In this first-person narrative, Hiroka Winter, undergradugate researcher, tells Nevada Today about her experience aboard a vessel – along with fellow ҹɫÊÓƵ crew members, National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Department of the Interior and other partners – to support the restoration of Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Communities injured by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
If I was told during my very first semester in college that I would be spending seven days at sea on a research vessel a year from then, I wouldn’t have believed a single word of it. Such an opportunity seemed impossible; I never believed myself to be capable of engaging in any kind of research. Nevertheless, it happened, and now I can tell the tale of my days at sea touching deep-sea mud.
Let us start many years ago. I was born in north of Reno, nestled within a dry sagebrush desert here in Nevada. Despite this, some of my most cherished memories were made from watching hours of ocean documentaries. An early memory I’ll never forget was my first visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium with my family. There, a glimpse of the swaying kelp forest and the shimmering Pacific Mackerel filled me with so much wonder and curiosity. During an uncertain time in 2020, I watched a stunning animated film called "Children of the Sea," which ignited memories of my childhood interacting with nature and revived my enthusiasm for the ocean. Once in high school, I was inspired to enroll in an environmental science class and create art focused on marine life in my art class.
Now, as a second-year undergraduate student, I am pursuing a degree in biology with a dream of becoming a marine biologist and ocean conservationist.
When I first entered the ҹɫÊÓƵ, I was excited to join the College of Science and embark on my studies in biology. Though as I settled in, I realized that entering college meant becoming an independent individual. While the weight of adjusting to dorm life and tackling challenging courses was significant, knowing that I was now the person to make all my own decisions was just as heavy. I was responsible for managing my own schedules, attending my classes and submitting assignments. The feeling of taking on more responsibility than ever was both exhilarating and daunting.
"A dream will remain unattainable unless one possesses the confidence to take the necessary steps to realize it. A dream requires these valuable experiences to become reality."
On one stressful November evening, I discovered the Pack Research Experience Program (PREP) in an email from Undergraduate Research. In the list of research projects, I noticed Dr. Elisa Baldrighi’s project involving the observation of microorganisms called meiofauna. The idea of studying microscopic organisms from deep-sea sediments was incredibly captivating to me, so I was eager to join Dr. Baldrighi’s lab and start my first research experience. However, the pressures of my first semester in college had me questioning my ability to continue my academic career. And yet, I thought, this could be the last time I would ever see a research project like Dr. Baldrighi’s.
The thought ultimately pushed me to reach out to Dr. Baldrighi and meet her in the very lab I would soon be spending hours in. During our conversation, I expressed my concerns about joining her project: Were there prerequisites? GPA requirements? Previous lab experience required? With a gentle smile, Dr. Baldrighi said, ‘All I expect from my students is a curious and open mind.’ Later that day, I filled out my application for PREP with Dr. Baldrighi’s project as my first choice.
My first year as an undergraduate gave me an abundance of lab experience in the marine biology field, which I could not get anywhere else at this stage in my career. Thanks to Dr. Baldrighi’s guidance, my skills as a researcher grew quickly and I enjoyed getting to count and identify meiofauna under the microscope. Lab work always intimidated me, but here, the intimidation and fear began to melt away and be replaced with confidence.
After my first semester in PREP, I was eager to continue my work in Dr. Baldrighi’s lab for another semester. However, this semester was different, because Dr. Baldrighi offered to take me and another marine biology student with her on a research cruise to collect sediment samples from the Gulf of Mexico – now known as the Gulf of America.
What I used to believe was an opportunity that would maybe come after graduation became possible within the first month of the semester in my second year. During the days leading up to the trip, I could not stop imagining the times I would be spending aboard the vessel out in the middle of the ocean. I truly was close to learning what conducting research as a marine biologist could be like, and that sparked immense joy in me.
It was a 10-day research trip with exciting – albeit demanding and intense – work on the deck and in the lab from early mornings to early evenings. Some days I felt seasick, muddy and sweaty. But the special moments – spotting marine life in the waves, watching every sunrise and sunset, bonding with the scientists, sailors, artists and engineers on board over hearty meals – made it all worth it. I enjoyed every moment on deck and in the lab, touching the cold, deep-sea mud. I enjoyed every unpredictable day, whether it was seeing the lithe needlefish in the blue waves, watching a lightning storm unfold under the Milky Way above the ocean, or spotting a mystery creature leap out of the waves. While it was only seven days at sea, it felt much longer with the immeasurable memories I made. I was sad to see it end.
Now back in Reno, I returned from the sea with a new determination to keep my dream alive and pursue my passions by never doubting myself again. By not doubting myself, I gained access to opportunities I never knew were possible. I have found a home in the Undergraduate Research program, and I hope I can inspire others to consider trying something new, whether joining a club, submitting art or writing a biography. A dream will remain unattainable unless one possesses the confidence to take the necessary steps to realize it. A dream requires these valuable experiences to become a reality. I am grateful to have discovered Dr. Baldrighi’s meiofauna lab and for joining her on the research cruise, which I learned may be the last due to financial uncertainty. How much closer could I have gotten to realizing myself as a marine biologist had I not decided to try my hand at undergraduate research this early in my academic career? Even if there is no ocean in Nevada, I’ve gotten my first taste of marine biology already.
Experience more of Hiroka's research trip on our Instagram!
