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What they’re into … with Jessica Servis (Reach Program for US Sailing)

September 18, 2012 by 1 Comment

And so it concludes, this is the last installment of the “What Marine Conservationists Are Into …” series. This is a series I featured this summer to get a special sneak peek at the many different personalities behind the scientists, activists, and educators (including bloggers) who play an integral role in the marine science conservation field. It’s essentially an extension of the overwhelmingly popular and well done Tumblr blog, This Is What A Scientist Looks Like, (BCS was featured in April of 2012!) which sets out to illustrate that scientists are not just crazy haired nerds in lab coats. I sent a list of 15 random questions and asked that each person share at least their answers to 5 of them.

Rounding out the esteemed group is Jessica Servis, a fellow Cape May County comrade. I love her quote at the end of the biography – It’s all about the little things. Thank you to everyone that participated in this series. It’s been an honor getting to know you all!

Jessica Servis run the Reach Program at US Sailing, educating youth in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) and Environmental Stewardship while utilizing sailing as the platform. Exposing children to STEM at a young age supports their overall academic growth and develops early thinking and reasoning skills. Experts in the field of education like Kamau Bobb Google agree that this early exposure can lay a solid foundation for future STEM learning and potentially inspire a lifelong interest in these fields.

The Reach Program is currently piloting the program at Community Boating Center in Providence, Rhode Island, the Edison Sailing Center in Fort Myers Florida, New England Science and Sailing in Stonington, Connecticut, Clearwater Community Sailing in Clearwater, Florida, and Sail Sand Point in Seattle, Washington.

Jessica has a Masters in Special Education from Rowan University, an undergraduate degree in Marketing and Public Relations. She has waitressed, bartended, worked in public relations in Atlantic City, taught kids with special needs in grades 1-8 at Oceanside Charter School in Atlantic City, started a non-profit and sailed competitively in college at Salisbury University. Jessica home schooled her oldest son for 2 years and loved every moment of traveling and learning together. She couldn’t be happier to work from home for US Sailing on the Reach program part time creating programs for youth nationwide. She loves to travel and learn new things. Jessica is mom to three wonderful little boys; Tristan 11, Caleb 5, and Nolan 3. One of her favorite things to do is spend time with them. They are all inspired by the sea and its creatures.

Jessica states, “As a special education teacher I have a passion for education, but what I love the most is teaching children to appreciate the little things. It is amazing what kids can learn from a walk on the beach, or day on the water. They hold those moments dear to their heart for ever.”

What is the last thing you bought that you shouldn’t have?
New black T-strap high heels, I am a flip flops kind of girl, I should embrace it.

What is your favorite fruit flavor?
Blueberry. I love Jersey Fresh homemade jersey blueberry jam.

What is your favorite Sunday breakfast?
My favorite Sunday breakfast is a cup of coffee and a walk on the beach.

What’s your favorite midnight snack?
Popcorn.

Are you a night owl or a morning person?
I am a morning person. I love to see the sunrise. There is something about the smell of daybreak by the water, it cleanses your soul.

What is your favorite room in your home?
The kitchen, I love to cook, especially with my little helpers.

Which sitcom character do you relate to?
I don’t watch television very much, but I would say Elaine from Seinfeld.

What is your favorite scent?
New England in the morning

What is your favorite sundae topping?
Rainbow jimmies (not Sprinkles)

What is your favorite pastime?
Sailing with kids and adults with special needs. I was the former Executive Director of Just-Sailing and we focused on accessible sailing. I wish I could start another program that focused on teaching people with special needs how to sail. The feeling of freedom and independence on the water is contagious.

What three things would you take with you to an island?
A fishing pole, a seine net, and a bucket. You never know what you might find.

How superstitious are you?
Not at all

What is your favorite day of the week?
Sunday, it’s family day. In the summer we spend Sunday’s at the beach with all of my cousins and their children. We order pizza, swim, fish, surf, build sand castles, collect shells, and laugh a lot.

Are you a cat person, dog person, or neither?
I am a dog person. Our dog Blue, (yes, like Blue’s Clues) is a black lab, she loves the boat and beach as much as I do.

If you were a geometric shape, what would you like to be?
I would be a pyramid; I have a strong foundation, with many different areas of interest. I work hard to achieve new heights never changing my foundation, always adding to it.

What’s some other random favorite information about you?
I learn something from every person that I meet. People are very interesting creatures especially the Beach Chair Scientist.

