Hello

 So far I guess my favorite research is the phytoplankton research I have been doing while on board. We are looking at a way to characterize phytoplankton populations in real time as we cruise through them. That is very cool and I have learned a great deal about how energy is transfered through the different trophic levels here on the Bering Sea. The zooplankton people bring up some pretty interesting critters, as do the "mud people" who work on sediments. There is always something going on. I have to get up several times during the night to collect my plankton samples but its very much worth it.

Mark