Kyle Brooks: VISIONS 24 has been an amazing opportunity to experience something that would otherwise have been inaccessible to me. As a STEM student at a community college, and someone who has struggled with intergenerational poverty, it often feels like I am at a substantial disadvantage when it comes to pursuing education. A significant STEM-specific challenge has been finding meaningful research experience in the field or in a lab. VISIONS has provided me not only exposure to lab techniques and equipment, but also an opportunity to live and work on a research vessel.
While on the RV Atlantis I have been able to meet people who are currently working many of the careers I have considered for myself, and the advice they have offered has contributed much to my views of science and engineering as careers. Before the cruise I was unsure of whether I could tolerate ship life, or if I might be as competent as my peers. My time aboard the RV Atlantis has instilled in me a confidence that I will apply to any of my future endeavors and has motivated me to pursue similar experiences. VISIONS is a unique and informative adventure that I am proud to have been a part of.
Victoria deJong: VISIONS’24 has wildly exceeded all my expectations. From unforeseen difficulties, such as acclimating to being surrounded by semi-strangers all day, to glorious scenes of beauty and exciting moments of learning, this journey has profoundly impacted my growth as a scientist and as a human. I experienced the power of place as I sat in a cold shipping container on a ship for hours on end feeling the privilege and disbelief and wonder of a true explorer as I traversed places humans have never set foot before. On the ship, I experienced the fulfillment that comes from a balanced schedule of work, play, and creative expression. I felt welcomed and valued by the program advisors, student ambassadors, research assistant and ship crew, as though I was contributing to something important and larger than myself.
Though I feel a sense of privilege to be invited onboard, I realize I should not: this is all of our Earth, and this science is for us all. We all deserve to be underwater adventurers and to stare at beautiful soft things with lacey tendrils lazily drifting in the current or crunchy creatures with pointy, hooked legs that just can’t look scary because they waddle. To look at structures or organisms no one else has seen with ample space to bathe in curiosity and delight. This ocean is for all of us to explore, enjoy and protect. Please, come join us on our mission to spread word of this extraterrestrial world under the sea.
Morrigan Havely: This experience held a lot of firsts for me: first time on a ship overnight, first time prepping lab samples, first time helping deploy large machinery, first time bunking with a random roommate. Before jumping in the van to Newport, part of me wanted to turn back at the daunting thought of experiencing so much for the first time. I was worried that on a ship full of experienced, educated scientists, my incompetency would stick out like a sore thumb. However, there was never a time on the Atlantis that I felt not good enough. Everything was a teaching moment, and everyone from the crew to the cooks to the other undergrads took the time to show me how everything worked and why it was important. A sense of community developed fast and strong, and I’m grateful for the support I had on this incredible journey. I’ll definitely sign up for more ship time in the future, because even if it’s not as amazing as my time on the Atlantis, I’ll be ready to face whatever challenges come my way.
Paige McKay: The VISIONS cruise has been two of the best weeks of my life. I truly think that this experience has helped solidify my career goals of becoming a Marine Technician. I love how everyone can talk and interact with each other because you know that at the very least you all have at least one thing in common, you chose to be out at sea for a stretch of time. This commonality makes it easy to talk to people, ask questions and become friends with people you didn’t know a mere two weeks ago. I loved every moment that I was learning about the technology that was used to monitor the RCA and how interconnected it was with the science. I found myself drawn to both the engineering feats as well as the scientific quandaries that were being asked. I may be more interested in water density, mixing, and how to measure these things, however, experiencing hydrothermal vents with various geology and biology was captivating to me. It was astounding to see things ~2000 m below the ocean’s surface and recognize that these are experiences that so few people have ever had, both in history and within our current time. While I miss my family and friends, I think that I could stay out on the R/V Atlantis for at least another month and be content. Life moves at a slower pace on the water while still being jam packed with things to do. Before this trip I was unsure about how I would fair at sea, with the seasickness, not knowing many people, and learning how to live aboard a ship. However, I have found myself flourishing here. I want to be a Marine Technician more than ever now and spend my time working with both science and technology to help make research possible. Without the VISIONS cruise I would not have been able to test my sea legs and ensure that I am on the right path with my education and passion.
