Robert Markuske
Marine Affairs Teacher
My career trajectory has been anything but linear, starting in the rugged mountains of Kings Canyon as a park ranger and eventually finding my way to the classroom. Initially, I began teaching history at Harbor, followed by a transformative one-year experience teaching New Orleans (NOLA) history. After that, I returned to Harbor to transition into teaching Marine Affairs.
The subject matter I teach today is not the same as what I first started with, and what I may teach tomorrow will be shaped by the events unfolding in the world today. Some of the most valuable teaching moments occur when I am learning alongside my students, creating an environment where we all grow together.
As a young person, I aspired to become a lawyer. While I ultimately did not follow that path, I have spend considerable time in legislative spaces, collaborating with students to advocate for a more just, cleaner,…
Teacher At Sea
As many of you know, I will be traveling along the Atlantic coast, Gulf coast, and beyond for the next 17 days, conducting research on sharks and red snapper with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). I am one of six teachers on board this season, marking the ship's 35th anniversary of the Teachers at Sea program.
This opportunity coincides with our program becoming an Ocean Guardian School through NOAA, and as part of the Adopt-a-Drifter Buoy program.
NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program offers educators a unique opportunity to join NOAA scientists aboard an ocean research vessel as a member of the science team. Since 1990, more than 850 teachers have sailed on NOAA surveys monitoring our nation’s fisheries, measuring physical and chemical ocean trends, and charting unknown regions of the seafloor.
I will return to our classrooms with first-hand accounts of what it’s like to live and work at Sea, illustrated by photos, blogs, and lesson plans. My connections to NOAA’s science and stewardship will enable me to effectively communicate the importance of NOAA’s mission to our communities and beyond.
Lastly, this will enhance some projects we are already working on, bringing some more science and data to our skills/ content that are part of the CTE certification in Marine Affairs.
I will be posting 2-4 blogs over the 17 days starting August 13th. Follow along!
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