A Day in the Life Conducting Oceanography Research in Germany
This past summer, Karina Palmer, an Earth Sciences and German double major, received an International Research Opportunities Program (IROP) grant to conduct research on oceanic emissions of carbonyl sulfide. Read on to learn more about her research and life abroad, and why you, too, should consider pursuing international research opportunities as an undergraduate at UNH.
What was your IROP research topic and why did you choose Germany?
My research project focused on oceanic emissions of carbonyl sulfide (OCS), the most abundant sulfur-containing trace gas in the atmosphere. OCS is climate relevant because it contributes to cloud formation, and its sources and sinks (especially in the marine world) are still poorly understood. Currently, there is more OCS in the atmosphere than we can identify a source for, and available data is of such a coarse resolution that coastal areas could be underestimated contributors. My goals were to better understand how and to what volume OCS is produced, especially with regards to coastal regions.
I conducted this project in northern Germany, between the cities of Kiel and Oldenburg. I chose this location for several reasons – first, because my second major is German, and I was thrilled at the opportunity to immerse myself in the language, and second because of the unique research location. In Kiel, I was able to work at GEOMAR, one of the biggest ocean research institutions in Germany. I collected samples from the Baltic Sea aboard a research vessel specifically outfitted for ocean research and was able to use GEOMAR’s state-of-the-art laboratories to analyze water samples. In Oldenburg, I was lucky enough to work closely with Dr. Sinikka Lennartz, who is one of the leading experts on OCS and a very experienced chemical oceanographer, to work on a global model of OCS flux.
Where did you live?
In Kiel, I lived in a student apartment, where I had my own room, access to a kitchen in which I got to meet other international students, and a free animal park across the street. I was right next to the water on the Eckernförde Bay and was conveniently located within walking distance from a grocery store, as well as many restaurants where I could practice my German. For the second hand of my project, I lived at the guesthouse of the University of Oldenburg, in a fully furnished apartment within walking distance of the office where I worked. The guesthouse was a charming red brick cottage with huge windows, and a willow-lined river nearby where I would walk in the afternoons.
What did a typical day look like for you while abroad?
For the first leg of my trip, my day-to-day involved riding the ferry across the Kieler Förde to GEOMAR Helmholz Center for Ocean Research, where I would work for 6-8 hours per day filling dewars with liquid nitrogen, analyzing samples in a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (an instrument that identifies concentrations of known substances in a sample), or collecting water samples, all with a beautiful view of the sailboats on the fjord. After work, I would go for runs in the animal park next to my apartment and explore the food offerings nearby.
My main workstation, including the view of the Kiel fjord.
During Kieler Woche, a week-long summer sailing festival that took place during my last week in Kiel, I would leave work and head to the international market or the colorful Kiel Linie for dinner. In my free time I also explored the numerous outdoor concerts, hot air balloon shows, museum exhibits, regattas, lectures, and other events taking place in the city. In Oldenburg, I spent weekdays in a very similar way, working in a shared office during the day alongside experienced modelers who were always willing to help when I had questions. I explored local parks in the evening, and during the Oldenburg Kultur Sommer (another several week-long festival I was present for), I explored the shops in the old part of the city, stumbling across open-air concerts, a special exhibit in the castle-turned-art museum, Shakespeare productions in the gardens, and outdoor movie nights in the castle courtyard.
What did you learn through this research experience?
It is difficult to enumerate the things I have learned or how I have grown over the course of this research. Among many other things, I gained invaluable experience in practical lab work, coding, modelling, international communication, sample collection, experimental design, and workplace collaboration. This comes alongside improvements to my language skills, independence, and a more difficult-to-define sense of self-sufficiency that makes future opportunities and solo travel seem much less intimidating. This research has educated me first-hand in the nonlinear yet fulfilling challenges of scientific study and given me great insight into what several facets of the oceanography field look like on a day-to-day level. Another incredibly tangible contribution to my future goals has been the incredible networking this opportunity has afforded me, as I met and worked with so many experienced individuals beyond just my mentor, and have even had several discussions with some of them about job opportunities on international research cruises.
What advice do you have for other students interested in conducting research abroad?
The main advice I would give to other undergraduate researchers is to take any and every opportunity afforded to you, the more intimidating the better, because you can never go wrong by giving yourself a healthy challenge. Everyone I encountered throughout this process was so eager to see me succeed, and I never had a concern that they couldn’t help me with. In order words, the best advice I can give is to put yourself out there and just do it! Any questions or fears you have can be addressed by your team of mentors, coworkers, and fellow students, as long as you are willing to take the steps to ask them.
