(written by Gwendoline Hoch)

Since navigating into a geology major in Spring 2024, my academic experience has evolved and blossomed in many ways, and has led me to different exciting opportunities – one of which being the 2025 IODP OCEAN CORE Academy in the Gulf Core Repository. Our first day at the Academy was full of learning and making connections among other students and faculty, all passionate about geoscience. We explored the various core analysis techniques that the JOIDES Resolution uses on scientific drilling expeditions, such as imaging systems like the Section Half Image Logger (SHIL), internal core analysis with the X-scan, and got to see the paleo magnetometer in action. 

Above: Learning about the SHIL and measuring CO2 on the coulometer. 

For me, becoming orientated with all the different ways of learning about the earth and its history opened so many new ways of thinking about data collection and using that to explore new questions – for example, I had never really explored the potential that the magnetic properties of sediments had for determining all sorts of questions on tectonic history. After experiencing the first day, I’m really looking forward to experiencing all that the rest of this week has to offer.