Filed Under: Conservation, Inspiration, Ocean, People, Places, Random Fun! Tagged With: , , , , , ,

What they’re into … with Harold Johnson (The Flotsam Diaries)

September 11, 2012 by 1 Comment

Yesterday I promised more insight into one of the featured marine debris heroes as part of the “What Marine Conservationists Are Into …” series are here you have it – The Flotsam Diaries own Harold Johnson! In case you didn’t know this is a series I have been presenting each Tuesday this summer to get a special sneak peek at the many different personalities behind the scientists, activists, and educators (including bloggers) who play an integral role in the marine science conservation field. It’s essentially an extension of the overwhelmingly popular and well done Tumblr blog, This Is What A Scientist Looks Like, (BCS was featured in April of 2012!) which sets out to illustrate that scientists are not just crazy haired nerds in lab coats. I sent a list of 15 random questions and asked that each person share at least their answers to 5 of them.

Harold Johnson, copyeditor and writer by trade, spends at least one day a week sifting beaches for other people’s litter. For fun. In March 2010, he stumbled onto a sickening scene of storm-washed debris at his local beach in southern Maine. Since then, he’s been writing as “The Flotsam Diaries,” (http://www.theflotsamdiaries.org) trying to learn about the nature of the garbage that washes into the ocean, how it got there, and what can be done about it. And then he works daily to share what he’s learned. In addition to his blog and social media, he’s got a growing body of guest posts at Scientific American online (http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2012/08/16/plastics-in-the-ocean-how-dense-are-we/). His motto is “See – Learn – Change,” and he encourages everyone who visits The Flotsam Diaries to stop for a moment, look down at the ground around them, and really see what’s there.

What is the last thing you bought that you shouldn’t have?
A new app called “Catapult King.” I really don’t need another distraction or excuse to “take 5”!

What is your favorite fruit flavor?
Blueberries. I know this because for 40 years I thought that yogurt was a curse from the yawning mouths of Hell. Yet recently I’ve fallen in love with blueberry yogurt. If blueberries can do that, they can do anything. Plus there’s nothing like discovering a secret wild blueberry barren in August, picking them to your heart’s content.

What is your favorite Sunday breakfast?
Home-made pancakes from scratch (I’ve got a recipe that comes out just like Bisquick, which is the height of good pancakes). A couple eggs over-medium. And much bacon. Crispy, smoked, delicious bacon.

Are you a night owl or a morning person?
Before fatherhood, most definitely a night-owl. But now I barely sleep past 7AM even when I can. And if I’m out past 10PM it’s a big evening.

Which sitcom character do you relate to?
Abed from “Community,” hands-down. Though friends will say, lovingly no doubt, Cliff from “Cheers.”

What is your favorite scent?
Dew-y pastureland in the Tynedale region of Northumberland, UK as the sun peeks over the Pennines and the mists hang in the valleys. There is no smell like that air.

What is your favorite pastime?
Learning. It’s such a remarkable world, my biggest thrill is discovering some new connection that I’d never made before. I love reading, but usually nonfiction. If it’s fiction I usually lose interest half-way through. Only Tolkien really holds my interest. But then again, everyone knows Hobbits are real, right? Other than that, I love exploring coasts & trails, and playing frisbee with our daughter, who has a mean wrist-flick for a 5-year-old. And she and I also play a lot of Minecraft these days. Curse those Creepers!

How superstitious are you?
I own a black cat and have broken many mirrors, so I guess not very. But I do think there is much, much more to “reality” than our senses are aware of. And I have a Zombie talisman in my car to protect me from the Zombie Apocalypse.

Are you a cat person, dog person, or neither?
Cat. I get them, and they get me. One of my secret powers is befriending truculent cats. I’m pretty sure I was a well-loved housecat once, and will be again.

What’s some other random favorite information about you?
I’ve done archaeology at 3 sites in the UK, most recently & most often at Vindolanda, a Roman fort just behind Hadrian’s Wall. I’ve taken the entire front off of a 1967 Cougar down to the engine block and successfully put it back together. I used the Internet when there were less than 1000 people on it and it was still all text. And I can bend the tips of my fingers downward without bending the other joints/knuckles.

