citizen scientists from our first season of FjordPhyto, we published the project’s first scientific article, Phytoplankton composition and bloom formation in unexplored nearshore waters of the western Antarctic Peninsula , by Mascioni et al. (2019). If we can link how the base of the food web – the phytoplankton communities – shift in relation to their changing environment, we might be able to predict how krill and the larger animals will respond.

After travelers collect samples with FjordPhyto, they bring it back on board for a viewing session under microscopes. That’s when the fascination and amazement begins in trying to imagine how these individual single cells, floating in front of your very eyes, live in a bigger community with many millions more cells, and can have a huge global impact on the environment. You may be familiar with phytoplankton in your daily life through experiencing the sight of bioluminescent waves crashing on a beach, through harmful algal blooms like red tide, that produce toxic compounds leading to shellfish poisoning and fish die offs. When the waters turn discolored or cloudy greenish brown this is typically a sign of abundant phytoplankton in the water.

Some algae are also being used for biofuel potential and as a superfood to enhanced health (for example, spirulina and cyanobacteria, a blue green algae). In this way, you have always been aware of their existence. But not until you see them up close, after collecting them from seawater yourself, does the experience and connection become so much more impressive.

Although phytoplankton are one of the simplest forms of life, there is a huge diversity among them. They come in all shapes and sizes and number in the hundreds of thousands of species. Many can be grouped into broader categories.

If you feel comfortable naming star constellations, various birds, or varieties of flowers, then naming a few of the phytoplankton groups shouldn’t scare you off too much. These larger groups include some that are covered in silica – a glass-like material – called diatoms, some use calcium carbonate like chalk, such as coccolithophores, and others are made of cellulose like wood, such as dinoflagellates. There are also the red algae, green algae, cyanobacteria, and small flagellates, just to name a few.

They have a crazy evolutionary history starting back 2.7 billion years ago – when the first solar powered single cell (cyanobacteria) first existed. These blue green algae were engulfed by another type of single cell, becoming one and giving rise to red algae and green algae. Green algae then gave rise to land plants 470 million years ago. And both green and red algae were engulfed again multiple times to give rise to variety of protists we see today.

Understanding these organisms at the genetic level can get complicated. Their genetic code ranges from small to massive, some have a genetic code that is 100 times larger than the humans! You have to wonder, what do they need all that DNA for? If you like sci-fi, aliens, and space, its near impossible to not find phytoplankton mesmerizing, captivating the imagination.

So next time you’re looking out at the vast blue waters and wonder why a place is rich or devoid in life, the presence or absence of the big animals you know and love, think at the level of microscopic. Think about the dramas playing out in the world of tiny organisms fighting for survival. Everything else you can see with your naked eye, appreciate that it’s supported by the first level of life, the phytoplankton, Antarctica’s gold.

After your trip, you just might find yourself dreaming of learning more about these peculiar lives that give abundant life to one of the most extreme places on Earth. And next time you pack your bags, you just might leave room for a travel microscope.

About the author | Allison Cusick

Allison Cusick is a graduate student (PhD) studying polar biological oceanography in the Vernet Lab at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, California. Since 2017, she has been traveling annually to the Antarctic Peninsula through her graduate work running the Fjord Phyto citizen science project, collecting samples, and giving lectures to guests on-board various expedition ships.

FjordPhyto connects Antarctic visitors with scientists in the Vernet Lab to help monitor changes in the microscopic life that thrive within coastal areas throughout November to March. Together they are learning how melting glaciers impact biodiversity and ecology at the base of the food web, while also increasing visitor engagement and understanding of science. Born and raised in Seattle, Washington Allison received her BS in Biology from the University of Washington in 2006, and her Masters in Marine Biodiversity & Conservation (at Scripps) in 2017. She spent the ten years in between working in various scientific fields before deciding to pursue a career as a polar oceanographer. Her first expedition to Antarctica was in 2013, where she boarded the US Nathaniel B Palmer as a research technician for 53-day expedition in the Ross Sea and that’s when the polar bug bit her. Her scientific expertise and love of travel have also allowed her to research exotic ecosystems in the Amazon jungle, the plains of Africa, and remote mountains in Mexico.

