Fieldwork

Juan de Fuca Ridge, 2019

This cruise is my first acquaintance with deep-sea samples and an ROV (remotely operated vehicle; WHOI Jason). I am in complete awe every ROV dive. Here, we are hunting for microbes and viruses in the most obscure of places—the fluid under the seafloor. I can’t wait to have a glimpse of its secrets, but first I need to process my samples.

Cruise report here.

It’s a great pleasure working with a diverse group of students, and distinguished professors in an icebreaker—the Polarstern, a ship designed to cut through polar ice! For about a month, the instructors trained us in various aspects of oceanography. I am deeply indebted to the organizers and funding agencies, including Alfred Wegener Institute, Nippon Foundation, and Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans (POGO). I hope to cross paths with fellow participants and instructors again sometime in the future.

If you are interested with the scientific aspect of the cruise, here‘s the report.

West Palawan Shelf Cruise, 2015

An oceanographic survey conducted by researchers from the UP Marine Science Institute (UP MSI), Mapúa Institute of Technology, and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) DYCA across the West Palawan Shelf. This time I am more familiar with MV DA BFAR ship, but nothing prepared me to the beauty of corals and sunsets. I wish I took more photos. Palawan owing to its geologic history and biogeographic novelty is considered as one of the Philippines last frontiers.

Two weeks oceanographic survey of Benham Bank by UP MSI, BFAR, UP Los Baños and other collaborators. This newly acquired Philippine territory represents a megadiverse and previously unchartered area, so to speak. After 2014, several other follow up cruises were conducted.

I always go back to this cruise since it’s my first research expedition. Several publications came out from this cruise (here, here and here).