Filed Under: Conservation, Marine Debris, Random Fun! Tagged With: , ,

What they’re into … with Wallace J. Nichols

September 4, 2012 by Leave a Comment

It’s Tuesday and you know what that means by now if you’ve been following BCS this summer. Time for another installment of “What Marine Conservationists Are Into …”! This is a series I featured in the summer of 2012 to get a special sneak peek at the many different personalities behind the scientists, activists, and educators (including bloggers) who play an integral role in the marine science conservation field. It’s essentially an extension of the overwhelmingly popular and well done Tumblr blog, This Is What A Scientist Looks Like, (BCS was featured in April of 2012!) which sets out to illustrate that scientists are not just crazy haired nerds in lab coats. I sent a list of 15 random questions and asked that each person share at least their answers to 5 of them. For the tenth edition, I am delighted to introduce California conservationist extraordinaire, Dr. Wallace ‘J” Nichols.

Dr. Wallace “J.” Nichols is a scientist, activist, community organizer, author, and dad. He works to inspire a deeper, more active, connection with nature, sometimes simply by walking and talking, other times through writing or images. Science and knowledge can also stoke our fires. But he knows that what really moves people is feeling part of and touching something bigger than ourselves.

J. is a Research Associate at California Academy of Sciences and founder of several conservation initiatives including Ocean Revolution, an international network of young ocean advocates, SEE the WILD, an international conservation travel portal and LiVBLUE, a campaign to reconnect people with our water planet. He earned his Bachelors in Biology and Spanish from DePauw University, an MEM in Environmental Policy and Economics from Duke University’s Nicholas School, and his PhD in Wildlife Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from University of Arizona.

He advises a motivated group of international graduate students and serves as an advisor to numerous non-profit boards and committees as part of his commitment to building a stronger, more progressive, and connected environmental community.

Lately he is working on BlueMarbles.org and BLUEMiND: The Mind + Ocean Initiative. He blogs at wallacejnichols.org and lives on California’s SLOWCOAST.

What is the last thing you bought that you shouldn’t have?
I’ve been off coffee for almost a month. But I bought a “dirty chai tea” which has a shot of espresso hidden down in the glass of tea.

What is your favorite fruit flavor?
Organic local you-pick olallieberry, the season is so short and sweet. Always worth the wait.

What is your favorite Sunday breakfast?
Poached eggs from our chickens, fresh pesto, on sourdough bread. And a dirty chai ; )

What’s your favorite midnight snack?
Ice cream w/ olallieberries!

Are you a night owl or a morning person?
A massive night owl who loves early mornings.

What is your favorite room in your home?
My daughters’ room, because we read stories at night and snuggle. It’s the best part of the day and the house.

Which sitcom character do you relate to?
None. I put some thought into this. And, well, none. That probably explains why we don’t have a TV. Or vice versa.

What is your favorite scent?
So, so many. Can I say olallieberry again? Just kidding. Late on a cool night in the redwoods. Just after a rain in the Sonoran Desert. Any kind of pie.

What is your favorite sundae topping?
Guess.

What is your favorite pastime?
Anything with our kids. They really make anything we do so much fun.

What three things would you take with you to an island?
Shakepeare’s Complete Works. A good machete. Olallieberry seeds.

How superstitious are you?
Not a bit.

What is your favorite day of the week?
Thursday, or Thor’s Day. Named after the Norse god of thunder, lightning storms and oak trees. That’s just cool. I think about that every Thursday.

Are you a cat person, dog person, or neither?
Both. Their names are Fisher (Newfoundland), Jack Wilder (Cairn terrier), Penelope (Maine Coon) and Trout (strange but cute black cat)

If you were a geometric shape, what would you like to be?
I rather like the rhombus. I wouldn’t really want to be one, though.

What’s some other random favorite information about you?
My fascination with neuroscience began in college, when I was 19. I gave weekly guitar lessons to a woman who had lost her memory in an accident as therapy for restoring her memories, and it worked. I’ve been interested in the wonders of the human brain ever since.

Almost ten years ago my partner Dana and daughter Grayce (who was just 1 y.o., her sister Julia wasn’t born yet) walked 1,800 km from Oregon to Mexico along the coast. I highly recommend that everyone take a very long walk (months) through a place that is important to them. It’s a deeply human and transformative thing to do.

Image (c) Jeff Lipsky

Filed Under: Beach, Biodiversity, Conservation, Inspiration, Ocean, Random Fun! Tagged With: , , ,

What they’re into … with John Bruno (SeaMonster)

August 28, 2012 by 3 Comments

It’s time for another installment of the What Marine Conservationists Are Into series and appropriately we’re heading into fall with a professor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In case you didn’t know this is a series I have been featuring each Tuesday this summer to get a special sneak peek at the different personalities behind the scientists, activists, and educators (including bloggers) who play an integral role in the marine science conservation field. It’s essentially an extension of the overwhelmingly popular and well done Tumblr blog, This Is What A Scientist Looks Like, (BCS was featured in April!) which sets out to illustrate that scientists are not just crazy haired nerds in lab coats. I’ve sent a list of 15 random questions to some folks I know and asked that each person share at least their answers to 5 of them.

