North Pacific Ocean | 18.47°N, -155.67°W | October 13th, 2023
I rub the sleep out of my eyes and check my watch. It’s 2:57am. Too early for coffee. I take a sip of cold water, pretend I am fully awake, and click on the meeting link on the computer screen in front of me.
A Zoom window pops open, and I suddenly see 20 fifth grade students waving enthusiastically at me. I can’t help but smile. It’s the middle of the night and I’m very tired, but their enthusiasm is contagious.
I quickly confirm with the teacher that they are ready to get started, then I launch into my spiel.
“Hi everyone! My name is Marley and I’m the Communications Lead aboard the E/V Nautilus. I’m currently sitting in our studio, inside our Control Van. Right now we are 60 miles southwest of Hawai’i…”
In the past two weeks, I have delivered these lines over 40 times. This is my 12th expedition aboard Nautilus, and my third time sailing as the Communications Lead. I have joined interactions before and I hosted a live event during my last expedition. But the vast majority of my work on this ship has involved staying behind the camera.
Not anymore.
Because there are no Science Communication Fellows on this particular expedition, the task of hosting Ship to Shore interactions is one of my main responsibilities. These video calls represent a large percentage of the Ocean Exploration Trust’s robust outreach program. Every year, Nautilus connects with thousands of people all over the world — any country, any time zone.
Because we do a large number of calls with classrooms on the east coast, and we are currently in Hawai’i, my work day during this expedition typically starts around 3am.
Each call is just 30 minutes long, which creates a fun challenge – introduce the ship and OET, discuss why we conduct deep sea science and exploration, briefly explain expedition logistics, and answer a wide variety of questions.
One of the most common questions is what is day-to-day life like on a research vessel? Great question! I could (and want to) write a whole book about that — how do I sum it up in a few sentences?
When a student or teacher asks about a typical day at sea, I pick one or two ideas and give a few examples. I tell students about what it means to be a good shipmate — being kind, respectful, and patient — and how these are important attributes in any environment, but even more so in the close confines of a ship. I talk about the value of curiosity, problem-solving skills, persistence, and teamwork.
All smiles: Working in the studio with Kristin Crosset, the Outreach and Education Division Chief at NOAA Ocean Exploration.
Hosting interactions is not the only job of the Communications Lead. In addition to my early mornings in the studio, I also update our expedition website, communicate with the Shoreside team, coordinate imagery with our expedition documentarian (the talented and vibrant Nova West), work closely with our expedition leader Jason Fahy, interview the Mesobot team, edit video footage, record narrations, take headshot photos, and help a few members of the team prep for media interviews.
But spending hours and hours in front of the camera (and many different live audiences) is by far the most new and different aspect of my work on Nautilus this time around. It is excellent practice for public speaking. I work on making my answers as concise, compelling, and informative as possible — but I don’t know all the answers. Some of the questions stump me.
What is the growth rate of a deep-sea coral?
How many miles of the ocean floor has Nautilus mapped?
When I don’t know the answer, I simply say, “that’s a great question. I’ll have to check with my shipmates and get back to you!”
And that’s exactly what I do. Over lunch, I often tell my shipmates about the morning’s interactions and then relay questions — to which they enthusiastically respond. Kristopher Krasnosky and Joyce Miller provide all kinds of stats on seafloor mapping. Nina Yang and Randy Holland are happy to answer questions about corals and other deep sea biology.
But sometimes the kids outsmart me. One precocious middle school student asks, “do you listen to Taylor Swift?”
I don’t, but I want these kids to relate to me. I feel duty-bound to represent ocean explorers as hip, cool people.
“Of course!” I say. “Taylor Swift is great.”
The student doesn’t skip a beat. “What’s your favorite album?”
“Umm…the most recent one?”
Busted.
High school students often ask about career options, salaries, or what courses I took in college. A few of those questions include:
What’s your background?
Why qualifications do you need to work on Nautilus?
What is your favorite thing about this job?
I enjoy answering these questions because they highlight points I am always trying to communicate: no, you don’t have to be a scientist or an engineer to work on a ship like Nautilus. I share the short version of my story, explaining that when I was in college, I had no idea my future career would involve working with scientists in the middle of the ocean. I tell students that having technical skills and experience is helpful, but being a good shipmate is the most important attribute.
Answering the last question is tough — what is my “favorite thing” about this job? I smile and shake my head, knowing I don’t have enough time to detail all the things I love about working out here.
“I love everything,” I say truthfully. “It’s a dream job.”