Science On!

Hi! 
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My name is Victoria Vandersommen. I am a master’s student at the University of Alaska Anchorage, and am very fortunate to say that this is my second cruise to the Antarctic, as we sailed to the East Antarctic in 2023. I have lived in Alaska for 15 years, and for 10 of those years I worked as a first mate and naturalist aboard the M/V Discovery in Prince William Sound, Alaska. When I’m not working on my master’s project, I love to go on walks with my husband, Johnathon, and our four-legged child, Bella. We love winter sports such as ice skating and cross-country skiing. In the summer, the outdoor activities are endless! I also enjoy reading psychological thrillers and watching true crime documentaries. 
 
I am in Dr. Sarah Gerken’s lab, where we are particularly interested in a type of crustacean called a cumacean, which are also known as comma shrimp due to their body shape. These little critters (1-30 mm) are incredibly important to marine ecosystems by feeding larger animals such as whales, birds, and fish. They live in the surface layer of mud, feeding on dead organic material, which is then recycled to higher trophic layers; this where the fun begins with sampling. When you don’t have a ship with a sled to collect sediment, you manually poke in the mud to make an impression that fills with water and little animals, and if you’re lucky, you’ll see cumaceans flicking around in the pool of water! Fortunately, the RV/IB Nathaniel B. Palmer has an amazing epibenthic sled that has been a dream for collecting an abundance of cumaceans and other tiny invertebrates. We are excited to start sampling in a few days! Stay tuned for pictures of their beautifully diverse morphology!
 
Science on.
 
Victoria Vandersommen
University of Alaska Anchorage

Two Cyclaspis gigas collected on the Nathaniel B. Palmer on the 23-03 cruise.