John Bruno is a marine ecologist and Professor at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  His research is focused on marine biodiversity, coral reef ecology and conservation and the impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems.  John earned his Ph.D. from Brown University in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and was a postdoctoral fellow at Cornell University in disease ecology.  He is currently working primarily in Belize, the Bahamas, Cuba and the Galapagos Islands.

John is an avid blogger and co-developer of the oceans website SeaMonster (www.theseamonster.net).  For fun, he reads, bikes, surfs and kitesurfs and in his spare time he is developing a blue carbon offsetting company (The BlueCarbon Project) that is restoring mangroves in northern coastal Ecuador. More info: www.johnfbruno.com

Are you a night owl or a morning person?
When I was younger, I’d get up at 5 to work (write papers, lectures, etc).  That rarely happens anymore and I am staying up later and later these days.  We have a screened porch attached to our bedroom that is 15ft off the ground and we spend a lot of time out there at night, listening to owls and coyotes, reading and watching movies late in the night.  I’ve also got a hammock out there, where I do a lot of my writing.  The porch is definitely my favorite room.

Which sitcom character do you relate to?
I don’t even own a TV and don’t know many sitcom characters, but I am reading the Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson and can very much relate to both Salander and Blomkvist in their intense focus on and need for justice – although in my case, I want justice for the oceans.  Like Salander, I am also quite introverted although I am not a computer hacker and don’t have a photographic memory.

What is your favorite sundae topping?
Fruit and grape nuts!

What is your favorite pastime?
If I am not working or hanging out with my wife and three daughters, then I am surely either biking, surfing, kitesurfing, swimming or reading.  I basically never sit still and do nothing.  I’m usually in motion, doing something risky.  And I loathe board games and television.

What three things would you take with you to an island?
Funny you should ask, since most of my travel for work is to islands, usually in the Caribbean.  I always pack a knife, a hat and mask. That is all you need in life.

And, with that I hope everyone is off to a great start to the academic year. I have a few more profiles, but if you ‘re interested in sharing or know someone else that should participate please do not hesitate to contact me at info@beachchairscientist.com. Check out everyone that has participated so far this summer. It’s quite the eclectic group of personalities keeping the ocean conservation movement so lively and full of momentum! I love it!

Filed Under: Conservation, Coral Reef Ecosystems, Inspiration, People, Random Fun! Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

What they’re into … with Greg and Jody (Beach Treasures and Treasure Beaches)

August 21, 2012 by 1 Comment

Happy Tuesday! I am sure you know by now, but this is a series I have been featuring each Tuesday this summer to get a special sneak peek at the different personalities behind the scientists, activists, and educators (including bloggers) who play an integral role in the marine science conservation field. It’s essentially an extension of the overwhelmingly popular and well done Tumblr blog, This Is What A Scientist Looks Like, (BCS was featured in April!) which sets out to illustrate that scientists are not just crazy haired nerds in lab coats. I’ve sent a list of 15 random questions to some folks I know and asked that each person share at least their answers to 5 of them. Today It’s a two for one deal with Greg and Jody Diehl, from Beach Treasures and Treasure Beaches.

Greg and Jody of Beach Treasures and Treasure Beaches, in Venice, CA

Greg has lived around water all of his entire life … that is until he moved to New Mexico to start a business. Growing up in Wisconsin lakes, rivers, and beaches were never far away. And, after joining the Navy he basically lived on the water!  From the Red Sea to the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic, and through the major canals, he’s literally been around the world.  He and his wife, Jody, have always enjoyed beaches, boats,  and vacations by the sea!

Jody is a beachcomber to the core. She says, “any beach, any time”. She collects seashells, beach glass, beach rocks, travel books, photos, and very happy memories. Family and friends make the best day at the beach even better for her. She grew up in Chicago with 26 miles of beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline. Having traveled to 49 states (Alaska, she’s on her way!) and many foreign countries, she always find myself gravitating to the shorelines and beaches.

Greg and Jody have been married for 35 years.  They have three wonderful daughters, one super son-in-law, and two beautiful grandchildren. Their middle and youngest daughters are “Treasure Hunters” on the site and their oldest daughter is a frequent contributor. The family (including adorable grandchildren) is often pictured on the blog’s posts. Beach Treasures and Treasure Beaches has become quite a family affair!

