Miriam Kastner
Miriam Kastner received a Ph.D. at Harvard University and is now a professor of Geology at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She has participated in about 20 ocean expeditions, and was chief scientist on four of them. She has published over 135 papers in referred journals.
Check out what Dr. Kastner had to say.
Q: What did you learn or find on the mission?
A: We learned about the distribution of methane fluxes in the vicinity of the gas hydrate mound at bush hill and the relations to the benthic communities in the regions; for example of bacterial matts, versus mussel beds, and/or tube-warms. Also, on how quickly does the methane hydrate respond to temperature fluctuations — this is important for future considerations of potential effect of methane hydrate decomposition on the biology at the seafloor and global warming. We deployed new methane flux instruments we will be retrieving this August. They will provide us with continuous records of chemical fluxes and fluctuations over the past year.
Q: What will you seek to find on future expeditions?
A: This August we will be retrieving our instruments and analyze them as described above, and will concentrate on how much of the plumes methane reaches the atmosphere at present. We will be deploying Peepers that provide in situ pore fluid concentrations.
Q: What do you find most rewarding and also most difficult in your line of work?
A: Most rewarding: the excitement of discoveries and the possibility to provide answers to important scientific questions. Most difficult: although enjoyable, it requires extensive preparations before going out to sea, up to >70 hours/week close to the expedition, and post expedition analyses that need to be completed promptly, which require as much and even more time for a few weeks. The "begging" for funding is also an unpleasant part of my work. In the past, if someone wrote a very good proposal funding was assured. This days funding is like a roulette system.
Q: What advice would you give to someone embarking on a career in science?
A: Do it if you love it, then you will be successful. Also, come into it with a strong basic sciences background.
