HOVEN, S.D. — A South Dakota science teacher is spending part of his summer break doing research in Alaska on a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ship.
Hoven teacher Spencer Cody will be onboard the NOAA ship Fairweather to learn about ocean sciences, including NOAA’s role in mapping waters and researching them, through June 18, the Aberdeen American News reported.
“Even though I teach biology, I know little about ocean sciences,” he said. “I’m definitely lacking in that area.”
People usually think of the National Weather Service when they hear NOAA, but the agency also manages fisheries, restores coast and supports marine commerce, and has one of the world’s largest fleets of research vessels.
Cody has taught in Hoven for a decade. He teaches seventh- through 12th-grade earth science, life science, physical science, biology and chemistry or physics, depending on the year.
In the blog “Teacher at Sea,” Cody is sharing portions of his experience, posting photos and providing detailed information of the ship that he’s calling home at the moment.
“Even though the Fairweather is approaching 50 years old, one cannot help but to attain an appreciation for the quality of her original construction and the ingenuity behind her design,” Cody recently wrote. “Rooms, compartments, and decks throughout the ship are designed to be watertight and to maximize fire containment. Multiple compartments can be flooded without putting the entire ship in danger.”
This is Cody’s second NOAA trip. He participated in fishing research in the Gulf of Mexico in 2014.
Cody will also be testing new Google technology. “The technology I will be testing will be virtual reality, so my students will be able to see everything I saw,” Cody said. “I can also make labs out of the research that I’ve done on the trip.”