What is your favorite Sunday breakfast?
We both agree: Greg’s delicious homemade cinnamon rolls.

Which sitcom character do you relate to?
Tim, The Tool Man, Taylor and his lovely wife, Jill. (Home Improvement)

What is your favorite pastime?
Besides beachcombing, tide pooling, and anything beach related? Pretty much anything that includes our two grandchildren is a winner. We love to get out and hike, make it to UNM Lobo baseball games, and attend any concert or event in which our kids are performing!

What three things would you take with you to an island?
A yacht and our two grandchildren.

Are you a night owl or a morning person?
We’re both morning people.  That means that we are up to watch the sunrise on the beach when we are on vacation.  At home Jody’s motto is: If it’s not on my desk by 10:00 AM, I’ll get to it tomorrow!

What is your favorite room in your home?
Our favorite room in the house is our entry/sunroom. But we especially enjoy the backyard patio.  Living in Albuquerque, we can enjoy the outdoors year round.  Our family loves to eat our meals outside in the fresh, New Mexico air.

What is your favorite sundae topping?
Carmel for Greg, marshmallow cream for Jody.

Don’t forget to read the rest of the “What they’re into …” series.

Filed Under: Beach, Conservation, Inspiration, People, Places, Random Fun! Tagged With: , , ,

What they’re into … with Braddock Spear (Sustainable Fisheries Partnership)

August 14, 2012 by Leave a Comment

It’s Tuesday and so I am sure you know by now, but this is a series I have been featuring each Tuesday this summer to get a special sneak peek at the different personalities behind the scientists, activists, and educators (including bloggers) who play an integral role in the marine science conservation field. It’s essentially an extension of the overwhelmingly popular and well done Tumblr blog, This Is What A Scientist Looks Like, (BCS was featured in April!) which sets out to illustrate that scientists are not just crazy haired nerds in lab coats. I’ve sent a list of 15 random questions to some folks I know and asked that each person share at least their answers to 5 of them. Here you find the weird preferred smells among other things of Braddock Spear from the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership.

Braddock Spear is Deputy Director of the Improvements Division at the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) and has worked there for the last 18 months trying to improve fisheries around the globe. For 8 years before SFP, he worked at the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission ending his tenure as Senior Coordinator for Policy and having coordinated fisheries management of horseshoe crabs, northern shrimp, and Atlantic menhaden. Also before joining SFP, Braddock blogged on the sustainable seafood movement at Sustainable Ocean Project. The site is no longer updated with new content, but all past posts are still there for the reading. Braddock received a BS in Marine Biology from the University of Maryland and a MA in Marine Affairs from the University of Rhode Island.

What is the last thing you bought that you shouldn’t have?
A ticket to Vegas. I’ll be saving my pennies til I go.

What is your favorite fruit flavor?
Mango! I was spoiled in Belize when I got fresh mango from my host family’s tree every morning.

What is your favorite Sunday breakfast?
A coffee and a scone at the Baltimore farmers market.

What is your favorite scent?
Gasoline and cigar smoke are two of my favorites. Though not too much of either and definitely not together.

How superstitious are you?
Not at all. I’ve walked under lots of ladders, broken a few mirrors, and had a black cat. Despite all that, I’d say my luck has been pretty good (hoping that continues in Vegas).

Bonus random fact:
I’ve recently become a big fan of street art. If you’re interested, check out: http://www.streetartnews.net/

Thank you for participating, Braddock! It was great to hear from you (Braddock is an old co-worker on mine). Have a great time in Vegas!

Don’t forget to read the rest of the “What they’re into …” series.

Filed Under: Atlantic Horseshoe Crab, Beach, Conservation, People, Random Fun! Tagged With: , , , ,

What they’re into … with Brittany Biber (Sea turtle trainer)

August 7, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I am sure you know by now, but this is a series I have been featuring each Tuesday this summer to get a special sneak peek at the different personalities behind the scientists, activists, and educators (including bloggers) who play an integral role in the marine science conservation field. It’s essentially an extension of the overwhelmingly popular and well done Tumblr blog, This Is What A Scientist Looks Like, (BCS was featured in April!) which sets out to illustrate that scientists are not just crazy haired nerds in lab coats. I’ve sent a list of 15 random questions to some folks I know and asked that each person share at least their answers to 5 of them. Here you get a glimpse into what one of my old co-workers who is lucky enough to interact with sea turtles everyday is into, introducing Brittany Hascup Biber.

