Loihi Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Expedition - Early Career Opportunity

Oct 7, 2022
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Opportunity to Join a Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Expedition - Jan 2023

In January 2023 (3 months from now!) Chris German and Jeff Seewald (WHOI) together with Everett Shock (ASU) will lead a short (<2 week) expedition to Kamaʻehuakanaloa (Loihi) Seamount, Hawaii to investigate links between recent seismic activity and hydrothermal venting.

As part of their NSF EAGER (Early-concept Grant for Exploratory Research) project, the PI team have secured funds for 6 individuals (ideal for early career researchers, including students) to participate in the expedition and gain hands-on training and experience using the Jason Remotely Operated Vehicle to conduct vent-related research.  We anticipate that there will be opportunities for participants to get involved in our planned lab-based research activities (primarily vent-fluid geochemical analyses).  If time permits there may also be opportunities to conduct complementary research of your own design.

How to Apply: If this would be of interest to you, please fill out this Google form providing information on your current affiliation, your education to-date (highest degree awarded, year) and a brief statement on why this opportunity would be particularly valuable for you. 

Funding: Travel to/from Honolulu, hotel costs and all subsistence costs in port and at sea are all included in this opportunity but our small EAGER grant will not suffice to cover salary costs.

Safety: We anticipate that our research expedition (to/from Honolulu, working ~30miles from the Big Island of Hawai'i) will be rated as Low Risk in which case participants will be expected to be fully up to date with COVID vaccinations and boosters, and be prepared to isolate in a hotel in Honolulu for 1 full day and complete a (negative) COVID PCR test, before joining the ship. 

Timing: Review of applications will begin as soon as they arrive and the PIs will seek to make final selections before the end of October. Cruise dates are anticipated to be ~Jan 7-21, 2023.

A summary of the research project is available on-line at this NSF web-site:  https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2221282&HistoricalAwards=false