Posts

Posted on

Melina Vella: Soon to Set Sail, September 1, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Melina Vella

(Soon to be) Aboard NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow

September 10 – 30, 2026

Mission: Northeast Bottom Trawl Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Northeast Atlantic Ocean

Date: September 1, 2026

Weather Data from Slaughter Beach, DE (Delaware Environmental Observing System)

Latitude: 38.91°N

Longitude: 75.31°W

Temperature: 86° F

Wind: 5 mph S

Personal Log

It’s wild to think that this opportunity could have drifted past me if I hadn’t opened a random email from one of the many environmental newsletters I’m subscribed to. In some ways, though, it was something that I manifested back in elementary school. My name is Melina Vella and I am thrilled to be writing my first blog post as a NOAA Teacher at Sea. Currently, I work for the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife as an environmental educator at the DuPont Nature Center.  

By almost all accounts, my dream career growing up was to be a scientist. I recently sifted through bins of keepsakes spanning my years of schooling, and every “get to know me” assignment documents a clear plan. Aside from one deviating record that listed my aspiration to be a dentist (perhaps around the time my brother was getting his braces put on), science was always my end goal. 

a collage of three photos: (1) a cut-out paper star with the printed prompt "My goal for the future is" followed by Melina's handwritten response: "To be an athlete or a scientist." (2) A worksheet titled "Who Am I?" that ends in the prompt: "When I Grow Up I Would like to be" and Melina's answer: "scientist." (3) a photo of a collage with cut-out printed statements (the top reads: "I want to be a type of scientist when I grow up. Most likely a paleontologist or a chemist." and a photo of a young Melina.
Assignments from elementary school demonstrating my aspirations of being a scientist.
a very young Melina wearing a sweater, butterfly wings, and safety goggles.

Two-year-old Melina, a very serious junior scientist, fully suited up with personal protective equipment.
view from the back of Melina wearing her graduation cap, which is decorated elaborately with ocean waves filled with sea creatures, and a sandy beach with the words "Environmental Science"
My decorated undergraduate cap.

I wonder if past me would consider my present-day self a scientist. My undergraduate degree is technically a science degree, but in practice I’m not a scientist. So, in some ways, this expedition is fulfilling a childhood dream that no one will be able to argue: I’ll be a scientist. 

Why the trip down memory lane? Well, I bring up these artifacts from many moons ago to illustrate that my interest in science started when I was only five years old. My passion was enhanced by field trips to the aquarium and my very first lab dissection of a flower in fifth grade. I was encouraged by my teachers to compete in the science fair each year.​​ Through my position as a naturalist at the DuPont Nature Center, I have the chance to make that core memory for hundreds of kids visiting on field trips. Every single week for months I lead programming for students from dozens of local homeschool groups, public schools, daycares, and more. The overarching goal of these field trips while the kids visit is to connect them to the Delaware Bay, one of the state’s most important natural resources. 

Melina and a young girl hold on end of a seine net on a beach
Seining program with a homeschool group. (Image Credit: Heidi Bacon)
view of the Dupont Nature Center building at a distance beyond a flooded parking lot
The Delaware Bay absorbing our Nature Center parking lot at high tide during a storm surge.

We all have some sort of relationship with the Earth, whether we want to or not. For some, the love they have for the planet is what drives them day in and day out. For others, they might not give a second thought to the impact their decisions have on the land, sea, or atmosphere. However, sometimes all it takes is finding a beautiful bivalve shell on the beach or petting a horseshoe crab for the first time to instill that desire to keep exploring.

