09/01/2026
From tiny phytoplankton to familiar flounder, every catch netted aboard URI's research vessel, Cap'n Bert, has been contributing data to a longstanding fisheries and environmental monitoring survey – which several journalists and science communicators got to witness firsthand this summer through Metcalf fellowships!
URI Graduate School of Oceanography graduate students and trawl assistants Alexander Rubin and Alyssa Tsukada gave fellows a glimpse into their research. "This sort of work is really important so that we can understand the history and the current state of our ecosystem and learn how to be responsible stewards of the environment and forecast what conditions may look like in the future," shared Alex.
Alyssa, who collects data for one of the longest-running plankton time series, shared with fellows how critical these samples are for monitoring the health of Narragansett Bay, and how the time series can be used by researchers world-wide.
"When you start learning about how phytoplankton not only feed all the bigger organisms, but are also responsible for nearly half the oxygen we breathe, can be used as biosensors for environmental change, and, not to mention, can be quite visually stunning, you gain a new perspective that allows you to look at and appreciate the little specks shimmering in the water and the yellowish sludge on the shoreline," Alyssa said.
"Bringing groups like Metcalf Institute out on our surveys gives us the opportunity to talk more about the work that we're passionate about and provides another way to share our research with the public and the people that rely on Narragansett Bay," Alex echoed.
Thank you to Alyssa, Alex, and the Cap'n Bert crew for sharing their knowledge and creating a hands-on experience for journalists!
University of Rhode Island
