Today was a very special one on our expedition because we received news that our paleomagnetic expert Lisa Tauxe, who is a Professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography,  and a veteran of scientific ocean drilling had elected to be a member of the National Academy of Sciences in the United States. This is one of the highest honors available to a scientific researcher and so of course we were all naturally very happy for her and excited to have somebody so eminent with us in the scientific party. 

Lisa’s connection with science in South Asia goes back many years, as she did much of the pioneering work onshore and is now here with us drilling in the Arabian Sea to finish the job by looking at the offshore sediments too. The cooks did a marvelous job of generating the most delicious meringue, cream and strawberry cake to celebrate the occasion. No doubt there will be French bubbly fermented juices to further celebrate this achievement when we arrive back at the dock but in the meantime we were able to at least have a terrific sugar rush to commemorate this most auspicious day. Well done indeed Lisa!