sharing space and equipment

Guest

Susan,
I am starting my UTMSI class with Rick Tinnen and started wondering about how things are going in the arctic. The class is going to be very interesting for me. Tomorrow we are going to the salt marsh. As I get more into the course I am sure I will have a few questions for you so we can compare life in the Gulf with that in the Arctic. But for now...

Do you share lab space with other scientist or do you each have a space to call your own?

Do each of the groups doing research from the Healy bring all their own equipment or do the various teams share?

I'll write more tomorrow.
Gina

Joined: 20 Apr 2004 Posts: 7

Hi Gina,
Thanks for writing. I am glad you are excited about Rick's course. The more you know about things in the environment the more you will actually see when you are taking a walk on the beach or driving over the causeway. It will open your eyes forever.

Quote:

Question:
Do you share lab space with other scientist or do you each have a space
to call your own?

There is a combination of both situations. We have five environmental chambers on the ship; two on the bow and three on the stern. These are big trailers with sinks, refrigerators, lab benches etc. Only one person or one group uses a chamber. Most of us share what is called the Main Lab but we each have our own spaces. My group has a bench space where we keep the microscope for sorting and identifying the zooplankton and benthic organisms. We also built a shelf over part of a sink where we have our water filtering system. Attached to the Main Lab are two side labs and three walk in climate controlled chambers where some of the scientists are running experiments. Upstairs is a data processing and computer lab. My teacher Patty and I each have our own desk space where we keep our computers, books, and papers. This is where I am right now.

Quote:

Question:
Do each of the groups doing research from the Healy bring all their own
equipment or do the various teams share?

Each group brings their own equipment. You have to pack as though you are going camping in the wilderness. Once we leave Nome we are unable to send or receive things from shore until we get near Barrow. We are twenty days into our trip and have not come within helicopter flying range of Barrow. So you can see it is not good to forget anything nor assume somebody else will have something you need. Once on the ship there is a lot of sharing going on. For instance, three separate projects use zooplankton. They hook up one net and make several casts instead of each putting on their own net which would take extra time and effort. The whole atmosphere amongst the scientists is of cooperation which creates a very productive work environment.