Three Am Samoa teachers selected to explore the Pacific aboard E/V Nautilus

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA —Three teachers from American Samoa  — Neon Osa from Tafuna High School and Lottie Haleck and Anneliese Haleck from Samoana High School — have been selected by Ocean Exploration Trust (OET) as 2024 Science Communication Fellows (SCF). These educators will sail aboard OET’s Exploration Vessel (E/V) Nautilus this summer as part of deep ocean exploration expedition teams and bring the excitement of exploration to learners on the island and worldwide. 

Neon, Lottie, and Anneliese were selected from a worldwide pool of applicants and will join a cohort of 13 Fellows from across the Pacific and North America. The educators will join three different expeditions as expedition storytellers during missions across the Central and Western Pacific Ocean this year. 

In July, Anneliese Haleck, who was the first classroom educator from American Samoa to sail on Nautilus, will return to the team in a leadership role as a mentor for new Fellows during an expedition to Jarvis Island, part of the US Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument. In thinking about the experience ahead, Anneliese Haleck described her connection with the ocean this way,

“As Dr. Sylvia Earle says, ‘Even if you never have the chance to see or touch the ocean, it touches you with every breath you take, every drop of water you drink, every bite you consume.’ Everyone, everywhere, is inextricably connected to and utterly dependent upon the existence of the sea,” ASDOE Educator and 2024 Lead Science Communication Fellow (SCF), Anneliese Haleck said.

In August-September, OET will conduct two expeditions aboard E/V Nautilus to explore deep-sea habitats around American Samoa in collaboration with the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa and other partners. Neon Osa will sail as a Fellow in September as the ship explores locally.

“I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to expand my professional network and learn from esteemed scientists and leaders within this program. Representing Tafuna High School in this initiative is an honor, as it will allow me to enhance my knowledge of ocean exploration and share it with my colleagues and students. Additionally, I intend to create meaningful professional development opportunities to educate and benefit our wider community,” says Neon A. Osa, ASDOE Secondary Teacher and 2024 SCF. "Exploring the ocean is like delving into a vast, mysterious world where every dive reveals a new chapter in the story of our planet. Like the ocean's vast expanse, our potential knows no bounds, with depths of strength and waves of resilience waiting to be discovered within us."

Then, in October, Lottie Haleck will join an expedition exploring the waters of Palau National Marine Sanctuary, a sister sanctuary to the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa.  

"I'm honored and excited to be selected as a science fellow aboard E/V Nautilus. Two things I'm most looking forward to are seeing a whale shark and learning from others on board the ship. I believe their experiences and knowledge will greatly contribute to what I'll give back to my community, the classroom for my students, and my own growth as an individual,” says Lottie Haleck, ASDOE Educator and 2024 SCF. “Being selected to be a part of the team has filled me with pride and optimism. I am proud to be selected as a representative for my family and Samoan culture. My hope is that I inspire others, especially my students, to take a leap of faith and apply, to get out of their comfort zones and explore what's outside of the ‘rock’ called American Samoa. It is there I know they'll experience growth in all shapes and forms."

While at sea, these educators will have the opportunity to connect live with learners in American Samoa. Everyone can engage with these educators via NautilusLive.org, a 24-hour live-streaming web portal bringing expeditions from the field to explorers on shore via telepresence technology and social media. The Fellows will participate in live audio commentary and question-and-answer sessions through the Nautilus Live website while aboard the ship; they will also engage in events and activities upon their return. Schools and community groups can also schedule free, live one-on-one Q&A sessions with explorers on the ship beginning in May. 

“Science Communication Fellows work alongside scientists and engineers and help to convey the excitement of the ocean exploration experience across the NautilusLive live stream, our social media, and outreach directly with classrooms. We are proud to elevate these three Samoan role models, and elevate their voices in reaching communities historically marginalized from science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics, and ocean fields”, said Megan Cook, OET’s Director of Education and Outreach.

The OET Science Communication Fellowship brings formal and informal educators onboard to engage students and the public in the wonders of ocean exploration, sharing discoveries from the 2024 mission and aspects of daily life aboard a working exploration vessel. Through the year, Fellows grow their science communication skills, attend in-person professional development training together with other educators from across the Pacific, and spend several weeks as a crucial part of the team aboard E/V Nautilus. Fellows bring ocean exploration back to their home communities by incorporating their experience into classroom lesson plans, community presentation events, and informal educational opportunities.

OET promotes science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) education worldwide using the excitement of exploration and innovation to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.

“One of the major goals of our Nautilus Exploration Program is to motivate the next generation of explorers in STEAM fields,” said Allison Fundis, OET’s Chief Operating Officer. “We are very excited to provide educators and students with the direct experience in ocean exploration while allowing them the opportunity to share that experience with their peers around the world.”

BACKGROUND

Ocean Exploration Trust (OET) is a nonprofit founded by Dr. Robert Ballard and operates with a mission to explore the unknown parts of the ocean, seeking out discoveries across the fields of geology, biology, and hydrography while pushing the boundaries of STEAM education and technological innovation.

OET’s nine 2024 expeditions in Hawaii, American Samoa, US Pacific Remote Islands, Palau, and Canada will contribute to the ocean being better understood by supporting international scientific and U.S. governmental priorities, particularly understanding ocean changes, sharing that knowledge with others, and contributing discoveries and data that will inform future conservation and management decisions. 

The 2024 E/V Nautilus expeditions are sponsored by NOAA Ocean Exploration via the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and Ocean Networks Canada.