In 1988, at the age of 20, Maia Patterson McGuire took a break from her usual summer job of working at the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum, and Zoo (BAMZ) to accept an internship with BIOS’s Bermuda Program, a move that would change her career trajectory. Through this opportunity, available for Bermudian students, she conducted research with Robbie Smith, now the curator of the Natural History Museum at BAMZ. At the time, he was an adjunct faculty member at BIOS—a position he still holds—in the process of conducting research on coral reef ecology for his doctoral degree.

The 2017 annual report is now available online to download.

Nick Mathews spent three years as a marine technician, enjoying months at sea and working 12-hour days aboard the BIOS-operated research vessel Atlantic Explorer, when he jumped at the opportunity to become a manager. Mathews, now 28, oversees a crew of three technicians and helps to develop budgets, write grants, and make sure the ship is ready for the hundreds of days it spends at sea each year for science. When he is not at BIOS or sailing on the Atlantic Explorer, he can be found living on his 30-foot sailboat Night Owl, moored at Stokes Point.

Growing up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Danielle Becker’s parents encouraged her and her sister to explore and appreciate the natural world. For many years, her family traveled to visit relatives in Florida over spring break and Becker recalls feeling amazed by the ocean.

Frank Nutter, president of the Reinsurance Association of America and former BIOS trustee, recently went on record saying that the industry he represents is, at its core, based in science. “It’s critical that the industry be knowledgeable about developments from the science community that reflect increasing knowledge about climate and weather.”

BIOS reef ecologist Eric Hochberg, principal investigator of the COral Reef Airborne Laboratory (CORAL) mission, provided a lunchtime seminar to scientists and staff at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C. on August 15 to outline the mission’s goals, science, and status.

After completing his master’s degree in chemical and physical oceanography at Otago University in New Zealand in 2006, Kiwi native Matt Enright embarked on a dream life for many early career scientists. As a research specialist for the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS)—the world’s longest-running time-series of physical and biogeochemical oceanographic measurements—Enright spent much of his time at sea aboard the BIOS-operated research vessel Atlantic Explorer.

A new BIOS summer program offered local students aged 12 to 15 an introduction to Bermuda’s marine environment and provided a strong foundation in scientific research, both in the laboratory and the field. Institute education staff developed the Ocean Science Camp to appeal to students who are interested in oceanography but lack previous marine science experience. KPMG and Bermuda Skyport Corporation Ltd. provided bursaries for this year’s camp.

Last month a team of researchers from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and Johns Hopkins University (JHU) embarked on a unique scientific mission aboard the BIOS research vessel Atlantic Explorer to test new technologies while exploring the Bowditch seamuont, located 24 nautical miles northeast of Bermuda. During the 10-day cruise, the team utilized the WHOI autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) Sentry as a platform to test three oceanographic navigational instruments. These technologies are being evaluated for use on state-of-the-art oceanographic research platforms that are lower-cost and operational for longer time periods than traditional research platforms, such as large, ocean-going research vessels or manned submersibles.

A scooter, four abandoned octopus traps, a 14-foot long fishing net, and several dozen flip-flops were among the items collected by 52 volunteers on September 15 during a three-hour shoreline cleanup at Whalebone Bay, part of the EY Bermuda Coastal Cleanup in support of Keep Bermuda Beautiful.