S.S.I.S. Teacher to Explore Aboard the Vessel “Nautilus”

Timothy Dwyer Selected To Explore The Ocean Aboard Titanic Shipwreck Discoverer Dr. Robert Ballard’s Exploration Vessel Nautilus

Educators and students participate in groundbreaking STEM initiative exploring deep-sea biology, geology and archaeology in the Gulf of Mexico and Eastern Pacific

Timothy Dwyer, a science and mathematics teacher at Spring Street International School, has been selected as a 2015 Science Communication Fellow and will sail aboard Exploration Vessel (E/V) Nautilus during its 2015 expedition. Dwyer will join the Corps of Exploration aboard E/V Nautilus in August and September as they explore the Salish Sea and the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate offshore of Vancouver Island.

Twenty-two educators from around the world have been selected from a competitive pool of applicants by the Ocean Exploration Trust (OET) to participate at sea during the 2015 Nautilus Exploration Program expedition. OET, a nonprofit founded by Dr. Robert Ballard in 2008, has the mission to explore the ocean, seeking out new discoveries in the fields of geology, biology, maritime history, archaeology, physics, and chemistry while pushing the boundaries of STEM education and technological innovation.

As members of the Corps of Exploration, educators will stand watch alongside scientists and engineers, as well as participate in live interactions with shore-based audiences via Nautilus Live, a 24-hour web portal bringing expeditions from the field to future explorers on shore via telepresence technology at www.nautiluslive.org and via social media.

The selected educators hail from schools, universities, science centers, aquaria, and non-profit organizations in seventeen states in the US and five countries. They will join the Nautilus Corps of Exploration during sea-going expeditions from April through October in the Gulf of Mexico, Galápagos Islands, and Eastern Pacific Ocean.

OET promotes science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education around the world using the excitement of exploration and innovation to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.

“One of the major goals of our Nautilus Exploration Program is to inspire the next generation of explorers in STEM fields,” said OET Executive Vice President, Dr. Katy Croff Bell, “so we are very excited to provide educators and students with the direct experience of ocean exploration, while allowing them the opportunity to share their experiences far and wide with their peers.”

The 2015 Science Communication Fellowship Program, an initiative of OET, will bring twenty-two formal and informal educators together from around the world as a part of the Nautilus Corps of Exploration. Fellows are charged with the responsibility of engaging students and the public in the wonders of ocean exploration, sharing discoveries from the 2015 mission, as well as inviting others to learn aspects of daily life aboard a working exploration vessel. Fellows receive four days of intensive training at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography, and then spend two to three weeks aboard Nautilus between the months of April and October, as it explores the Gulf of Mexico and Eastern Pacific Ocean.

An equally important aspect of the program is that the Fellows bring the expedition and excitement of ocean exploration back to their home communities after they have returned from sea by incorporating their experience into classroom lesson plans, community presentations, and through informal educational opportunities. The Science Communication Fellowship is made possible with sponsorship from Bechtel, the Office of Naval Research, the Florida Panthers Foundation, and private donations.

The public, scientists, educators, and students can join Dwyer’s adventure while he is at sea via streaming video on the Nautilus Live website, www.nautiluslive.org, a 24-hour portal bringing expeditions from the field to onshore audiences through telepresence technology. The public can also follow the expedition on social media − on Twitter as @EVNautilus and on Facebook or Instagram as NautilusLive − and through in-person live interactions at partner museums, aquaria, and science centers around the world.

About the Ocean Exploration Trust
The Ocean Exploration Trust was founded in 2008 by Dr. Robert Ballard to explore the ocean, seeking out new discoveries in the fields of geology, biology, maritime history, archaeology, physics, and chemistry while pushing the boundaries of STEM education and technological innovation. Our international program is launched from aboard the Exploration Vessel (E/V) Nautilus, offering live exploration to participants on shore and the public via live video, audio, and data feeds. The major 2015 expedition and education sponsors are the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Bechtel, the Florida Panthers Foundation, CITGO, Office of Naval Research, the National Geographic Society, University of Rhode Island, and additional private donors. Follow us online at www.nautiluslive.org, on Facebook and Instagram at NautilusLive, and on Twitter as @EVNautilus.

About Spring Street International School
Spring Street International School in Friday Harbor, WA, is a small, multicultural, independent, day and boarding school that provides students with a stimulating learning environment in a safe, rural setting. Students discover a love of learning and prepare for excellence in college. Challenging expeditions and travel experiences foster personal growth. Service in diverse communities teaches empathy, humility and the importance of collaboration with others. The School mentors students to achieve academic mastery, internal strength, perspective and integrity. Students become engaged, thoughtful, ethical participants in local and global communities.

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