That brings me to how I ended up here, as part of this program. The foundation of my education is environmental science, with an intense focus on ecology in marine environments. Unfortunately, one of the results of the COVID-19 pandemic spanning my junior and senior years of college was that the classes that typically offer field and lab opportunities were instead virtual. Alas, I never dissected a shark in my elasmobranch class. So, when the chance to actually go on a research cruise with NOAA came across my screen, applying was inevitable. 

people kayaking on a pond - the front of a kayak visible right where the camera would be - on a day with blue skies and bright white clouds
Kayaking on Lums Pond

I’ve been lucky enough to have some very unique work “offices,” including on Nantucket Island as a summer camp environmental educator for a non-profit and the woods of upstate New York with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology on a field research project. Another unique one was a small fishing boat, also operating as a summer camp, but specifically for young anglers. 

a line of 8 people jumping at the same time in front of a white and red striped lighthouse
In front of Sankaty Head Lighthouse on Nantucket Island with my 2024 intern cohort.
Melina sits on the floor of the visitors center reading a children's book to a group of visitors seated on the floor or in chairs.
A group of visitors attending a Storybook Saturday Program at the Nature Center.

This upcoming trip will be the longest I’ve ever been on a boat at once! I hope to absorb as much as I can through this experience and take it with me for the rest of my life. This opportunity will give me an entirely unique experience that very few people get to have each year. I’m excited to meet new people and learn more about what it actually takes for a research project to be successful day-to-day. We’ll all have our roles, and I hope to add value to the team while I’m there by bringing my natural strengths and past experiences along with a passion for pushing myself to always try new things. 

Today’s Tune:

How Far I’ll Go by Auli’i Cravalho (from Moana)

“See the line where the sky/meets the sea, it calls me”

Posted on

Sabrina Whitaker: The Final Turn, August 31, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Sabrina Whitaker

Aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson

August 18 – 31, 2026

Mission: Hydrographic Survey, Leg 3

Geographic Area of Cruise: The Great Lakes

Date: August 31, 2026

Weather Data from the Bridge

Latitude: 43°28.8468’N

Longitude: 076°32.1152’

Winds: 5 knots SW

Temperature:  71 F

Science and Technology Log

view from an upper deck of NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson over the bow as the ship approaches the Port of Oswego; across calm gray waters, we see the tree-lined coast, buildings, and a steeping in the distance
Entering the Port of Oswego, New York

I spent my last hour aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson very much the same as I did when I started: On the bridge watching the the NOAA Corp Officers maneuver the ship around the pier. 

view of the bridge of NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson. three NOAA corps officers stand at the ship's controls, facing away from the camera toward the bridge's windows. a fourth person is visible standing right near a window beyond the control panels.
NOAA corp officers working together to dock the ship

As my time aboard the NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson comes to an end, I find myself looking out over the Great Lakes one last time, reflecting on an incredible two weeks at sea. I’ve enjoyed so much of what I’ve experienced and I’ve learned even more. Over the past two weeks, I have had the privilege of stepping into the daily workflows of many of the departments that keep this floating laboratory operational.

In hydrographic surveying and science, I learned about the how the survey team operates the multibeam and side-scan SONAR, tracks lakebed topography, deploys the Moving Vessel Profiler (MVP) to measure sound speed through water columns, and processes bathymetry data to identify navigational hazards. Up on the bridge and aboard survey launches, I observed the seamless coordination of the NOAA Corps officers as they safely navigated tight survey grids and executed precision small boat operations. Down in the engine room and ship’s workshop, I saw firsthand how engineers and oilers maintain complex mechanical systems, monitor power generation, and custom-fabricate hardware to support the ship’s operations. Meanwhile in the galley, I learned what it takes for the steward department to feed the entire crew.

Above all, I experienced a culture of trust where every voice matters. Everyone continuously strives to do better, whether mastering ship and small boat handling or expanding their scientific knowledge.

Personal Log

With the start of the school year starting tomorrow, my excitement is shifting from the open water back to my physics classroom. I cannot wait to meet my new students and introduce them to everything I’ve learned during this journey.

So much of what happens aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson is physics in action—from sound propagation in water and wave mechanics to vector navigation, data processing, and engineering design. Being able to bring real-world NOAA data, live video clips, and genuine stories of STEM careers into our lessons will give our coursework a direct line to the real world.

More than the technical concepts, I am eager to model the collaborative, trust-based environment I witnessed onboard. I want my students to see that asking questions, checking each other’s work, and learning from mistakes aren’t just classroom goals—they are the exact habits practiced daily by professional scientists and mariners at sea.

