Codman Academy teacher Nick Lee has just returned from a three-week assignment at sea with real-life experiences to share with his students.

The 25-year-old Lee joined NOAA Fisheries’ Teacher at Sea program from June 29 – July 20, as part of a 9-person science team that focused on surveying pollock in the Eastern Bering Sea.

Now, Lee is looking forward to incorporating his time at sea in his lesson plans for the upcoming school year.

“For many students, science can feel inaccessible,” Lee told the Reporter. “I enjoyed working with kids and was passionate about increasing young people’s access to science and science careers.”

NOAA’s Teacher at Sea program offers educators the opportunity to use first-hand experiences in various areas of science to propel their students forward with advanced additions to their curriculums.

“The objective is to give teachers hands-on science research at sea for any subject level to have a better understanding at the research level, conducting why it’s important, and how it connects to those students in the classroom,” said Jennifer Hammond, Director of NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program.

Lee teaches AP Environmental Science and AP Computer Science at Codman Academy. He’s hoping to use his experience to make some of the abstract concepts he teaches more concrete with his stories and photos.

“What was most unique about this as a professional development experience was how much I was immersed in the ship’s community,” Lee said. “I was living on the ship, eating all my meals with scientists and the ship’s crew, so I was really embedded in a part of NOAA where everyone was committed to scientific research.”

During his time on the cruise, he was a part of the night shift, helping scientists process the catch, sort and measure fish, and cut them open to collect otoliths to determine the age of the fish. Additionally, Lee gained insight from the scientists he assisted. He said he was fascinated to learn about their career trajectories, but he still hit learning curves throughout the journey.

“One challenge on the cruise was that everything was new and so much was outside of my control. As a teacher, I have my sphere of control in my classroom, and I prepare for each day with lesson plans, but on the ship, it was a totally new environment,” Lee said. “I was learning the science, learning the schedule, learning my way around all at once. It was a good exercise in letting go and learning as much as I could in the moment.”

One experience that stood out to Lee was when he released drifter buoys. He released the first one to float with the ocean currents. Now, he and his students will be able to track the drifter’s trajectory.

“What’s unique about Nick is that his students actually built their own drifter,” Hammond said. “He already had some experience with what a drifter buoy is and how it attracts.”

On this trip, Lee realized that there’s a variety of job opportunities for his students interested in careers in science. On the ship, there were engineers who kept the ship running, stewards who cooked the food, and a team to drive the ship. He’s looking forward to opening his students’ eyes to all the careers that can support marine research.

“One thing I learned, and something that I hope to pass on to my students is the diversity of skills and jobs that exists within the broader umbrella of marine careers.”