Into the unknown: My internship studying the ecology of Trena Lake

Amy (left) and Nyrobi Whitfield collecting bathymetric data at their research site, Trena Lake. Prior to their work this summer, no known ecological research has been conducted at the lake, so every survey they conducted was full of surprises! (Image credit: Amy Deatherage)

Download Image September 30, 2025

Hi everyone! My name is Amy Deatherage, and I’m an EPP scholar studying global environmental science at the University of Hawai?i at M?noa. This summer, I interned at the Kasitsna Bay Lab in Seldovia, Alaska, which is a laboratory under the NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS).

My research project this summer was on the Trena Lake Complex — a local water body in Seldovia whose ecology has never been researched before. While Trena Lake used to be fully freshwater, following the 1964 Alaska earthquake, regional land subsidence of around two meters caused a tidal connection to the bay during high tides. 

Throughout the summer, we conducted many kinds of field surveys in Trena Lake, including both oceanographic surveys and biological surveys. From plankton tows to beach seines to crab traps, every survey we conducted at the lake was super exciting because we never knew what to expect! For example, after we analyzed data from oceanographic moorings that we deployed in the lake, we learned that Trena Lake is much saltier than we expected, with salinity comparable to the ocean. We also learned that Trena Lake has some regionally unique and surprising organisms, such as bubble snails. It also seems that Trena Lake may also be a nursery for herring - not only did we find adult herrings in our beach seines, but we also found herring eggs throughout the lake, both along the lake’s shores and in the middle of the lake!

Amy and Nyrobi doing a beach seine at their research site, Trena Lake. Their summer internship projects were each about the unique ecology of Trena Lake, a freshwater lake turned tidal lagoon located in Seldovia, AK.(Image credit: Amy Deatherage)Download Image

Life at the Kasitsna Bay Lab was amazing. From conducting exciting field research, to caring for and learning about the touch tank creatures housed in the wet lab, to meeting and learning from graduate students and other scientists staying at the lab, I am so grateful for all the fantastic opportunities and experiences I had this summer.

Amy Deatherage, 2024 EPP scholar

Amy is a class of 2024 EPP scholar and is studying global environmental science at the University of Hawai?i at M?noa.

Education Office of Education EPP/MSI Scholar blog Internship line office: NOS Science communication piece 2025 interns Project summary Takeover Tuesday 1 Off

You are what you eat! My internship studying Atlantic cod and striped bass diets in New Hampshire

Clara (left) and grad student Sidney Axtell performing gastric lavage on an Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). Stomach contents were then recorded in whirl packs and analyzed back in the lab to understand what Atlantic cod are eating in New Hampshire waters.

Download Image September 30, 2025

Hello! My name is Clara Oxford and I am a marine science major at Eckerd College! This summer I had the opportunity of working at the NOAA Office of Coastal Management with NOAA affiliates University of New Hampshire and the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (GBNERR) for my Hollings internship. For my project, I was looking at the diets of Atlantic cod and striped bass found in New Hampshire coastal waters. Both Atlantic cod and striped bass are popular and important fish species in the Gulf of Maine that are seeing declines in populations. Tracking the diets of these fish therefore could help us understand declining populations and inform management decisions. 

So how would we actually look at the diets of these fish? We can do this by using gastric lavage, a non-lethal flushing of the stomach with seawater. In casual terms, we ultimately make the fish throw up what they’ve eaten so we can analyze what’s been consumed. Don’t worry, this is completely safe and does not harm the fish. 