This expedition through the NOAA Teacher at Sea Program has been an unforgettable experience. To the officers, survey technicians, engineers, and crew of the NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson: thank you for welcoming me into your community, answering my endless questions, and showing me what true teamwork looks like.

sunset over dark water; at the horizon, the sky is very pink, breaking into orange around the lower portion of the sun, which is mostly obscured by dark gray clouds extending toward the rest of the photo frame
The sunset on my last evening aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson

Did You Know?

Late one night during our mission, I stayed awake to witness a near-total lunar eclipse—when the Earth moves directly between the Sun and the Moon. From my vantage point, as well as back home, the eclipse reached about 96% coverage. For nearly two hours leading up to peak coverage, we found ourselves dodging the only rain cloud in the sky, though I still managed to capture photos at the start and just after maximum coverage.

view of the moon, only slightly eclipsed, casting moonlight on the dark water. we can barely see the silhouettes of a crane and an antenna on the deck of the ship
At the very beginning of the lunar eclipse at about 10:30 p.m.
view of just the moon in the black sky, reddish in the lower half.
Just after total coverage at about 12:30 a.m.

Posted on

Sabrina Whitaker: Hands on the Helm, August 28, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Sabrina Whitaker

Aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson

August 18 – 31, 2026

Mission: Hydrographic Survey, Leg 3

Geographic Area of Cruise: The Great Lakes

Date: August 28, 2026

Weather Data from the Bridge

Latitude: 43°22.5312’N

Longitude: 076°43.7097’

Winds: 5 knots SW

Temperature:  75 F

Science and Technology Log

a NOAA Corps officer stands in front of the control panels on the bridge of NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson. he looks down at a piece of paper he holds in two hands. another NOAA Corps officer stands beyond him, mostly obscured.
Executive Officer Chris Duffy looking over the planned survey for the day

Executive Officer (XO) Chris Duffy greeted me as I climbed the stairs to the bridge with, “The best job on the boat!” and then promptly asked if I wanted to drive the ship. I asked for a tour of the bridge first. He pointed out the main engine and auxiliary engine and then spoke about how it was especially beneficial to use the auxiliary engine in tight spaces for a finer control of the ship. He also pointed out the ship’s communication system including two radios and then he showed me the two radars. There are two different radars and each works with a different frequency. One is a higher frequency (X-band with a frequency of about 10 GHz)  and one is lower (S-band which is around 3 GHz). The X-band radar is used for collision avoidance and can even help identify some weather patterns like rain that is coming in. The S-band radar is used more to see bigger things like large ships further away or in bad weather.  I was surprised by how easily the ship turned under my hand. I was only making adjustments of 5-15 degrees from the center of the ship and yet she turned around easily and quickly.

view out the windows of the bridge of NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson. two of the three windows have circles in their centers.
View from the Bridge

Then, he showed me the navigation system. It is possible to control the ship “in hand” and that means a person is controlling the ship’s motion instead of the computer. There is also an “auto” feature, which can set the ship on a heading and the ship will continue on that heading forever or until someone gives the ship’s computer another parameter. And finally, there is a different type of auto navigation, where the ship follows a predetermined path like if you could have your car follow a Google Maps route without having to touch the steering wheel. This setting is referred to as “nav nav” because you press the “nav” button twice. When this setting is used, the map is usually created by those down in survey because they have two programs running. One is seeing where the SONAR swath has been and they have the software that runs nav nav as well, which is also shown on the bridge. 

Sabrina, wearing her Teacher at Sea t-shirt, stands at the helm of NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson and turns her head to smile for the camera
My chance at the helm

Once I got familiar with the bridge, it was my turn. XO called out angles, “Right 15 degrees rudder” and I would follow his instructions, and then he would call out another angle, “Right 5 degrees rudder,” until we got the ship turned around so we could collect the next line of data with the multibeam. 