Feature image | Jack Pan; Other images | Allison Cusick

About IAATO

IAATO is a member organization founded in 1991 to advocate and promote the practice of safe and environmentally responsible private-sector travel to the Antarctic. IAATO Members work together to develop, adopt and implement operational standards that mitigate potential environmental impacts. These standards have proved to be successful including, but not limited to; Antarctic site-specific guidelines, site selection criteria, passenger to staff ratios, limiting numbers of passengers ashore, boot washing guidelines and the prevention of the transmission of alien organisms, wilderness etiquette, ship scheduling and vessel communication procedures, emergency medical evacuation procedures, emergency contingency plans, reporting procedures, marine wildlife watching guidelines, station visitation policies and much more. IAATO has a global network of over 100 members.
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Image by Shayna Brody

Bioluminescent blue ocean – San Diego’s Red Tide

May 6, 2020 / Allison Cusick

In this interview with Laura Walsh of San Diego’s Surfrider Foundation I talk about the massive Red Tide occurring on the coast of San Diego. What is a Red Tide? Why is it here? and why does it make the ocean glow neon blue at night with bioluminescence?!

Click the link to watch the Q&A video and read more:

What You Need to Know About San Diego’s Red Tide

A big thanks to Laura and Shayna Brody for filming, interviewing, and capturing some stunning images of the Ocean’s magic show.

Laura Walsh entering the blue glow – photo by Shayna Brody

Red Tide by day. Individual phytoplankton are reddish brown in color. When they grow in large numbers and “bloom” it turns the ocean reddish brown.

Red Tide washing up on the beach. This tide is non-toxic, unlike other Red Tides around the world. Video by Allison Cusick at Windansea

When the waves break, this agitates the phytoplankton. Within each individual phytoplankton cell, a flash of blue light is created through the chemical reaction between Luciferin and Luciferase. Multiply this bioluminescence by millions and millions of cells, and you get glowing waves! Photo by Allison Cusick
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Teaser video – behind the scenes interview with Gaby Lamanna

March 31, 2020 / Allison Cusick

The FjordPhyto citizen science project brings people together, because conservation is a “we”.

Everything you see is a work of art created by an actual person (or team of people). This short video about the efforts of the Antarctic citizen science project – FjordPhyto – was produced and directed by Gabriela Lamanna using video footage taken by Allison Cusick’s journeys to the Antarctic. We wanted to introduce you to Gaby and share her story. To share how she got involved with the FjordPhyto project, why she is obsessed with cold regions despite her upbringing in the tropics of El Salvador, and what her plans are after she completes her Masters degree from Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Q: Gaby, What drew you to make a film for the FjordPhyto project?

The minute I heard of FjordPhyto I was hooked! The fact that people can participate in citizen science by collecting phytoplankton in Antarctica is fascinating, everyone should know about this! I heard about the Vernet Lab needing someone to create content with all the footage graduate student Allison Cusick has from her expeditions in Antarctica, and there was no way I wasn’t saying yes!

I wanted to create a short video of FjordPhyto so that people can learn about the project in little time, just a minute!

I envisioned incorporating multiple voices representing different ethnicities and ages to narrate the story because I want the public to know that anyone can participate in citizen science!

I love the sentiment, “you protect what you love”, and if people get involved with science, there is a higher chance of them deeply understanding current problems like climate change. The more people fall in love with conservation, the better we will all be at protecting ecosystems!

One of the reasons I find FjordPhyto so special is that it brings people closer to researchers. I think there is a misconception that scientists are unapproachable, but the truth is scientists are more relatable than what people might think.

How fun is it that people can help them collect data and contribute to polar research!? Now, I know going to Antarctica is not for everyone, but I hope this video sparks curiosity to learn about other citizen science projects close to you!

Q: How did you get involved in ocean conservation and science storytelling?

When I tell people I have been completely fascinated with uncomfortably cold places since I first saw snow at the age of 22, they exclaim in disbelief: “But you grew up in the tropics!” To that I respond, “that’s exactly why!”. I was fortunate enough to grow up in El Salvador, a place with warm weather year-round, and even warmer people. My roots to the tropics are strong, but I knew that if I wanted to protect the ocean, I had to leave home to pursue a better education.

As soon as I graduated high school, I left to the United States to follow my dreams. I studied marine biology at Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College (Jupiter, Florida), where I had the blessing of having one of the best teachers I have ever met. His love for ocean conservation stuck with me to the point that I decided to pursue my master’s in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

I have loved the ocean from a young age, especially the animals in it. However, the origin of my true love started at 16 when I was introduced to surfing. I realized, the ocean gives us more than we can ever give back: waves to dance on, a place to grieve loss, medicine to heal, and the best part: as long as you are near the ocean, you will always have the curiosity of a child. You protect what you love, so it is no wonder that I wanted to become a marine biologist.

