Allison Cusick, PhD
2024 Seed Grant Awardee
Project Description
PRO OCEANOS III – Phytoplankton Research Outreach
PRO OCEANOS III builds on the success of previous collaborations between FjordPhyto and the NASA SCoPE-funded OCEANOS initiative, aiming to introduce younger generations to ocean science, particularly focusing on Antarctic phytoplankton. Using NASA remote sensing products and hands-on workshops, students will explore biodiversity monitoring through environmental DNA (eDNA), microscopy, and molecular tools. Immersive experiences include VR field trips to Antarctica and Spanish-language educational content on the FjordPhyto website. The project aims to inspire first-generation, Spanish-speaking students in Puerto Rico to pursue STEM careers by showcasing real-world oceanographic research.
Target Audience Age
| 0-4 | 5-10 | 11-14 | 14-18 | 19-22 | 23-26 | 27-99 |
NASA Division
Earth
Grant Status
Learning Context
Digital Learning
Neighborhood /
Community
Informal /
Out of School
Home / Family
Citizen Science
Formal Education
SME Bio
One of the most rewarding aspects is collaborating with a talented team of experts and aligning our goals within a well-rounded summer internship program. This partnership enables us to connect with younger generations and make polar science accessible to a wider audience, including those who may not have the means to travel to Antarctica.
Allison Cusick, PhD
PRO OCEANOS III PI
PhD, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego
Biological Oceanography, Citizen Science, Polar Ecosystems
Allison Cusick is a researcher in Biological Oceanography at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego. She developed FjordPhyto, a citizen science program that engages polar tourists in phytoplankton research in Antarctica. Her research investigates the impact of melting glaciers on phytoplankton communities and utilizes innovative techniques such as environmental DNA (eDNA) to monitor species biodiversity. With extensive experience conducting research on vessels, icebreakers, and Antarctic tour ships, she is a certified Polar Guide with over 300 days spent in Antarctica. Allison is also a passionate science communicator and engages the public through her outreach platform, Woman Scientist.
SciAct Team
OCEANOS Description
The OCEANOS project centers on the hypothesis of: NASA Observations and science coupled with low-cost in-water instrumentation can significantly increase STEM education and enthusiasm among low-income 1st generation Hispanic/Latino students, particularly in regard to oceanographic and coastal issues. Our goal is to use combined NASA ocean color data and in situ oceanographic parameters to improve the capacity and awareness among low-income students on how these two can be used to monitor water quality affecting coastal shallow-water marine ecosystems in Caribbean waters.
The team of OCEANOS does not have the expertise in cold waters phytoplankton ecology. Allison and Martina’s proposal brings the opportunity to introduce students from the tropics to the southern seas conditions, influencing the marine food web and how similar or different it can be from tropical warm waters. Working with Allison and Martina this past year has been incredibly gratifying! Their connection with participants was instantaneous!"