Hi, I’m Mendel Graeber, Alabama Aquarium Educator. I am reporting from a research expedition on a boat, the R/V (for ‘research vessel’) Pelican, in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM).

Have you ever wanted to go on a research expedition? I can’t transport you here in person, but I’ll do my best to bring you along virtually.

Before I dive further into the expedition (figuratively; there’s no SCUBA diving involved), a little background about myself. I have worked as an educator at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab for 22 years. I have a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and a master’s degree in geoscience (earth sciences). This is my third research cruise aboard the R/V Pelican. I’m playing dual roles as a member of the science party and the ship-to-shore educator.

This is an eight-day research expedition, during which I’ll have the opportunity to record and share the science! Recent technology upgrades have granted us internet connectivity for posting from the boat. So, check back for regular updates to see what it’s like to do science!

Let’s talk about science! The word ‘science’ is used in different ways. Science, as a philosophy is the systematic study of the world using testable questions addressed through observation, experimentation, and measurement. Humans may ask compelling questions that are not testable, so these would not be addressed in the realm of science. An example would be, “What is the meaning of life?”

A little sidenote about measurements and math – you can think of this as a very precise and universal language for sharing information. Maybe you’ve tried a recipe from your grandmother, who gave you a list of ingredients in estimated amounts like a pinch, a dash, a smidgen, a handful, or a scosh. What are the odds that you could accurately replicate her dish? You’d have a much better chance with more precisely communicated measurements like ¼ teaspoon, 3 tablespoons, 1 cup, etc. Scientists use the Language of Mathematics because it’s concise, precise, and unambiguous.

So, back to the various ways we use the word ‘science’. Science as a process is the framework of logical steps to address a research question. This is often called the scientific method. Science as a practice is the doing of science, the implementation of the plan. We may also use ‘science’ to refer to a body of knowledge.

For this project, we’ll be giving you a peek into the practice of science, getting into the nitty gritty details of how we go about addressing this question.