Super stoked to have completed our final sample of 2019! It was not an easy road to get here, but we are certainly on our way towards using the trawl to do some important citizen science. So what exactly did I get done this fall? Awesome question. For starters, I ended up modifying some of the original design of the trawl so that it could glide better by altering the angle of the PVC tubes from 10 to 15 degrees. I then re-rigged the setup that actually holds the trawl above the water using a pulley to make it easier to let the trawl off and also retrieve it after data collection. I also learned that boat hooks might be easier to use than nets to raise the trawl. I determined that using a GPS tracking app such as the one designed by Under Armor for running might help me track the exact location of my trawls so I can return in the spring and measure in similar places. We completed our final trawl of the season on Sunday (it was 45 degrees and 10 knots of Northern wind, so chilly) and I am currently prepping the samples to analyze them in the lab at school! I have also written two YouTube videos, and expect to write three or four more for this series this winter. I will be filming all 4-6 videos this winter.
Favorite part of this fall was getting to be interviewed by the Capitol Gazette and Surfrider for my work on this project! I am excited to continue to raise awareness for the threat of micropollution in the Bay and beyond, especially as I see more articles every day regarding its impact on marine, and human, life. I've learned that going with the flow and modifying the original plans where needed makes the general process easier and more manageable. Whenever there is an issue on the water with the trawl or the samples, I just take a step back and try to think about how I can work through the problem and change my plans to include the hiccup, rather than fight against the issue and let it ruin a whole day of data collection. One of the greatest challenges I have faced so far was the loss of an entire day of samples when my dad tossed them back into the water after we had trawled for four hours to collect them. It was more than frustrating, but I worked through it and tried to find other ways to perhaps collect samples from the seams of the net that I might have missed or analyze smaller particles than I was originally expecting. Did it throw me briefly to lose that many samples? Yes. Will the project ultimately suffer that significantly from it? Most likely not. I feel as if this whole project has been a lesson in taking hits when they come and taking them with the flexibility to make something good from the problems. This winter I will write and shoot four to six Youtube videos that should be under five minutes and primarily consist of me discussing the materials needed, research that went into this project, how to classify micropollutants, and other useful tips for anyone who might want to build their own trawl. I will also complete the analysis of my dtaa samples and take pictures of the kinds of pollution I find in the Chesapeake. Going forward I will need Premier and a lesson in how to use that software so I can finish my videos.
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AuthorJust doing her best to find out more about micro-plastics! Hope you enjoy these fun pictures of me! Archives
May 2020
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