There are a number of specialists on the JR, who assist the scientists with unfamiliar equipment and other tasks that must be performed in the lab. Today I am going to highlight one such person.

Nicholette is a Lab Specialist on Expedition 329 where she works closely with scientists in the microbiology and chemistry labs, aiding sample preparation. Nicholette recently earned her PhD in Environmental Health Sciences from the University of Minnesota. This is her first cruise and in fact, her first time at sea, so she is looking forward to a new experience. So far, she is enjoying her time aboard the JOIDES Resolution.

Nicholette grew up in Iowa and then moved to Minneapolis to go to grad school. She spent this past summer in New York City writing for Scientific American on an AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Mass Media Fellowship. After the expedition, she will return to Minnesota to teach two undergraduate courses in public health at Macalester College.

For fun, Nicholette likes to play the piano, something she has done for 25 years. When we arrive in port in Auckland, New Zealand, Nicholette and her sister, Stephanie, also on board, plan to explore the wonders of New Zealand.