William Puzella: I have had some of the most fun in the past two week than I have in years! As someone who only kind of is part of the VISIONS group, coming as a lab tech for Rika, it was interesting to get trained in a specialty that I would never have been exposed to in the middle of Minnesota. It was interesting to be exposed to a bunch of scientists from the fields of Oceanography, Geology, and Marine Biology. I really enjoyed learning both about their research and their life story about how they got here. I especially enjoyed being able to learn all the different methods employed by Oceanography such as IGTs and CDTs. I will always remember the first hydrothermal vent that I ever saw or even the first time that I got to see Jason. But in the end, I will always remember all of the wonderful people in my student cohort and I hope that I will get a chance to see them again when I return to Seattle
John Teal: Looking back on the cruise as a whole, there are so many moving parts, with a vast number of specialists involved in such an endeavor. I’ve learned a lot, but I’m positive it’s just the tip of the iceberg. The knowledgeable experts on board were more than happy to share their research, their work, and their backgrounds. It was such a pleasure to have been accepted for this research cruise, and now that it’s over, I have even more questions. This experience has given me a far better understanding of how deep-ocean research works and the immense effort that goes into any project at sea.
For me personally, this cruise fostered a deep sense of change in how I approach research topics. I now appreciate how challenging it is to collect data at depths of 1,500 meters and how it requires a ship full of talented people working together to make any research feasible. The intricate ecosystems around hydrothermal vents revealed new knowledge and have deepened my curiosity about the life that thrives in these extreme environments. The journey has invigorated my desire to continue my education far beyond what I originally planned.
This opportunity has opened my eyes to the delicate balance between exploration and science. I feel excited by the possibilities ahead, particularly in drone technology and engineering, and how they intersect with real-world research challenges. The cruise not only helped me understand how to start my project, but also how to adjust it so that it is more feasible. All that I have seen is just at the edge, and after looking over, I’m eager to contribute more and continue learning.
Juliet Wiener: The past two weeks have been an incredibly unique experience, one that I am very grateful to have had as an undergraduate. I boarded the Atlantis looking to answer a specific question: would I enjoy ship-based fieldwork enough to incorporate it into a future career? Now that I’m leaving, I still don’t have a clear answer to this– it’s a long time to be away from family. But what I do now know, is that the deep sea is the most incredible and resilient place I’ve ever encountered. Life not only survives but thrives here, displaying undeniable beauty in some of the most extreme conditions on Earth. Witnessing organisms like tubeworms flourish around hydrothermal vents has reshaped my understanding of resilience. This ability of life to adapt and persist in such inhospitable environments, has deeply inspired me, reminding me of the boundless potential of nature to endure; If a tubeworm can tough it out, I can too.
On this cruise, I haven’t just learned about science; I’ve learned the importance of teamwork, problem-solving, and how to function on only four hours of sleep. Everyone on board has been remarkably kind. The crew has worked tirelessly, preparing delicious meals and keeping the ship running smoothly. The control van and Jason team made every dive fun and exciting, and our student ambassadors have always made us feel so supported and included. Their kindness and vibrancy was so refreshing. Each of these individuals now serve as a role model to me, showing what it means to be a true scientist.
This experience allowed me to witness places few people will ever see. If my six-year-old self knew at the time that I would end up here one day, she would have been thrilled. I am glad to have made her proud, as exploring the deep has been a dream of ours since the beginning.
I used to have so much wonder, so many questions about anything and everything related to the natural world, and beyond. That curiosity never left me, but in recent years, I have felt it slightly fade. I am not sure why—maybe the pressures of school, exams, and the overwhelming busyness of life temporarily diminished it. But this opportunity changed that. I didn’t realize how much I missed that sense of wonder until it returned. The thrill of rushing to the control van to observe vent sites, pausing everything to catch a glimpse of marine life on the deck, learning how the RCA works—these moments have restored my sense of awe. I’ve been wonderfully overwhelmed by the sights and discoveries. Being excited by science is the best feeling in the world, and I have loved experiencing that here.
A huge thank you to Dr. Kelley and the VISIONS team for this incredible opportunity, for helping me learn more about myself, and for sparking my enthusiasm surrounding deep-sea exploration and what lies below the surface.