Seafloor Organisms and Changing Ocean Conditions in Antarctic

Nell Herrmann is a Learning Enrichment and Gifted Support Specialist at State College Area High School in State College, Pennsylvania. She is the coach of several academic quiz teams at State High including both the National Ocean Sciences Bowl and the Department of Energy National Science Bowl teams. Prior to her current job, she was a middle school science teacher in Blue Hill, Maine and in State College, Pennsylvania. Ms. Herrmann holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Ecology and Conservation Biology, along with a second Master's degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Science. She has been involved in conservation research at many organizations including the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Gothic, Colorado; the Hato Pinero Research Facility in Venezuela; Asociacion ANAI in Costa Rica; and the Kangerlussuaq International Science Station in Greenland. Ms. Herrmann has also worked as a boat naturalist for the Marine Environmental Research Institute (MERI) in Blue Hill, Maine. In her role there, she led trips on lobster boats for children and adults, educating the general public about ecological and conservation issues affecting both the Blue Hill Bay and the Gulf of Maine. Ms. Herrmann loves sharing her appreciation of nature with others and is thrilled about her opportunity to be a PolarTREC teacher.

Charles Amsler is a professor of Marine Ecophysiology and Chemical Ecology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The research that he conducts with his students is centered on several areas, but most involve chemical interactions between organisms or ways in which organisms perceive, respond to, or otherwise interact with their chemical environment. Dr. Amsler is very involved with educational outreach by regularly making presentations on Antarctica to K-12 classrooms and other groups (local science museums, etc.).