Howdy reader,

My name is Hunter Adams! I have the privilege of being a 2024 MATE intern and will spend the next six months supporting three different research institutions on their missions to better understand our world’s oceans. I look forward to sharing this amazing experience with you through these blog posts and I hope I can get you excited for the awesome work that MATE interns get to do!

So what about me? What’s my background and why am I participating in this internship? Well here are some answers for ya: I graduated from Texas A&M University with a BS in Oceanography and an MS in Business in 2022 and 2023 respectively (Gig ‘em Aggies!). At TAMU, I spent three years studying methane and nitrous oxide concentration trends in the northern Gulf of Mexico and participated in multiple research cruises as a result. These cruises gave me a glimpse into just how rewarding work at sea can be and I learned how valuable marine operations can be for oceanographic research.  I furthered my interest in oceanography at Los Alamos National Laboratory, performing reduced biogeochemical modeling and preliminary model research over two summer internships. So yeah, I have a research-heavy background. Now you may be asking yourself, “Hunter, this is great and all, but if you love salty water science so much why aren’t you jumping into a PhD or the like?” I’m so happy you asked and I’ve got two answers for you! 

My first answer is that oceanographers and climate scientists worldwide need quality observational data from our oceans. With this data, scientists can better understand our Earth system, improve climate model development, and inform policy decisions (to give just a few examples). One of the best ways scientists get this observational data is by going out to sea and collecting it through research cruises. However, they can’t always be expected to operate the research vessel, troubleshoot instrumentation, manage data acquisition systems, or perform deck operations. That’s where marine technicians and crew come in! Together, crew and mar techs perform all these duties and more, ensuring that oceanographers get the data they need. Marine technicians are needed more than ever due to an ever-increasing demand for data, especially in the face of a changing climate. For this reason, I would like to contribute to oceanographic research as a technician as I feel there is a great need for the work! 

My second answer is that working as a marine technician is FUN! Marine technicians possess diverse skills, are dynamic problem solvers, work with passionate people, and get to travel to some of the most unique environments on the planet. Needless to say, the work can be incredibly engaging and rewarding. I owe my appreciation for this career to the 2023 MATE internship, where I spent five weeks working with the Hawaii Ocean Time-series (HOT) team and OTG techs at the University of Hawaii Manoa. Now, I’m participating in the long-term MATE internship to get as much hands-on experience as possible to become a more effective technician.

So, I hope you have a better understanding of my professional background and motivations for taking part in this internship! Some less-professional fun facts about me include that I like outside activities, motorcycles, Cajun food, memes, reading, and traveling. 

Over the next six months I hope you can get to know me even better through these posts and understand why I’m so excited for this opportunity. As I write this, I am flying to the University of Delaware and the R/V Hugh Sharp to begin the first leg of my internship. Over the next few weeks I will be assisting with a sea scallop and HabCam survey (which’ll be a brand-new experience for me). In my next post, I’ll talk more about my work, who I’m working with, and all the best parts of the internship so far! So stay tuned and don’t miss it!

All the best,

Hunter Adams