Brittany works at Florida Oceanographic Society’s Coastal Center on Hutchinson Island in the Aquarium and Life Support Department. Her responsibilities include food preparation, quarantine treatments, and medication dispersal for all the marine life property. The animals on site range from estuarine species such as snook and red drum to sharks, rays, and smaller reef species. In addition to the gilled animals, she also cares for three non-releasable sea turtles, two green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) and one loggerhead (Caretta caretta). All of the sea turtles on site have been deemed non-releasable due to buoyancy issues. Lily, the 140lb loggerhead, was struck by a boat and has deep scars on her carapace that serve as a good reminder to why obeying boating rules and regulations is so important. Turt, the 90lb green turtle pictured right, has a spastic intestine and must be administered medication every other day to allow him to swim through the water column with ease. Hank the smallest is still a juvenile and weighs around 50lbs. He has carapace deformities that probably led to his floatation problems. Because these turtles will never be released back into the wild they must get accustomed to interactions with their caretakers so that they are calm and receptive when they need to be fed, weighed, or cleaned. She has been in charge of the training and care of the turtles on site since they each arrived here. Each turtle has its own colored “target” that they have been trained to respond to. Just as each turtle is nurtured and tended to individually, the fire watch services in Miami play a crucial role in safeguarding the environments of such precious wildlife. Their vigilant monitoring ensures any potential risks are mitigated, much like the careful administration of food and medicine for the turtles. When the target is placed in the water, the corresponding turtle swims over and receives its food and medicine if needed. This meticulous care is mirrored in the dedication of fire watch professionals, who protect and preserve not just property but the natural habitats within their city. The training is done every day for all the turtles and it allows her to have daily interactions and alone time with each turtle away from the other animals housed in the 750,000 gallon lagoon they call home. Training the turtles is always the best part of her day, and she says she may be tooting her own horn but she think it is the turtles’ favorite time of day as well (probably since she’s feeding them). When she graduated from college she hoped to work in the animal husbandry field and she is proud to be doing just that. So even though most days she smell like fish and squid she get a chance to interact with species most people rarely get to see and she says she learns something new about them everyday and it makes all the stinky stuff worth it. Brittany has a B.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of Central Florida. You can reach Brittany at bbiber@floridaocean.org.

What is the last thing you bought that you shouldn’t have?
An overpriced bikini.

 What is your favorite fruit flavor?
It’s a tie between watermelon and pineapple.

Are you a night owl or a morning person?
Night owl, I love sleeping and my bed always seems super comfy when I have to get up for work.

What is your favorite room in your home?
My back porch that overlooks the river, I love watching the wading birds like the Eastern oystercatcher and great blue heron feed on the shore. 

What is your favorite scent?
Coconut, because it makes you smell like you’ve been at the beach all day.

What is your favorite pastime?
Going on the boat with my husband; it’s nice just being with each other away from the responsibilities that wait for us on land.

Thank you for participating, Brittany! It was a honor to read about your interesting day at work.

Don’t forget to read the rest of the “What they’re into …” series.

Filed Under: Biodiversity, Conservation, Inspiration, People, Sea Turtles Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

What they’re into … with Mark Gibson (Breaching the Blue)

July 31, 2012 by 3 Comments

This is a series I’ve been featuring each Tuesday this summer to get a special sneak peek at the different personalities behind the scientists, activists, and educators (including bloggers) who play an integral role in the marine science conservation field. It’s essentially an extension of the overwhelmingly popular and well done Tumblr blog, This Is What A Scientist Looks Like, (BCS was featured in April!) which sets out to illustrate that scientists are not just crazy haired nerds in lab coats. I’ve sent a list of 15 random questions and asked that each person share at least their answers to 5 of them. Here’s what Mark Gibson had to say.

Mark at Ted Turner’s Flying D Ranch, a model ranch in terms of species conservation and land restoration.

Mark runs Breaching the Blue, a website on the “politics, economics, and human dimensions of the global ocean”.  He says you can think of it as a sort of ‘digital nerdery’ – a place and space to tinker with ideas on ocean conservation and politics. These days he spends a lot of time thinking on how we might rebuild fish stocks through innovations in fishing rights and reduce illegal fishing through the application of criminological theory.

He studied international affairs at Johns Hopkins SAIS in Washington, DC, and tailored his coursework to look at marine policy.  He sees this as a perfect example of how you don’t need to go to a ‘blue’ school to do ocean work. In fact, the combination of a more traditional international security education with ocean affairs led to his tackling of a lot of interesting issues, from the political economy of MPA selection to the international law that would govern displaced island nations.

