Above: COMIT student, Catalina Rubiano, in the mission control room aboard the Okeanos Explorer. 

Written by, Catalina Rubiano

This summer as part of a NOAA Explorer-In-Training internship, I received the incredible opportunity to sail on the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer – a dream come true for any ocean science nerd. Many marine science enthusiasts might recognize the ship’s name from the awe-inspiring ROV expeditions that are launched from the ship and streamed live in high definition on the NOAA Ocean Exploration website. The Okeanos Explorer is a one-of-a-kind vessel. For starters, it is the only federally designated vessel whose sole mission is ocean exploration (what?!?). It’s basically the modern-day Nautilus from Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (except, woops just kidding because another exploratory research vessel already took that name. But you get the point! Let me enjoy the fantasy 😉)

Read her full post here!