By Krystle J Bailey
A team of dedicated, curious, and highly intelligent local high school students has begun a two-year coastal marine research endeavor using EHT PAL’s Genneio Titan Underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). The Genneio Titan carries a 4K ultra high-definition camera and is capable of capturing images and data from 500 feet below the surface.
Under the mentorship of Michelle Riordan and in conjunction with the Rutgers University (RU)/Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve (JC NERR) and Freedom Boat Club, the study aims to observe the coastal marine system and the effects of dredging firsthand.
“I didn’t realize what the dredging was doing to the environment,” shared Egg Harbor Township High School freshman Dylan Brown, who is primarily responsible for piloting the underwater vehicle.
The team, comprised of seven local high school students, conducts their research three miles off the coast of Brigantine, 40-50 feet below the water’s surface. While Dylan carefully drives the ROV to avoid losing it to the currents, other team members, including Celine Thy Tran and Aaron Simpson, help tether the line, take underwater photos, and record data. The data collected will assist local research to determine how dredging and sand replenishment along the coast affects the local ecosystem.
With the help of Captain Rick from Freedom Boat Club, the team has been out on four missions from August through October. While many missions were scrubbed due to oceanic swells and the water conditions weren’t conducive to clear imaging, the students on the Calypso Team are eager to get back out on the water in the spring to continue their research.
In the meantime, they’ve been hard at work creating bathymetric models to measure the ocean’s depth, and several of the students presented their research at the 2023 NERRS/NERRA Annual Meeting Poster Session at Seaview Golf Club. They will be spending time with professors at Rutgers University to compare findings and learn more about coastal marine research.
Upon completion of the study, the students will work alongside the Rutgers University/Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve Team to officially publish their work. Then, in March, the students will present their findings at the 2023 Egg Harbor Township PAL STEM Expo.
The Calpyso Team is looking for youth members interested in participating in this ongoing underwater research project as student leaders, underwater ROV pilots, co-pilots, data recorders, and social media agents. Training includes boating safety, ROV operation, camera operation, data collection, and analysis.
Keep up with the research team’s findings on Instagram at @pal_calpyso_research_nj. Learn more about this and other youth programming at ehtpal.org.