However, as much as I love science, there was always something missing for me. This all changed when I discovered science storytelling.

Q: What was it like growing up in El Salvador and how did this influence your creative outlets?

Being able to have a creative outlet means more to me than I will ever be able to explain. I have never been the best at expressing myself using words, but I am able to express myself through visuals.

Back in El Salvador schools work a little different. I went to the same school for 15 years, in a class of 22 people. Back then I didn’t think anything about it, because things seem okay when you haven’t seen anything different. But now that I look back, I think WOW! I can’t believe I spent so much time in a place where we would line up every morning and our teachers would check that our socks and tennis shoes were spotless and completely white, our skirts past our knees or else the principal would make you rip the stitching in front of her to make it longer, our nails short as can be, earrings as small as possible, our natural hair color without any modifications, no bracelets on your arms…

I could keep going, but in a short sentence… it was a place where self-expression would get you a trip to the principal’s office.

I grew up thinking that I did not have a pinch of creativity in me, but the truth is, after the 5^th grade, art class, music class, any type of creative class was not a part of our curriculum at school. However, my love for photography and filmmaking was inevitable, and I began documenting my life with what I had: a GoPro that a friend had found in the ocean while surfing. The very first GoPro model ever released!

I was ecstatic!!!

I started making short films about surfing, travel and family.

Eventually, I got a DLSR camera, but it always remained a hobby…

… until I discovered that scientists are extremely busy and that they need help with showing their work to the public.

My two main passions combined: science and visual storytelling, I had finally found my niche.

There is nothing quite like finally finding where you belong. I found love not only in having a camera as my tool, but in spending hours editing. Post production is therapeutic for me!

Q: What do you enjoy most about the Master’s program you’re in and where do you see yourself in the future?

I have so far loved my experience in the master’s program in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, because it is interdisciplinary. Not only are we allowed to combine science with other disciplines, but we are encouraged to do so!

In my short time here, my professors and mentors have impacted my life in many ways, and my career goals have become clearer than ever. I hope to someday bring the knowledge I have gained here back to El Salvador, where conservation efforts are greatly needed.

For the remainder of my time in the Marine Biodiversity and Conservation Masters program, I will be starting a new project creating an expanded informative “documentary style” video about the efforts of researchers in Antarctica.

When I finish, I hope to use aerial photography to start a mangrove monitoring program in El Salvador, since these efforts are still not in place in the country. I also hope to use filmmaking to bring awareness and promote conservation efforts, and especially to use my work to help low income vulnerable coastal communities in El Salvador.

Follow Gaby on social media at @gabylamanna

Follow the Antarctic Citizen Science project FjordPhyto @fjordphyto

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Sticky post

I never liked the ocean …

December 29, 2019 / Allison Cusick

Many people who are interested in Marine Biology or Oceanography grew up loving the ocean. They have fond memories splashing in the waves, searching for sea creatures, sailing on the sea, and enjoying beach life. Not me.

When my mom was young, she almost died drowning off the coast of Washington. As a result, whenever we took family vacations to the beach, we were never allowed to go in above our knees. I was OK with that because the waters off the Pacific coast are chilly.

The only connection I formed with the ocean was one of distance. Keep your distance. The ocean is powerful. Mysterious. Confusing. Untrustworthy.

As I got older I started to ponder which career I might explore. I loved to travel and thought that being an astronaut would be cool because they traveled to the moon – the most extreme travel any human could make. I looked into the degrees that NASA astronauts got and saw that many went into science. I liked traveling and I liked nature, so I logically chose to declare Biology and Geology as my majors in undergrad.

One of the geology classes I took brought us to some islands in Washington called the San Juan Islands (near Canada). We went on the Research Vessel Centennial for a day to dig up fossils and rocks from the sea floor. Being in Washington, it was rainy, wet, and cold. I was sea sick. I was not prepared for the weather. I hated it. That day, I vowed that I would never study the ocean. Keep that distance.

Too cold. Too wet. Too windy.

Around that same time, it also dawned on me that astronauts don’t actually travel to space very often. So with my space filled wanderlust dreams shattered and my disinterest in wet ocean related science, I instead focused on becoming a biological scientist studying land animals and birds. Far away from the ocean.

