Hello and welcome to the JOIDES Resolution Expedition 368! If you are just joining us you should know that this expedition is a very big deal. Expedition 368 is a joint Expedition with 367 under the same goal of unraveling the mystery of the mechanisms of continental break up of the South China Sea Rifted Margin through deep sea core sampling and analysis. 

I arrived in Hong Kong 5 days ago to meet the 33 scientists from 14 different countries who will be part of Expedition 368.  In the span of these few days I have barely begun to understand the enormity of this expedition. To start, the JOIDES Resolution itself is an impossibly large vessel with a deep sea coring apparatus standing 190 feet about water level. To operate this research vessel both inside and out requires a crew of 61 people. In addition, this vessel is a floating feat of engineering containing state of the art laboratories with a crew of an additional 23 engineers, lab and coring operators, and technicians. Further more, because of the large collaborative effort between Chinese universities and the other scientist there are 2 designated observers and 1 additional Education Outreach Officer from China to help report the incredible research as it happens. 

Have you been counting? That is 121 people on this Expedition alone. Combine that with Expedition 367 and we have 242 people contributing to discovering the story of the South China Sea Rifted Margin. 

I have been fortunate enough to join this Expedition 368 as their Education Outreach Officer.  I am coming to this expedition as a science educator with a passion for authentic investigations. I want my students to be proficient in designing, carrying out their own investigations, and reporting their findings before they leave my class. This is an incredible opportunity for me better connect with the scientists to tell their stories of science and to reflect on my own practice as an educator to better support my students in their science endeavors.