Update
This expedition took place without Jon in 2020. Jon has another opportunity in 2021. Stay tuned!
What Are They Doing?
A view of a storm in the Bering Sea on August 2nd, 2019, as seen from Nome, Alaska. Photo by Piper Bartlett-Browne.
Coastal flooding events are becoming more common, as reductions in seasonal sea ice create large fetches for autumn storms. The proposed work concerns the oceanographic factors associated with coastal erosion and flooding, which are distinct from the geologic controls. Key among these oceanographic factors is the previously demonstrated increasing trend in surface wave activity throughout the western Arctic.
The results will determine: 1) The significance of coastal protection via scattering and dissipation of waves by sea ice 2) The thermodynamic and mechanical effects of increasing wave energy 3) The changes in coastal flooding and circulation associated with increasing wave momentum.
Where Are They?
The R/V Sikuliaq docked in Nome, Alaska. Photo by Joanna Chierici.
R/V Sikuliaq will depart and return to Nome, AK. The Sikuliaq is a purpose built 261 foot research vessel. Sikuliaq, pronounced [see-KOO-lee-auk], is an Inupiaq name meaning "young sea ice" or "young sea ice that is safe to walk on".
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Jon Pazol has been teaching Biology, AP Biology, and other science courses at West Leyden High School in Northlake, IL for the past 30+ years. He is a true “science geek,” having engaged in research experiences on a polar icebreaker in the Arctic Ocean and in endocrinology, organic chemistry, field ecology, nanotechnology, and immunology. Since 2012 and his participation in the Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Program, he has been focused on incorporating global education into the science curriculum throughout the state and country with work on the Illinois Global Scholar Certificate. He has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Northwestern University and master’s degrees in environmental studies from Bard College and educational administration from Northeastern Illinois University. He and his wife, Naomi, live in Northbrook and have two college-age children and a variety of pets.
Jim Thomson was raised on the coast of Maine and worked in the sailing industry there prior to beginning a career in physical oceanography. After completing a PhD in MIT's joint program with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, he joined the University of Washington's Applied Physics Lab in 2006. Dr. Thomson also has a joint appointment in the faculty of Civil & Environmental Engineering. Dr. Thomson studies waves and turbulence at the surface of the ocean, including interactions with sea ice. His work emphasizes field measurements and physical processes and includes the development of instrumentation and autonomous platforms.