I ended up completing my Bachelor’s Degree in Biology with a minor in Earth & Space Sciences (i.e., Geology) from 2002 – 2006. I then held many jobs in various fields of science afterwards. From 2006 – 2010, I worked in immunology, neurobiology, and field ecology studying birds, squirrels, and land mammals. I felt like I was wandering. Unsettled. Frustrated not finding my niche.

In 2010, I realized I had to leave the seasonal field biology life and I found a job working in a lab studying phytoplankton. At the time I had no idea what phytoplankton actually were. I knew about diatoms in the form of diatomaceous earth from my geology courses, and I figured I could learn what I needed on the job. I would be running experiments and looking at how phytoplankton respond at a genetic level to increasing levels of carbon dioxide (known as ocean acidification). It was a very successful research technician position and resulted in many publications.

Three years later, in 2013, my boss got an offer to go on a research icebreaker to Antarctica for 53-days but she couldn’t take that much time off. Instead, she sent me. I had always wanted to travel to Antarctica, but always thought it would be as a tourist. My luck changed overnight and I couldn’t believe it. That was not in the job description when I applied three years prior!

I was going to Antarctica! And I had no idea what I was doing. I had never been at sea before. I had no idea what these giant scientific instruments did. I opened my ears and read a lot to try and absorb as much information as I could in preparation.

When I landed at the US McMurdo Station in the Ross Sea, I felt like I had landed on the moon. Antarctica felt so extra-terrestrial. My inner astronaut was satisfied. I dont need to go to the moon. I’m already on another planet! I then boarded the icebreaker (RV Nathaniel B Palmer) and lived on board for 53- days doing science with a team of researchers in Antarctica’s Ross Sea. I thought to myself, if I ever go to graduate school I will study Antarctic ecosystems. I didn’t know how that would play out back then, and I didn’t actively seek graduate school for three more years after that experience.

It was also during this time in my life that I tried surfing for the first time. In Washington. I fought past the breakers and sat on my board looking back toward the coastline. Holy Shit. This was the first time in my life I was IN the ocean past my knees!! Yes, I had been swimming in secluded seas, but never the ocean. Especially not the big scary Pacific Ocean that nearly killed my mom. I was 28 years old. My relationship to the ocean was slowly changing.

We fast forward to 2019, now I am working in the coldest, windiest ocean in the world. The Southern Ocean – the mother of all ocean currents. Frigid waters reaching 0 to -1.8C temperatures. Wind speeds that can knock you off your feet and flip a small boat. I love it. The more harsh, the more fun.

I wonder how I went from hating the oceans to loving them.

Over my experiences I learned that working on ships was really fun – and that Oceanography might not be such a bad career choice after all. It allowed me to work in the lab, work on ships, travel to extreme remote locations, and study some of the most pressing climate change issues of our time in a region of the world that is rapidly changing. It was the lifestyle of science that fit my desired niche.

During my time on board the ship, I also learned about the tourism industry and that it was growing. There was an entire community of people wanting to come learn more about this faraway land. I have always enjoyed getting other people excited about science and thought, whatever future research I do, I want to involved that community of travelers. I myself enjoyed taking vacations on “voluntourism” trips helping researchers with their work just for fun. So I knew there would be an interest within the Antarctic travel industry for engaging people in current polar science. So they could be part of the scientific legacy down on the icy continent.

In 2016 – 2017 I completed a Master’s degree in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, where I developed the citizen science project FjordPhyto (@FjordPhyto) and I realized, to keep doing this work, I needed to go in to the PhD program. Today, third year into the PhD program, I find myself doing so many things I had dreamed of doing all wrapped up into one. My early 20’s self, who specifically wrote off Oceanography because it was cold wet and windy, is now specializing in the biology of polar oceans.

The oceans remain powerful and mysterious to me, but confusion and distrust have turned into reverence and awe.

Its been quite the unrealized career dream come true. A haphazard path to get where I am today. If I had any advice to give young students, I would say allow yourself to explore. Explore as many options as you can. Dont feel locked in to one type of science or one job. Try things out. Dont write anything off and if you do change your mind, you can always start over or start new, if you want. Keep your options flexible and above all, at least make sure to find passion in what you’re doing.

Thanks for reading!

