John Wood grew up in Southern California, surrounded by coastal areas, deserts, and mountains, and became fascinated early on with the natural world and how things worked. By the seventh grade he knew that science was for him, and during summers in high school, he volunteered at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He went on to receive his Bachelors degree in Biology, his Masters degree in Education, and has taken part in various research projects as an underwater diver. Mr. Wood was a field technician in Prince William Sound, Alaska researching the diving habits of sea otters. He has also worked nine austral summers in Antarctica in various positions, including: laboratory facilities manager, research diving officer, and underwater construction diver. Mr. Wood enjoys bringing his numerous research experiences into the classroom, where he now teaches at Talbert Middle School and guides student groups in pod casting for the Ocean Institute at Dana Point.