Day 4 by Audrey

Today I had an amazing and unique learning opportunity. We were able to collect data with Dr. Adolf and learned about plankton with him. The night before we had all just learned from Professor Don about Earth Systems and how they all affect each other. We were able to apply that lesson today. One of the ways we used Don’s lesson was in the conversation about the data we took that day. For instance, how does the geosphere affect the hydrosphere and its marine life? The answer is that the lava carries silica that runs off into the ocean by the river. The phytoplankton then feed on the silica which feeds more organisms.

The feeling of being on an active research vessel with a knowledgeable scientist like Dr. Adolf was unreal. Being able to handle the equipment ourselves really made this day memorable. Often times in school I am given data and am asked to analyze it. Being able to gather the data ourselves made the science come to life and gave me more motivation to analyze what I had gathered. I now have a deeper appreciation of data and the hard work that comes with gathering it. I also have more of an idea what scientists actually do. Before today I thought most of what being a scientist was done indoors. I now know that it is often outdoors and interactive.

At the end of today we had trust exercises with the group. The exercises turned into a time to share. I personally was amazed at how much the students and the instructors shared. In my experience everyone has had dark times in their life and issues in the present. The fact that there were students and instructors experiencing hardship in their lives did not surprise me.  It was the fact that everyone was willing to become vulnerable with each other after only meeting four days ago was incredible. It was a true sign that we are all turning into a family.