Ocean exploration: 91传媒 grad student鈥檚 expedition is chance of a lifetime
Contact: Sasha Steinberg
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STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擲ince she was young, Caitlin Ruby has dreamed of becoming an explorer like her dad, an oceanographer of 35 years.听
Now, the Mississippi State geoscience/geospatial sciences master鈥檚 student from Long Beach will have that opportunity as she embarks on an oceanographic research expedition in the western Pacific Ocean on board the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration鈥檚 (NOAA) vessel, Okeanos Explorer.
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Regarded as 鈥淎merica鈥檚 Ship for Ocean Exploration,鈥 the Okeanos Explorer is the only federally funded U.S. ship assigned to systematically explore the ocean for the purposes of discovery and advancement of knowledge.
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After joining the vessel Wednesday [March 23] in Kwajelein, Marshall Islands, Ruby will sail to Guam, where she will depart on April 13.
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While aboard, she will gain hands-on experience through the collection of oceanographic and geospatial data relevant to her graduate research. Additionally, she will have the opportunity to work closely with other scientists, including the expedition leader who has expertise in the analytical methods Ruby will be applying in research for her master鈥檚 thesis.
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Support for Ruby鈥檚 research is being provided by the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research and the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information through the Northern Gulf Institute, a NOAA cooperative institute led by 91传媒.
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Adam D. Skarke, an assistant professor of geology at 91传媒, said along with being indicative of the strength and productivity of the longstanding partnership between 91传媒 and NOAA, Ruby鈥檚 participation in the expedition 鈥渞eflects the Department of Geosciences鈥 ongoing commitment to providing students with opportunities to participate in high-level cutting-edge earth and atmospheric science research.鈥
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Skarke added, 鈥淎lthough her current travel is far afield, Caitlin will be applying the skills she gains on this expedition to analysis of data collected by the Okeanos Explorer in the northern Gulf of Mexico in order to better understand marine habitats and ecosystems in our own backyard.鈥
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For more details about the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research-sponsored expedition, see .
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Located in Hilbun Hall, the 91传媒 geosciences department offers courses and expertise in several areas of the earth sciences, including climatology, geocognition, geography, geology, geospatial analysis and meteorology. For more on the department, visit , , or telephone 662-325-3915.
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91传媒 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .