Highlights from our live chat with NASA astronaut (and former Sea Education Association Assistant Scientist) Ricky Arnold aboard the International Space Station. Among other topics, he reflected upon his experiences with SEA saying, “There’s nothing I’ve done in my life that prepared me better for my experience up here.”

Zoya Buckmire, of St. George’s University in Grenada, talks completing her final academic assignments and Caribbean Reef Expedition’s conclusion in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Gretchen Beehler, of Purdue University, describes snorkeling the coral reefs around Barbuda as part of SEA Semester’s Caribbean Reef Expedition.

Halley Steinmetz, from UMass-Amherst, describes snorkeling the reefs around Montserrat and a tour of the volcano, as part of Caribbean Reef Expedition.

Bryan Jew, of University of California, San Diego, describes his research in the Tobago Cays as part of SEA Semester’s Caribbean Reef Expedition.

Cami Mirow from Mt. Holyoke College describes her week ashore in Grenada before boarding SSV Corwith Cramer.

Tom Haller of Colorado College describes what he is looking forward to as he and his shipmates get ready to head to the Caribbean and SSV Corwith Cramer.

Alex Cormack from SUNY ESF describes week 5 of the shore component for Caribbean Reef Expedition, with a focus on her upcoming research project on Caribbean Coral Reef species composition.

Hannah King of Connecticut College describes week 4 of the shore component for Caribbean Reef Expedition.

Liz Thompson of Rowan University describes what happened during week 3 in Woods Hole as she and her shipmates get ready to sail on the Caribbean Reef Expedition Program.