Back to the grind...

We are officially back in the US and most of us are back to work (I think!). At least, I am. In getting a little slideshow ready for my coworkers to see what I've been doing lately, I had a chance to reminisce and evaluate my experiences. I'm not sure there are words to express my appreciation for my colleagues on the boat (scientists and boat staff included). The experience gained over the last 6 weeks has been priceless. Not only did I see wondrous things, I have a no-small-amount-of-CV-booster to add.

(Photo credit Selina Vaage)

Specifically, I'd like to thank Dr. Meng Zhou. Being a late addition to the UMass crew set to embark, I find myself incredibly lucky to have been working on something only slightly tangential to the missions of the cruise. Meng is a fantastic mentor, giving career advice willingly, life advice frequently, and being a good friend throughout. If any of the readers have a chance to sail with Meng, do not hesitate - agree to it immediately!

(Photo credit Dr. Alison Stimpert)

I'd also like to thank Dr. Doug Nowacek. Without the efforts of this awesome project Chief Scientist, the cruise simply would not have been such a great success. His dedication to the job of Chief Scientist allowed great coordination between working groups and ship time. It was a fantastic experience to be able to work with such a great scientist and person. I hope to sail with you again soon!

I'd also like to thank my night shifters (or Midnight Marauders)! Without you guys, I surely would have gone crazy. At the very least, embarrassing story time would not have devolved into hilarious embarrassing excrement stories without you all.

Thanks to everyone on the boat for a safe, fun, and productive cruise. You all are great!

Thank you Antarctica - for being there, mostly, but also for housing some of the greatest wonders of the world.

And now that I have gone off the deep-end and thanked a non-sentient continent for being a continent, I will sign off. Perhaps in the near future, I will have another adventure to report. One can only hope (and apply for grants!)