I wasn’t really sure how the angles and the directions were being decided because I couldn’t picture it in my head. So, just like in my own classroom, XO pulled out a whiteboard and gave me a mini-lesson on what he was doing. I thought this would be a good chance to show his teaching in action, so the video of the impromptu lesson is below.

XO’s navigation lesson

Personal Log

Having spent years working with the American Physical Society to recruit physics majors, I am always on the lookout for physics in the real world. National graduation numbers highlight a stark gap: in the 2024–2025 academic year, only about 8,100 students earned a bachelor’s degree in physics, compared to roughly 141,000 in engineering. Yet, physics graduates are essential for advancing fields like quantum computing, fusion energy, and artificial intelligence.

While I have loved seeing hands-on physics applied across the bridge, survey room, and engine room, I was especially thrilled to meet someone using their physics degree outside of academia: Operations Officer Mark Meadows.

a NOAA Corps officer, wearing a life vest, bends down to lift the bottom sampler, a sort of metal trap, with two hands. he is standing on the deck of the small launch vessel near the railing.
a NOAA Corps officer wearing a life vest leans over the railing of the small launch vessel and lowers something attached to a line into the water. the water is calm and bright blue.
a pile of mussel shells rests on a laminated sample sheet, with some data filled in by dry erase marker
Operations Officer Mark Meadows as he collects a sample from the bottom of the lake

Mark discovered NOAA while completing his undergraduate degree. After participating in a research cruise, he fell in love with life at sea and applied to the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps. The Corps requires officers to hold a college degree with at least 48 semester hours in STEM coursework.

After completing basic officer training, Mark joined NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson as a junior officer, mastering ship handling, watchstanding, and maritime operations. Now in his sixth year with NOAA, he serves as one of two Operations Officers on board, helping lead ship operations and troubleshoot complex challenges.

What Mark loves most is how seamlessly his role blends seamanship with active science. On any given day, NOAA Corps officers work side-by-side with the hydrographic survey team—deep in data acquisition, processing, and “sheet” management (how we break down survey areas)—while simultaneously steering the ship, running small boats, and leading maritime operations.

Another huge draw of the NOAA Corps is its unique career rotation: officers typically complete a two-year sea assignment followed by a three-year shore assignment. This cycle gives them hands-on experience across the entire agency, allowing them to bring real-world operational insight into land-based research, policy, and management roles before heading back to sea.

Did You Know?

The hydrographic survey crew frequently detects shipwrecks in their multibeam SONAR data. We recently mapped one during our run:

photo of a computer screen displaying black and white sonar image of a shipwreck on a seafloor
Shipwreck detected by SONAR
photo of a computer screen showing color-coded depth data revealing a shipwreck on the seafloor
A Shipwreck by the SONAR

While raw SONAR images can take a moment to interpret, comparing the structural outlines to a ship’s internal frame brings the target into focus. As processing continues, the survey team will clean up the imagery and all the detailed information (location, depth, dimensions of the wreck, imagery, etc.) is packaged up and sent to the State Historical Preservation Office (SHPO). They will then assess whether the wrecks have historical significance.   

Posted on

Sabrina Whitaker: Small Boats, Big Data, August 26, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Sabrina Whitaker

Aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson

August 18 – 31, 2026

Mission: Hydrographic Survey, Leg 3

Geographic Area of Cruise: The Great Lakes

Date: August 26, 2026

Weather Data from the Bridge

Latitude: 43’’53’34.7740° N

Longitude: 76”30”07.8526° W

Winds: 5 knots

Temperature:  70 F

Science and Technology Log

Today, I had the incredible experience of going out on one of the survey launches with Hydrographic Survey Tech Haley Kenyon and Ensign James Hutzenbiler to run side-scan sonar. We rely on these smaller boats particularly when the water becomes too shallow for NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson to maneuver safely or when we are working in areas where the depths are completely unknown.

Sabrina, wearing a hard hat and life vest, poses for a photo with her hands on the rail of the small launch vessel. it is sunrise, and the sky has bands of pink and yellow near the horizon.
Aboard the small boat and ready for the day!