If you’d like to read other posts I wrote about my career path check these out:

When I Stopped Chasing The Dream Job, I Discovered My Dream Career

Allison Lee: Polar Phytoplankton PhD Student

Women in Polar Tourism

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She’s doing Science in the Wild – Interview with Dr. Ulyana Horodyskyj

July 15, 2019 / Allison Cusick

She stood in front of a room at NASA’s Building the Citizen Science Community workshop and explained how she, as a scientist herself, developed a travel company that would bring people to remote locations in the world to do science in the wild. Her initiative, Science in the Wild, hits the nail on the head when it comes to immersive science trips and learning through experience. Think Earthwatch. Think Adventure Scientists. A different way to travel and contribute through “Voluntourism”. But in this case, the person organizing and running the trips is the scientist herself – Dr. Ulyana N. Horodyskyj – and the participants are ordinary citizens, hungry for adventure and science.

Uly spent her PhD working on glacial lakes in the Himalaya. Through a Fulbright to do work in Nepal, her science expeditions at 15,000ft required Sherpas to transport the equipment and assist in research. Out of that work grew The Sherpa-Scientist Initiative (SSI) where sherpas learn to install time-lapse cameras, build high-altitude weather stations, and collect depth data on lakes and snow samples from local villages.

Her desire to get people involved in science didn’t stop there and upon completion of her PhD from the University of Colorado in 2015, she launched Science in the Wild.

I was excited to get a chance to talk with Uly and asked if she’d be willing to share more about her career journey and how she got to where she is today (as a professor, an explorer, and a certified badass). She’s an inspiration to me and I hope her adventurous spirit and passion for science infects you as well.

Uly looks through a hole in a “ventifact” – a volcanic rock that gets shaped by the fierce winds (see more photos).

What is your earliest memory of being hooked by science?

At the early age of six, my parents, two older brothers and I spent a month in Europe. Beyond being a fun family vacation, my parents packed in a lot of educational experiences for us. This included going up to 10,000 feet in the Swiss Alps, seeing beautiful mountains, and exploring an “ice palace” carved inside a glacier. I was definitely hooked on learning and on science!

What/Who inspired you to become a scientist?

My first mentor, Dr. Robert L. Forward. I was 13 years old, wanting to do a science fair project on solar sails (traveling in space without rockets). He took me under his wing, teaching me and even giving up his spot at a conference at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California so that I could present my project to a room full of rocket scientists (page 2: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/universe/archive/un0006.pdf).

Throughout my teens, I participated in science fairs and symposia, earning me enough scholarship money to attend college. Beyond competition, doing the science fair projects on a low-budget really taught me how to MacGyver solutions, deal with failure, and experience the joy of discovery.

What did you study during undergrad? Did you always know what you wanted to study before beginning?

I knew that I wanted to do science and had a particular interest in astronomy. I went to Rice University in Houston, Texas for college, where I started as an astronomy major and even worked two years in an observatory. But when I took a geology class near the end of my freshman year, I felt that it aligned more with my interest in the outdoors. Being a geology major meant that I could do both science and have adventures outdoors!

Why did you go to graduate school?

Excellent question, as going to grad school is a huge commitment of time, money and energy! I had a dream to start up an adventure science school and wanted to feel qualified to do so – to be an expert in my field. Diving in deep with a PhD gave me focus, drive and humility. To be a good leader on outdoor expeditions that I currently lead with Science in the Wild, all of those skills are crucial, too.

Uly in Chamonix after an attempt on the Cosmique route of Mont Blanc (see more photos).

What was your first science-related job and how did you find it?

I worked for the Rice Space Institute (RSI) in an office job my first year of college. It was offered to me by Ms. Umbe Cantu, Department Operations Administrator of RSI. I had met her a year prior, at age 16, while on a college visit at Rice when I was deciding between schools. Her personality, energy and enthusiasm for Rice University was contagious and so I signed my acceptance letter! I got a lot of experience with computer work (and got good at Googling information!) for creating educational content about earth and space science. In addition to office work, I visited and volunteered at museums and planetariums, which was my early intro to science education and communication for the public.

Has your work allowed you to travel (where have you gone)? (Check out all her travel here and there)

Yes, by the time I turned 23 (I’m 33 now), I had traveled to and/or worked on all the continents. Antarctica was a surreal experience – working on the back deck of a research icebreaker ship, helping out science projects. New discoveries were made just about every day!

When did you get into outdoor climbing/mountaineering and did you know it would benefit your science career?

