Staring at Jupiter
I’ve been travelling for 45 days, stopping home for no longer than three days. It’s just long enough to unpack, do laundry, visit my grandparents and mom to give them a hug and tell them I love them…
De-Soiling Plants
I'm removing the soil from plants to prepare them for pressing and resining. I'm finishing up some lab work and packing to leave for Atqasuk tomorrow so things are very busy. I have to decide what…
Today I got to hang out with Denver Holt, one of the world's foremost experts on snowy owls. He's been researching owls for over a quarter of a century. He was featured in National Geographic. He's…
Salix rotundifolia
I continue learning new species of vascular plants and their classifications. Vascular plants are plants with xylum to transport water and phloem to transport nutrients throughout the plant. Plants…
Dillingham is Here
I had the opportunity to interview Shelley Woods, a 25 year-old graduate student at The University of Alaska: Fairbanks. Shelly is from Bristal Bay and she is half Yupik. The Yupik are an indigenous…
OTC...Up Close and Personal
You know know a litte bit about what we do so here's a little bit of why we do what we do... The International Tundra Experiment, called ITEX, is an international collaboration of scientists and…
If you ask Rob and Jenny what they do for a living, they will jokingly tell you: "We count plants." But it's only partly a joke and it's just the beginning of what we do. So... We count plants. We…
Robert Slider: Point Framing
I think it's time to introduce you to my research team. Today you'll meet the Barrow Team: Rob and Jenny. Rob loves plants. He thinks they are the coolest thing in the world, which is probably why…
Tundra Commuter Car
How do you get to work or school everyday? Chances are that you take a train, a bus, a car, or you walk. Your morning commute is pretty predictable, with the exception of when there's a traffic jam…
Potentilla hyparctica
Accept the following: You know nothing, but you will learn. You will be cold, but you may adapt. You will talk like Harry Potter. Today was my first day in the field. I'm a Spanish teacher by trade…
Bowhead whale baleen
We went to the Iñupiat Heritage Center and I learned about the history and culture of sustenance hunting. The Iñupiat have been hunting whales, seals, and fish since they arrived to the North Slope…
Plane Landing in Barrow
I arrived in Barrow last night and everyone on my team is pretty cool. I'll introduce them and our research to you soon. I just need a day or two to get my bearings, settle in, and adjust to the cold…