Once underway, Ensign Hutzenbiler and Haley navigated our assigned lines with incredible efficiency. 

a man stands at the helm of the small launch vessel, two hands on the steering wheel, facing out the front of the boat's cabin
ENS Hutzenbiler drives the launch

When we ran into an issue with our POS (Position and Orientation System) data, Haley had Ensign Hutzenbiler hold position while she stepped out to secure an antenna connection with electrical tape. 

view up a large antenna toward a blue sky with wispy white clouds; a woman wearing a life vest stands behind it with one hand grasping it above her head
Survey Tech Haley Kenyon secures the antenna

When the glitch popped up again later, a full system reboot got us back online for the rest of the day. The ingenuity, calm troubleshooting, and seamless teamwork on that small launch were inspiring—and together, they logged over 70 nautical miles of high-quality bathymetric data.

photo of a computer screen displaying the survey lines, color coded by measured depth, overlaid on a nautical chart
software displaying survey lines
view of NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson from behind the stern, with the front deck of the small launch vessel visible in the foreground
View of NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson from the launch vessel as we return to the ship

Personal Log

Before we even stepped foot on the launch, we went through a comprehensive risk assessment using a GAR (Green-Amber-Red) model.

The colors represent our overall risk score:

  • Green (0–23): Low risk; proceed with standard precautions.
  • Amber (24–44): Moderate risk; requires consultation with the Executive Officer (XO) and crew to implement specific risk mitigations.
  • Red (45-60): High risk; the launch does not deploy unless risks can be successfully mitigated to lower the score.
photo of a printed sheet of paper that reads FLOAT PLAN, Date 8/26/26. HSL 2903/2904 (with "2904" circled in pen.) the plan lists information about the launch vessel, Passengers and Crew, Itinerary, and Operational Risk Management.
Float Plan, including the GAR risk assessment, for launch vessel 2904

The GAR sheet is led by the coxswain—the officer in charge of the vessel—but it is a collaborative discussion. Once our mission for the day is outlined, the entire crew reviews every safety factor together.

8 or 9 people sit and stand around a computer room on NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson facing a NOAA Corps officer standing by a screen
The pre-launch small boat meeting

For my trip, the lake was calm and the mission was straightforward. I bumped our “Mission Complexity” score up slightly because it was my first time on the launch, meaning the team had to account for extra safety oversight for a newcomer. When weather conditions worsen—like on a day another crew faced choppy waters—the risk may elevate to Amber. If the risk does rise to Amber,  they thoroughly map out contingency plans—including designated safe-harbor ports along their route if conditions deteriorate. Thanks to that preparation, everyone is able to execute their missions and return safely. What impressed me most about the GAR process is its culture of open safety. If anyone—regardless of rank, role, or whether they are actually going on the boat—feels a risk factor is underestimated, they have the authority to raise the score. Crucially, a score can never be voted down by someone else; it can only be raised. Knowing that safety is actively evaluated from every angle made me feel completely confident heading out on the water.

That culture of psychological safety, open communication, and continuous learning is something I am eager to bring back to my physics classroom. My students spend a lot of time collaborating in lab teams, and I want to find a way to create an environment where every student feels just as empowered to speak up—whether it’s pointing out a safety oversight or double-checking a peer’s lab setup or providing feedback on solving a problem. I already model this by encouraging students to call out my own errors, but seeing how seamlessly the crew on Thomas Jefferson prioritizes collective growth has me reflecting on how I can cultivate that same deep trust in my classroom right from the start of the school year.

Did You Know?

Port is the left side of a ship or boat while starboard is the right side when facing the front (bow) of the ship as shown in the image below:

diagram of a boat seen from above, with labels identifying the bow (forward) at the front; the stern (aft) at the back; the port side at the left, and the starboard side at the right
From: https://www.saltwaterjournal.life/blog/port-and-starboard-sides

The port side of the boat is named so because that is the side of the boat that was traditionally tied up to the dock or port, opposite to the steering or steer board, “starboard.” https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/port-starboard.html.

