You may have noticed over the last 16 journal entries John Krapek’s name keeps popping up under the descriptions on photographs. I often mention his job, Field Technician, next to his name. Well, what is a Field Technician? and who is this guy that seems to be all over the place.
John in the late afternoon with snow depth measuring probe at CiPEHR.
As Elizabeth Webb (who hired him) says, “The PI (principal investigator) and researcher come up with the question and the design, the Field Technician makes it happen”. John in his words, “I assist with various project elements.”
In addition to the routine tasks of cutting wood, hauling water and occasionally cooking for the team a few of the other tasks I seen him do in his quiet patient way are:
-Collecting data at the off-plot and on-plot winter flux experiments. -Replacing parts and batteries in data loggers and other project elements. -Shoveling. -Entering data from field into database. -Calibrating field equipment and performing quality checks. -Constructing new equipment, i.e. temperature probes. -Assisting Elizabeth with constant troubleshooting. -Answering my innumerable questions.
John calibrates a LI-COR at the field cabin.
John repairs the timer for the off-plot data collection.
John and Elizabeth troubleshooting the radiometric carbon collection apparatus they built.
John, Kirsten K. Coe and Ted Schuur headed to a different on-plot site.
Data collection at on-plot site.
John and Elizabeth moving to a different on-plot site for data collection.
Data collection at off-plot site (snow pits).
Where is he from? After growing up in Connecticut, John graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. John then went to work as a Botanist/General Biologist for an Environmental Conservation firm in California. John worked with wetlands, endangered species and regulatory compliance. How did he end up here? John was looking for research experience, “I wanted a better ratio of fieldwork to office work”. He was interested in coming to Alaska and working in a remote location. He would like to go back to graduate school and wanted some diversity in his ecological experience.
John and Elizabeth replacing a solar panel converter at one of the on-plot sites.
What does he enjoy the most about this job? John says, “He enjoys learning new scientific methods and contributing to an important long-term experiment. “ He also likes working outside in a beautiful environment and the diversity of tasks he’s asked to do.
John pulling the big sled full of snow to dump it off plot during shovel week.
Lunch behind a makeshift windbreak. Left to right, John, Catherine Johnston, Elizabeth Webb, Verity Salmon, Ted Schuur, Kristen K. Coe. It was a cold day during shovel week.
John and Catherine Johnston shovel out the chambers in preparation for summer set-up.
John handing me a cup of tea at the end of the day.
It's not all work…with the puppies at the field cabin.
John on his second time on cross country skis at Birch Hill Nordic Area, Fairbanks, AK. http://youtu.be/tX47N4Plg3o