Previous Slider Item Stomach contents from an Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) after gastric lavage was performed on the commercial fishing boat. Contents include fish parts, unidentified fish, and a comb jelly. Contents will be place in a whirl pack and analyzed back in the lab.(Image credit: Clara Oxford)Download Image Stomach contents from an Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) being groups to the lowest taxonomic groups before being weighed back in the lab. Stomach content groups include, Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus), rock, unidentified fish parts, unidentified fish.(Image credit: Clara Oxford)Download Image Stomach contents from a striped bass (Morone saxatilis) after gastric lavage was performed on the boat. Four large squid and remaining squid parts flushed out of stomach. This was the first time large squid were found in the striped bass stomachs.(Image credit: Clara Oxford)Download Image Next Slider Item

Once we collect the stomach contents, we analyze them back in the lab by sorting them into categories. The goal is to sort the contents into the lowest identifiable taxonomic group. Just like humans, diet can inform us about energy gain. Seeing what type of food these fish are consuming can help understand their energetics and growth. For example, seeing more fish in the diet would imply they are consuming more energetically dense food, which allows for growth and reproduction. 

In the upcoming months, the University of New Hampshire fish and movement ecology lab will begin using bomb calorimetry to determine the exact energy gain from prey items. Overall, when looking at diet composition it is critical to use multiple metrics of biodiversity to further our understanding.

Clara Oxford, 2024 Hollings scholar

Clara is a class of 2024 Hollings scholar and a marine science major at Eckerd College.

Education Office of Education Hollings Scholarship Scholar blog Internship line office: NOS Science communication piece 2025 interns Project summary Takeover Tuesday 1 Off

What’s the charge? My internship researching black carbon aerosols in Boulder

Megan with the NOAA twin otter aircraft in the hanger before an air quality research mission. (Image credit: Megan Neumann)

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Hi! I’m Megan Neumann and I study meteorology, chemistry, and physics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. I spent my summer Hollings internship working at the NOAA Chemical Sciences Laboratory in the Atmospheric Composition and Chemical Processes group. 

My research was on the electrical charge of black carbon aerosol, with specific focus on the differences between charged and neutral particles. Understanding the charge of aerosols is important because it can impact how they behave in the atmosphere, including how well the aerosols attract condensation of water vapor and what chemical processes they take part in. 

I spent most of my summer working in the lab, sampling aerosols and carrying out exciting experiments! I had the amazing opportunity to work with a variety of equipment and instruments throughout my internship, expanding my knowledge of aerosol research techniques. 

Living and working in Boulder is an outstanding experience for an early-career atmospheric scientist. With so many research centers along the front range of the Rockies, it’s simple to make valuable connections across many research subjects and disciplines!

Megan Neumann, 2024 Hollings scholar

Megan is a class of 2024 Hollings scholar and is studying meteorology, chemistry, and physics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Education Office of Education Hollings Scholarship Scholar blog Internship line office: NOAA Research Science communication piece 2025 interns Project summary Takeover Tuesday 1 Off

NOAA-supported expedition to explore deep waters of Cook Islands

During the NOAA-supported Deep-Sea Habitats of the Cooks Islands Expedition on Exploration Vessel Nautilus, scientists will use Ocean Exploration Trust’s remotely operated vehicle Hercules, seen here, to explore sites on the Manihiki Plateau.  (Image credit: Image courtesy of Ocean Exploration Trust)

September 29, 2025 Research ocean exploration expeditions Deep dives 0 Off

Hello to all…

Some fairly significant changes to the forecast for Tropical Storm Imelda and Major Hurricane Humberto could bring tropical storm conditions to Bermuda. Here are the latest updates:

Tropical Depression (TD) 9 became Tropical Storm Imelda earlier this afternoon and a Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for the Bahamas. Our net has forwarded a couple reports of tropical storm force conditions in the Bahamas that was used in the 5 PM EDT advisory on Imelda. Rain Gauge totals in the area range from about 2-5.5″. Imelda will continue to intensify and likely reach hurricane strength late Monday Night or Tuesday.

