Being a chief/lead scientist is a big responsibility, but it is made easier by planning ahead and breaking up tasks and deadlines into smaller and more manageable goals. In this lesson, we discuss and work on activities that should help you to think through the steps needed to prepare for an expedition as the lead scientist, divide responsibilities among the research team, and get cruise participants to think ahead about how they can get ready for a successful and enjoyable experience at sea. We will also review maritime jurisdictions to understand roles and responsibilities within the different areas, as well as discuss the process by which scientists obtain authorization to conduct work in other countries’ waters. Also provided are example documents you can use as templates and guides.
Goals
Understand how to assess and prioritize the science needs of the expedition team, to communicate these needs with vessel operators
Understand what a Shiptime/Marine Equipment Request form might look like
Understand what to consider when working in various ports re: permitting & logistics
Understand what types of content are helpful to have in a Cruise Prospectus
Understand that a primary role of the Lead Scientist is to set the expectations, preparedness, safety, civility and respect
Watch this video (20 min) about how to plan an extreme overland adventure expedition. While it is not about the deep sea, it covers similar planning themes, and will hopefully help you think outside the box and frame your mental approach to the task of planning a deep-sea expedition.
10 min: All group activity: Demonstration of the Marine Facilities Portal for Ship/Marine Equipment Requests, shows the different sections of a request (Beth Orcutt)
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY 4.0)