One of the crewmembers told me that to remember port and starboard to always remember that port has four letters in it and so does left, so they are on the same side of the boat. 

Posted on

Sabrina Whitaker, Food for Thought, August 24, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Sabrina Whitaker

Aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson

August 18 – 31, 2026

Mission: Hydrographic Survey, Leg 3

Geographic Area of Cruise: Lake Ontario

Date: August 24, 2026

Weather Data from the Bridge

Latitude: 43°53’38.2834N

Longitude:76° 30’08.8917W

Winds: Temperature:  68° F

Science and Technology Log

The science, travel, and community that make life aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson possible rely on the team hard at work in the galley. The cooks in the steward department serve a hot breakfast every morning at 7:00 a.m., offering eggs to order, pancakes or waffles, bacon, turkey bacon, sausage, and grits or oatmeal, along with fruit and a variety of sauces.

two people stand near a stovetop in the ship's kitchen area; the woman in the foreground, wearing latex gloves, uses a spatula to scrape eggs onto a plate
Some of the Steward Department serving breakfast.

At 11:00 a.m., they serve a wide array of lunch options. Tuesdays are usually Taco Tuesday—a crew favorite—though the menu varies based on what Chief Steward Danni Cuff creates. She posts the weekly menu in advance so everyone knows what to expect. This also allows crew members to request a plate to be saved if they are working on the small boats or on shift outside galley hours.

a scanned copy of a printed table showing the menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Monday through Saturday. at the top, there is a note that reads: "Menu subject to change at weather & steward department discretion. your understanding is appreciated in advance!"
The menu for this week.

Dinner is served at 4:30 p.m. Last week featured a surf-and-turf dinner with crab legs and steak. It was my first time trying crab legs, and I have to say, I prefer them over lobster.

photo of a dinner plate containing steak topped with onions and mushrooms, two dungeness crab legs, asparagus, roll
Surf and turf dinner

For dessert tonight, I joined the Chief Steward in the galley to help make and decorate a white cake. Before we frosted it, she gave me some pointers on piping practice. Since she couldn’t find the exact piping tip she wanted, she also showed me how to cut a pastry bag to create one from scratch.

close up view of two gloved hands icing a round cake on a glass cake plate
Danni frosting the cake served for the evening dessert
close up photo of finished cake: white icing dotted with strawberries
A white cake with strawberries that was served for dessert about NOAA ship Thomas Jefferson.

The Chief Steward’s role extends far beyond baking. She manages her department and ensures her team receives professional development while in port; one of her crew members will soon attend training at The Culinary Institute of America. 

In addition to staff management, Danni oversees inventory and supply ordering for each leg of the voyage. She is currently developing an automated inventory system designed to generate supply orders and vendor lists based on planned menus and upcoming crew counts.

Personal Log

Before embarking on this leg aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson, one of my biggest worries was the menu. I don’t typically care for seafood and have actively avoided it in the past, so I even reached out to a past Teacher at Sea participant to ask about the food. It turned out to be a total non-issue for three reasons: 1. Danni consistently provides multiple lunch and dinner choices (as seen on the weekly menu), alongside a fully stocked salad bar and sandwich station; 2. She takes great care with dietary restrictions and allergies. With so many options available, personal preferences are naturally accommodated as well; and 3. I’ve actually found myself reaching for seafood intentionally. Danni has prepared my favorite—catfish—both grilled and fried, and served dishes I had never tried before, like pollock and crab legs. Looking at menus from previous months, I noticed even more local, sustainably sourced species I would love to try.

Danni puts incredible thought, care, and effort into her work, and everyone aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson deeply appreciates her dedication—and her delicious meals.

Did You Know?

A waterspout is a spinning, funnel-shaped column of air and water mist that forms over a large body of water. At the end of the day that I spent with Danni, we saw a waterspout off of the side of the ship.

a waterspout forming over the horizon above the gray waters of Lake Ontario
waterspout over Lake Ontario