I was always active as a kid. In high school, I ran track and played soccer. But it wasn’t until the end of college that I climbed for the first time – in a gym. When I moved to Rhode Island (Brown University) for my Masters, I had a lot of climbing mentors and so was able to develop my skills not only in the gym, but also outdoors and in the Appalachian mountains. I realized that I really loved both climbing and science. But how to blend them? I left with my Masters and headed west to Colorado, to start graduate work (for a PhD) doing something I was really passionate about – working in the mountains of Nepal.

Uly exploring the Larsbreen glacier in Svalbard. She descended a 15-meter (50 foot) moulin, or, vertical shaft (which was created by meltwater during the summer season), and then explored ice tunnels down in the glacier (see more photos).

What was the inspiration and motivation for starting your company Science in the Wild?

I received a Fulbright to Nepal in 2013. Living and working in the country gave me insights into living conditions the people endure, especially in the mountains (no heat in the teahouse bedrooms, for example!). Prior to that, though, I had already been working with the Sherpas since my first trip to the region in 2011. They didn’t just help me carry scientific gear; I actively involved them in my project work. Along the way, tourists in the Everest region were curious as to what I was up to, given I had an inflatable raft, ice axe and crampons…not standard hiking gear. I would give impromptu glacier talks, glacier “safaris” (in my inflatable raft, with life vests) and realized that I wanted to continue to bring people the joys and knowledge of the wild places of our planet. Hence, Science in the Wild was born.

Do you have a motto you live by?

Dreams don’t work unless you do!

What is your favorite thing/what keeps it fun for you when it gets hard?

During the year I lived abroad in Nepal, I was sometimes out alone on the trails, which gave me a lot of time to think. I found what helped me through loneliness and stress (from the field work), was listening to a lot of music on my iPod. Especially when trails got steep! It was a way to connect with nature on another level. When I listen to some of the same songs now, it transports me back there and reminds me what I endured and accomplished out in the field. It also reminds me of all the happy memories I made out there! Music is still my go-to when the going gets hard.

What has been your biggest challenges (as a scientist, or a woman in science, or an adventurous scientist, etc)?

Getting taken seriously – both as a scientist and as a mountaineer. Often times I’m mistaken for a student rather than a professor! I’m small – 5 feet, 4.5 inches. So, carrying heavy packs on mountains for science expeditions can be really challenging. I feel like I have to train much harder and work a lot harder for respect in both fields.

Working on Lobuche East, Nepal, at 20,000 ft (see more photos).

What do you envision for your future?

I’m very excited to continue my work in the realm of citizen science. I want to get more people outdoors through the expeditions and workshops that Science in the Wild offers, learning about beautiful landscapes around the world. For those that cannot join us in the field, I want to bring the world to them, in virtual reality. Our planet is changing – and not for the better – right before our eyes. Let’s see it, let’s talk about it, then let’s do something about it!

Continue following Uly’s science and adventures on Instagram, Facebook, and through her website.

When Uly is not galavanting around the world for work or fun, she spends her time as a visiting professor at Colorado College in Colorado. She also works with her husband to bring music to people in the mountains through Summit Songs and Science. She’s always doing something exciting! And just so you didn’t miss it, she also experienced a 30-day isolation and stress experiment as commander for NASA HERA XII (human exploration research analog) for future long-duration space missions.

Dr. Horodyskyj on her way to talk to young kids about her role as mission commander for NASA HERA (see more photos)

Hope you enjoyed this interview with Dr. Ulyana N. Horodyskyj!

If you like the blogs you see here and reading more about women doing science that gets them out in the field, subscribe to receive posts as they happen! Thanks for reading!
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Tracking the Painted Dog Pack – Zimbabwe Part 3

May 26, 2019 / Allison Cusick

We are on the search to find a pack of Painted Dogs so Dr. Greg Rasmussen can collar them for future tracking and ranging behavior research inside and outside protected areas. These animals travel great distances, moving prey around the landscape, and understanding their habitat use, distribution, transboundary movements, and dispersal is vital to their conservation.

Painted dogs are red listed as endangered with a declining population trend. It is estimated that 6000 individuals exist in 600-1000 packs in the
whole of Africa (IUCN/SSC 2013). In the Victoria Falls / Matetsi area, where Dr. Rasmussen’s team (Painted Dog Research Trust (PDRT) is based, 33 individuals in a total of six packs are known, which represents a decline since 2016 when 44 dogs were recorded (Rasmussen, 2018 annual report).