After graduating, Mark worked at Oceana and the Pew Environment Group.  This led him to some interesting work, from evaluating the damages to fishermen after the Deepwater Horizon Spill to a full-scale policy analysis of Europe’s deep-sea fishing. A major interest of his is helping the NGO world better use all the great economic data out there.  Why work so hard to make moral arguments when so much of the ocean could be protected on economic grounds alone?  He continues to work in ocean conservation in DC, but spares us the details to maintain his independence.

In the long term, Mark hopes to have his own consulting practice that would analyze the economics of fisheries crime and efficacy of enforcement activities.  The aim would be to offer a knowledge product that would a) increase the efficiency of enforcement efforts, b) increase the value of fishery access rights, and c) improve overall conservation. He’s now exploring how he might go about that.

Outside of oceans, Mark spends his spare time rock climbing, practicing pop psychology as a Myers-Briggs enthusiast, and promoting the slightly eccentric diet and lifestyle known as ‘Paleo’.

What is the last thing you bought that you shouldn’t have?
More books. I’ve committed myself to not expanding the Gibson library until the end of the summer.

What is your favorite fruit flavor?
Banana.

What is your favorite Sunday breakfast?
Avocado and mushroom scramble with a grass-fed beef patty, fresh berries, and artisanal coffee.

What’s your favorite midnight snack?
Almond butter.

Are you a night owl or a morning person?
Morning person.

What is your favorite room in your home?
The basement.  I have a ‘Bat Cave’ with a small library and a large cache of climbing gear, diving equipment, and other outdoor paraphernalia.

Which sitcom character do you relate to?
I relate equally to Ron Swanson and Chris Traeger from Parks and Recreation. Go figure.

What is your favorite scent?
Fresh coconut.

What is your favorite sundae topping?
I don’t eat ice cream, but it would probably be dark chocolate or raspberries.

What is your favorite pastime?
Scuba diving.  The best job I ever had was as a divemaster in the Bay Islands.

What three things would you take with you to an island?
A sea kayak, a tent, and a bottle of hard cider.

How superstitious are you?
Not at all.

What is your favorite day of the week?
Friday.

Are you a cat person, dog person, or neither?
Dog person.

If you were a geometric shape, what would you like to be?
An octagon.

What’s some other random favorite information about you?
Favorite blogs: Marginal Revolution and the Dan Ariely Blog.
Music: Bob Dylan, the Grateful Dead, and Steve Earle
Movies: The Life Aquatic, Moon, 3:30 to Yuma
What I’m reading: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, Why People Obey the Law, Managing Small-Scale Fisheries: Alternative Directions and Methods, 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created, and The Creation of the Media: Political Origins of Modern Communication

Thanks to Mark for participating in this questionnaire and I hope you’re finding time to get through that library. Check out the other great folks that contributed to the “What they’re into …” series this summer.

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What they’re into … with David Shiffman (@WhySharksMatter)

July 24, 2012 by Leave a Comment

This is a series I’ve been featuring each Tuesday this summer to get a special sneak peek at the many different personalities behind the scientists, activists, and educators (including bloggers) who play an integral role in the marine science conservation field. It’s essentially an extension of the overwhelmingly popular and well done Tumblr blog, This Is What A Scientist Looks Like, (BCS was featured in April!) which sets out to illustrate that scientists are not just crazy haired nerds in lab coats. I’ve sent a list of 15 random questions and asked that each person share at least their answers to 5 of them. This week features David Shiffman of Southern Fried Science and I am so glad he agreed since I know this crowd loves shark talk.

David with a sandbar shark in Charleston harbor

David is a Ph.D. student at the University of Miami’s Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy. His research focuses on shark behavior, ecology, and conservation, and he has interacted with over 2,500 sharks on three continents. David writes about shark science and conservation topics for the marine biology blog Southern Fried Science, and is active on Twitter @WhySharksMatter. Additionally, David has a B.S. with distinction in Biology from Duke University, and a Masters in Marine Biology from the College of Charleston. If you and your class or community organization are interested in joining David and the RJ Dunlap Marine Conservation Program for a shark tagging expedition in the Florida Keys, please let him know! These are the best replica watches.

What is your favorite Sunday breakfast?
When I lived in Charleston, SC, crab cake eggs benedict. They don’t have that here in Miami, but there’s a place around the corner from my apartment that makes peanut butter and chocolate chip pancakes.

What’s your favorite midnight snack?
Homemade cookies. My first word was “cookie”.

