Seas Your Future is the trading name of Adventure Under Sail, a charity supporting personal development and sustainability through sail training, maritime careers and ocean science. With our project Ocean Awareness, we introduce elements of ocean and environmental science into sail training voyages for people in the age range of 14 to 25. Ocean Awareness provides a unique opportunity for (mainly) young scientists to hone their practical skills, collect data for a research project, gain experience undertaking citizen science and outreach activities, while sailing for a period of 2 to 4 weeks on the sail training vessel and tall ship Pelican of London.
Ocean Awareness fulfils several important aims:
- Professional and personal development for the Scientist in Residence:
Outreach and dissemination of scientific research outcomes are important elements of publicly funded scientific projects. This project provides aspiring or graduate scientists with an exciting opportunity to carry out a small research project of their own design, gain experience in project management, problem solving, teamworking and leadership, while honing their outreach and communication skills with lay people.
- Enhancing the Seas Your Future Science portfolio:
Data collected by the Scientist in Residence will contribute to the portfolio of ocean and environmental science carried out on board, enhancing our reputation as platform for learning and contributing to research. Submitting information for our social media and providing a summary report, podcast or video of the work and experiences on board are part of the Scientist in Resident’s commitments.
- Raising environmental awareness:
The work of the Scientist in Residence will raise awareness among sail trainees for ocean and environmental science and sustainability. The Scientist in Residence commits to invite the sail trainees to engage with workshops, data collection, citizen science projects and informal discussions. A portfolio of citizen science projects that work well in the context of project Ocean Awareness is available for Scientists in Residence.
Role and Responsibilities of the Scientist in Residence:
The Scientist in Residence is invited on board TS Pelican of London to contribute in a positive way to the experience of voyage crew and to undertake research that is of benefit to their own interests as well as contributes to the Seas Your Future portfolio of science. This may be achieved by a range of activities, including for example:
- Research activities that follow their own interests.
- Citizen Science data collection for organisations that actively promote ocean research and conservation.
- Outreach through formal and informal engagement with voyage crew, including a briefing at the beginning of the voyage that outlines the nature of their research activities on board, and a summary of (preliminary) outcomes towards the end of the voyage.
- Outreach in form of information and images communicated to Yasmin Deter for Seas Your Future social media.
- Communication of research experience and outcomes to the Seas Your Future Head of Science, Dr Charlotte Braungardt (charly@seasyourfuture.org), in form of a report, narrated powerpoint presentation, short video, podcast, poem, poster or other format suitable to sharing on Seas Your Future social media.
Applications and Conditions:
Ocean Awareness voyages will take place on a number of dates between mid-May and early September 2023 and will be around 7 days in duration, cruising the sea area of Ireland and the British Isles. Each applicant for Scientist in Residence should fill in an application form available for download at: https://www.seasyourfuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Scientist-in-Residence-Application-Form.docx and will be asked to provide their availability in that time period and be expected to be available for at least two back-to-back voyages. Further conditions are summarised here:
- Vetting for safeguarding purposes by either GARDA (Ireland), or DBS (UK) may be necessary.
- You must bring your passport to the ship.
- COVID-19 vaccination certificate may be a pre-requisite to joining the ship.
- Scientists in Residence arrange their travel to the embarkation port and from the port of disembarkation themselves; Seas Your Future may contribute towards reasonable travel expenses, against receipts of expenses.
- For Scientists in Residence, berth and food on Pelican are free of charge; accommodation is generally in four or six berth cabins.
- You will be classed as volunteer crew and expected to participate in health & safety and sail training. You are expected to work a reasonable working day (6-8 hours) each day on research, outreach and providing social media feeds/reports, although flexibility is required as to when you work and your science and outreach work may be interrupted by the requirements for the ship’s operations, such as safety matters, sail handling, entering or departing port etc.
- Scientists in Residence directly answer to the 1st Mate while aboard the ship and maintain close communication with her/him for all operational, coordination and safety matters aboard.
- Pelican carries some literature and equipment suited to support scientific work, for example a light microscope with a digital display, sediment grab and plankton nets.
Please contact Charly Braungardt (charly@seasyourfuture.org) for further details.
Charlotte Braungardt PhD
charly@seasyourfuture.org
WhatsApp: +44 7475 058762