Just like wolves in North America, Painted Dogs get a bad wrap for killing livestock and being a menace. Typically, they’ve been referred to as “Wild Dogs” but there is a conservation attempt to turn a negative connotation to a positive one. The main threats to Painted Dogs include snaring from bush meat wire, loss of habitat and road kills by cars. Dr. Rasmussen is trying to understand disturbances to these packs, as well as threats from parasites, genetic viability, and den disturbances by tourist, camera-crew and researchers.

Their success and persistence thus relies on effective conservation and management strategies.

We hopped in the field mobile with Greg as Captain. A young biologist, Kudakwashe (KC for short) joined us. As we searched for the pack, we discussed her potential school research projects:

KC: “How about I study the Roan antelope?”

Greg: “How often do you see the Roan Antelope?”

KC: “Never.”

Greg: “OK. Your study species is never to be seen. You’ll never get data. New plan. What about monitoring grass colonization and animal presence at a watering holes with remote sensing cameras?”

KC: “That sounds so boring. What about fecal collection of carnivores to track their movements?”

Greg: “Do the grasses.”

KC: “Allison, what would you choose?”

Me: “Well, the young biologist in me would want to totally do the carnivores or Roan Antelope. But now that Ive been a scientist for a while, I see the value in picking feasible short-term projects especially when you’re young. I’d definitely suggest the lower hanging fruit, the grasses. Its boring, I know. But you don’t have much time left in your schooling.”

Heavy sighs come from the back seat. She wasn’t thrilled with that answer.

All of a sudden, there they were!! Five Painted Dogs standing in the road.

STOP THE CAR!! Greg readied the dart gun as KC and I sat and watched in anticipation. The key now was to position ourselves on the road so Greg could have a clear shot to the hind haunch of the lead dog. So far, the dogs didn’t seem bothered by our presence.

As we repositioned for the perfect set up, we noticed a ranger coming down the road on foot. His normal patrol route. Greg, flustered, put the gun down, turned the car around and drove up to the ranger to let him know what was about to happen. He’d heard about this pack and knew Greg had been trying to find them for weeks. He wished us good luck, and we drove back down to the site where we had seen the dogs.

Again, Greg positions the car and prepared the dart gun.

Sure enough, coming towards us were two cars. Tourists. They saw the dogs and stopped. Now, any seemingly normal human might think it would be best to stay in the car. But oh no. For whatever reason, these people got out of their vehicles to get a better look.

The strange thing to me, is that when the African animals see humans on foot, they all spook and run away. Is that a sign we are at the top of the food chain?? I know in Kruger National Park, vehicles have been coming in for 100 years. The lions and leopards have been known to use the vehicles as hunting blinds to catch their prey. Was it different in Hwange National Park? Either way, these people on foot were disrupting Greg’s chances of collaring this pack!

Luckily, our accomplice friends were in a vehicle next to them, on the other side of the dogs, and they drove over to give them the scoop.

BACK UP! SCIENCE IS HAPPENING!

Unfortunately, the dogs caught on to our commotion and ran off into the bush. We drove after them, careful to avoid the ditches and mopane trees. Eventually, the dogs settled down again and came back out onto the road.

Now was our chance! Greg positioned the car and aimed the gun.

A shoot…

…and a miss!

It didn’t make sense!!? How did the dog duck from that dart? I had managed to capture everything on video so we replayed the footage to see what had happened. Can you see it?

At the very last second the dog ducks its behind. Its as if those huge satellite ears heard the dart leave the barrel as soon as it was shot. Clever! Cunning. They entire pack scampered off into the bush and disappeared.

Our chance was gone for the day.

Even though the day ended without a collaring success, we all still successfully enjoyed our search. As for the young biologist, KC, and myself – a polar phytoplankton biologist, we had a blast just being along for the ride!

We headed over to a nearby picnic shelter to make dinner and set up camp for the night. As we debated the best location to pitch our tents, thats when I realized we’d be in for a restless night.

Black thunder clouds were approaching from 180 degrees on the horizon, baboons were running towards us to roost in the trees by the camp, and our picnic hut had clearly been a long-occupied cave for bats. This would be interesting…

To read about how we survived the torrential downpour, thunderstorms, bat cave, and sleeping on the ground without getting eaten by lions, read Part 4 here.

If you missed how I got here and what happened before this post, start at the beginning here. Share this:
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