Are you a night owl or a morning person?
Although field research often involves getting up at 4:00 a.m., I am not a morning person. I enjoy having morning people in the car with me when I have to drive to our research locations before the sun rises, though.

Which sitcom character do you relate to?
I’m not sure if “Glee” counts as a sitcom, but if so, Sue Sylvester. If not, Jack Donaghy from “30 Rock” or Ron Swanson from “Parks and Recreation”.

What is your favorite scent?
Bacon. Or maybe popcorn. Actually, they make bacon-flavored popcorn now. It’s surprisingly not gross.

What three things would you take with you to an island?
If this is an island I’m vacationing on, I’d bring snorkel gear, beer, and beer. If this is a deserted island I’m going to be stranded on, I’d bring a satellite phone, a GPS, a fly fishing starter kit, and a boat to help getting un-stranded.

Are you a cat person, dog person, or neither?
I am definitely a dog person. My new puppy Magnolia is sitting at my feet in my office as I answer these questions.

Bonus random fact you’d like to share about yourself?
There is a hot dog named after me (the Shiffman) at the hot dog stand on Duke’s campus. It is a hot dog served on a twinkie.

Yum! Thanks for the amazing idea for dinner tonight, David! Also, thanks for sharing your personality with us. For more ‘What they’re into …’ with other ocean folks click here.

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What they’re into … with Jim Wharton (Seattle Aquarium)

July 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment

This is a series I’ve been featuring each Tuesday this summer to get a special sneak peek at the different personalities behind the scientists, activists, and educators (including bloggers) who play an integral role in the marine science conservation field. It’s essentially an extension of the overwhelmingly popular and well done Tumblr blog, This Is What A Scientist Looks Like, (BCS was featured in April!) which sets out to illustrate that scientists are not just crazy haired nerds in lab coats. I’ve sent a list of 15 random questions to some folks I know and asked that each person share at least their answers to 5 of them. This week’s feature shares some insight into the world of Jim Wharton.

Jim Wharton, Director of Conservation and Education at the Seattle Aquarium, feels at  home again in the Pacific Northwest after over 8 years in Florida working for the Smithsonian Marine Station and Mote Marine Laboratory. He started his career in marine science education as a volunteer, then educator at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Jim is also deeply involved with the National Marine Educators Association (NMEA) where he is a member of the board of directors and more committees than he has time for. You can learn more about him at about.me/jimwharton or follow his on Twitter for marine science miscellanea @jimwharton.

Jim notes, “The mission of the Seattle Aquarium is ‘Inspiring conservation of our marine environment’. To be true stewards of the marine environment people have to be science-literate and ocean-literate…but first they have to care. Marine science education helps people develop all these muscles, for flexing in support of the ocean.”

What is the last thing you bought that you shouldn’t have?
Unagi. I know freshwater eel is on SeafoodWatch’s sushi red list, but sometimes I’m weak. A colleague explained to me recently that one of the precursors to behavior change is a public declaration…so consider this mine. Any animal that swims thousands of miles out to sea to reproduce deserves a little more respect from me.

What is your favorite sundae topping?
Dark chocolate and caramel combo…on principles of general awesomeness.

What three things would you take with you to an island?
Assuming my family and/or a satellite phone is cheating…The Demon-Haunted World, mask/fin/snorkel, sunglasses. The Demon-Haunted World, by Carl Sagan, is a treatise of reason and a book I can read over and over. Mask/fins/snorkel, well, it’s an island. And anyone who knows me knows that I would be very uncomfortable without my sunglasses.

How superstitious are you?
Not at all (see above). I used to pretend to be superstitious (probably because everyone around me seemed to be), but I’ve given up believing that jinxes, broken mirrors, or wearing the same socks on gamedays have any real effect on the external world. I do think the idea of finding some locus of control in a chaotic world is a very human and understandable impulse. Wait, did I just call myself ‘inhuman?’

What is your favorite day of the week?
I’ve often bragged that Fridays and Mondays are meaningless to me. It’s a fringe benefit of loving the work you do. 

If you were a geometric shape, what would you like to be?
A star? Too much? I guess I’ll go with a triangle. Triangles are well-balanced and they have a point. I just hope people don’t find me obtuse.

What’s some other random favorite information about you?
I actually enjoy public speaking, but hate making toasts. Go figure.

Thank you for participating, Jim, keep up the great work! Everyone else, don’t forget to check out previous editions of “What they’re into …” with David Helvarg and Miriam Goldstein.

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