ADDRESSING CHALLENGES DURING AT-SEA RESEARCH

Diversification in the STEM workforce has historically been difficult to come by. The STEM Student Experiences Aboard Ships (STEMSEAS) program aims to address this by giving students with diverse backgrounds opportunities to showcase their abilities. STEMSEAS has indeed achieved in providing for a more promising future for its students.

I was a participant on the R/V Oceanus for the very first STEMSEAS expedition, and I will share my experiences and suggestions for the future. For someone who is deaf and relies heavily on visualization, it is important that projects provide education in a pictorial manner. Visual aids include Power Points, video demonstrations, diagrams, and books. It is also important that the deaf person gains experience working manually to connect her visualizations of the subject/s at hand. STEMSEAS did an excellent job arranging for such aids. The project delivered a combination of visual and hands-on experience. Instructors prepared a booklet filled with diagrams of the concepts covered throughout the expedition. In addition to that, the use of PowerPoints and diagrams was helpful. Field books, lab protocol practices, and blogging assignments also granted the opportunity to better participate. However, verbal communication was still difficult to follow. Visual aids are great for providing the context of a given subject, but do not guarantee a deaf person’s understanding will be equivalent to that of her peers. I approached the instructors for one-on-one time to cover topics in depth. When doing so, I had a much greater sense of confidence in what I knew and how I could contribute to science. Instructors should always be prepared to accommodate in this way, but it should not have to come down to that. In order to grant full access to such a person like myself, interpretation services are ideal. Additions of demonstrative tools are also vital. Demonstrations can be given by volunteers or by video. Instructors of students during at-sea research experiences should be aware of the needs of deaf students. Hearing peers can also be better prepared by openly discussing social preferences. The use of these services guarantees a better experience for a deaf individual, and is the pathway to making work forces and projects such as this more diverse.