Journal Entry
Returning Home

I am home now and have had time to reflect and process my Arctic expedition. It has been an amazing adventure in the Arctic. I feel so fortunate to have been a part of such a fantastic science field experience and worked with amazing researchers from all over the country and the world. To reflect on some of what I learned is an art project that I executed with some of the researchers at Toolik Field Station.

Toolik Station Science Art Art in front of Arctic SignThe Toolik Station science Art sign in front of the Arctic circle sign. Photo by DJ Kast

My Young Scientists Program (YSP) classrooms created flags that represented their level of polar science knowledge and these flags were documented every day throughout my Arctic research expedition. I wanted the researchers at Toolik to also do this! I requested that the researchers draw what represented their science so that when I go to schools and talk about my expedition I can show my students what types of research goes on up here.

Dr. Byron Crump drawingDr. Byron Crump drawing the microbial food web. Photo by DJ Kast Jesse and tussock nestJesse Krause drawing a tussock nest. Photo by DJ Kast Molly and Toolik logoMolly Timm drawing the Toolik Logo of a loon on the poster. Photo by DJ Kast Simone and the birdDr. Simone Meddle drawing a lovely bird on the poster. Photo by DJ Kast Gina and diatomsGina Lupo drawing diatoms on the poster. Photo by DJ Kast Bernard CopepodsDr. Kim Bernard drawing her favorite copepods on the sign. Photo by DJ Kast Greg Hill drawing fishGreg Hill drawing an Arctic Grayling on the poster. Photo by DJ Kast Michelle and daphniaMichelle Parker drawing a gorgeous daphnia for her zooplankton science. Photo by DJ Kast Kaity and mosquitoesKaity Howell draws mosquitoes all over the sign. Photo by DJ Kast Johanne drawing on the signJohanne Albrigtsen drawing lousewarts for the sign. Photo by DJ Kast Toolik Sign with artThe Science art in front of the Toolik Sign. Photo by DJ Kast finished art signThe finished product in the Arctic Tundra. Photo by DJ Kast

Comments

DJ Kast

Their art was amazing!!! I was really impressed.

Janet Warburton

Welcome home DJ!Looks like you had an amazing experience. I love your idea to have the researchers also create a flag to go to your students! Looks like they really enjoyed it and also they are great artists too.

Thanks for posting and letting us know you are home.
Janet