Where are you from, and what is your role in Extreme 2004?

I am an 18-year-old American, originally from San Francisco, California. I lived in Lewes, Delaware, for the five years preceding my move to New Zealand in 2001. The majority of my high school education has been here in Hamilton, New Zealand, culminating with my graduation this November. My role in Extreme 2004 is to sort through, edit, and categorize the video collected by the submersible Alvin on each of its dives. This video not only contains footage of what the submarine sees on its dives, but a lot of the sample data is actually put onto the video as well. In conjunction with this job, I will be taking on the role of documentarian during the voyage and creating a DVD with the "best of's" of Extreme 2004.

What questions are you trying to answer and why?

There are many different projects being worked on onboard the Atlantis, and it is my duty to ensure that the video aspects of these projects are readily available and easily accessible. In the past, data has been gathered during the expedition but not organized or looked at until the completion of the voyage. On this cruise, my goal will be to have this data available as soon as possible so that research can continue at the scientists' pace rather than them having to wait for it to be processed.

Why is this research important? What are the benefits?

Science is the basis for our understanding of, not only how the world works, but how we can develop new creations useful to our everyday lives. Even though I am not a scientist, I appreciate the importance of this research and its applications. As the human race learns more about the world in which we live, we can delve deeper in to understanding some of the big questions that have humbled us since the dawn of time.

What is your background, and what lured you into marine science/education?

I have always enjoyed using computers as tools as well as toys and have had experience doing video editing and creating short films in the Media Studies class I took in school. As an avid surfer, I have had a long-term love affair with the ocean. When the opportunity was given to me to join the expedition, I readily accepted. This will be my first journey at sea with a duration of more than a few days, and I look forward to it with great anticipation.