July 19, 2017
The power of communication for the work we do
It’s hardly news that working in the field gives you the best possible opportunities to learn. It’s when you leave the office, you become exposed to everything that falls outside of the daily routine, i.e. working in front of the computer and when you have to deal with the unexpected.
For the first time since I joined Oceana (over three years ago)I have been given the opportunity to participate in one of our marine expeditions. Not an obligation, but a choice I made myself to truly understand what we do while at sea. Yes, we receive daily on board diaries; yes, we also get photos and videos at the office, so is it really necessary to be on the boat?
The answer again is ‘yes’, because what better place to learn how and why we do research projects if not onboard the vessel? If you asked me two weeks ago about the added value of ROV work, or seabed sampling, that form a daily mantra throughout the whole expedition, I could have vaguely guided you through the processes of both to make you understand why they’re so crucial to us.
Today is my last day at sea and in Norway, where for the last 10 days we were exploring the hidden gems of its waters. Today I feel I’ve started to understand the work our marine scientists’ do, the interactions among animals inhabiting the same ecosystem as us and the importance of our oceanographic research. That additional knowledge at hand helps us take a step forward in achieving our end goal, which is saving the oceans.
Communication plays a crucial role in our daily work and expeditions enable us to expose the most interesting part of it during the most exciting time of the year. The power of communication lets us be known as one of the few yet leading marine organizations arranging annual marine expeditions. Otherwise, no one would have noticed our efforts at sea, exposed the daily hard work of the expedition team or disseminated our underwater visual materials in mainstream media.
Only through a clear understanding of the work that happens on board the vessel can we communicate in the correct way, with the hopes that our messages will reach the right audience.
Communication is the power in the work that we do!