The track of Imelda now keeps it far enough offshore where the Southeast US coast will get some heavy rain and potential flooding between Imelda and interaction with a frontal system but the core of the strong winds will remain offshore of the Southeast US coast. The NHC track also now has it hooking right well away from the Southeast US coast. Therefore, VoIP Hurricane Net activation is not expected over the next 3-4 days and local SKYWARN groups will handle heavy rainfall and flood threat, however, some model solutions bring Imelda close to Bermuda and this will be monitored as we get towards late this week for possible net activation. We will also provide any known reports of tropical storm force conditions from the Bahamas and if needed, other areas, to WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center, via our reporting form.

Major Hurricane Humberto is a significant reason for why Imelda’s track has changed and is now a more offshore solution. Humberto’s hurricane core is currently expected to stay away from Bermuda at this time but tropical storm conditions could affect the island in the next couple days and a Tropical Storm Watch is posted for Bermuda. We will continue to monitor Humberto’s progress until he is past Bermuda.

Advisories on Imelda and Humberto can be seen off the main menu of the voipwx.net web site, via our Facebook and X feeds and via the National Hurricane Center web site at the following link:

https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

The VoIP Hurricane Net will continue to monitor Imelda, Humberto and any other developments in the Tropics. Thanks to all for their continued support of the VoIP Hurricane Net!

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net

Hello to all…

The VoIP Hurricane Net Management Team is monitoring Potential Tropical Cyclone (PTC-9) and Major Hurricane Humberto for potential net activation as we get to the early to middle part of next week. There remains considerable uncertainty especially with PTC-9 and its track toward the Southeast US coast.

Starting with PTC-9, this area of disturbed weather is becoming better organized and will likely become Imelda later tonight or Sunday as it tracks north-northwest through the Bahamas towards the Southeast US Coast off the South Carolina and Southeast North Carolina coast. Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect for much of the Bahamas. From there, the forecast is highly uncertain with a number of models stalling the system off the coast and even tracking it straight east with no landfall to the coast though winds and heavy rainfall would affect the coast before the eastward turn. Other models take it to a landfall on the South Carolina coast while still other models stall it for several days and then have a landfall on the US East Coast between South Carolina and the Delmarva. The track differences will likely not be resolved for another 1-2 days and we will monitor the progress of the system closely including monitoring all forms of ground truth data as it tracks over the Bahamas.

Major Hurricane Humberto will not affect the US East Coast but will play a role with steering PTC-9. In addition, Humberto could cause impacts to the island of Bermuda and interest in Bermuda should monitor the progress of Humberto. VoIP Hurricane Net activation for Humberto and impacts to Bermuda are possible this week as well depending on how close Humberto tracks to Bermuda.

Advisories on PTC-9 and Humberto can be seen off the main menu of the voipwx.net web site, via our Facebook and X feeds and via the National Hurricane Center web site at the following link:

https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

The VoIP Hurricane Net will continue to monitor PTC-9, Humberto and any other developments in the Tropics. Thanks to all for their continued support of the VoIP Hurricane Net!

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net

Solar activity reached moderate levels this past week. An impulsive
M1.0 flare was observed on September 24 from Region AR4217. Slight
growth was observed in Region AR4226 with an increase in spots near
the leader. New Regions AR4229 and AR4230 were numbered this period.
All other regions were either stable or in decay. No Earth-directed
CMEs were observed. Solar activity is expected to return to lo...

ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® needs every radio amateur in the United States to send letters to Washington as we continue our nationwide grassroots campaign to pass the Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act. The process is simple: click the button at www.arrl.org/HOA, put in your call sign, and press the red SEND MY LETTERS button. It takes mere seconds!

The letters will au...

Amateur radio has long been a vital partner with served agencies in providing communications support, passing traffic, and performing other tasks, both in times of crisis and in times of community service. Through community events, hams help out before and When All Else Fails®.  

The best way to become a part of serving the greater good in your area is by joining your local ARRL Amateur Radio Em...

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is seeking volunteers to passively track the 2026 Artemis II Orion spacecraft as the crewed mission travels to the Moon and back to Earth.

 

The Artemis II test flight will send NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, KF5LKT; Victor Glover, KI5BKC; and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, KF5LKU, on an appro...