The FSL program is designed to fuel high-school students' enthusiasm for STEAM subjects and cultivate their scientific know-how through interactions with a diverse array of experts. In my session, I introduced students to the world of oceanography, sharing my journey and shedding light on the types of questions oceanographers seek to answer.

Specifically, I focused on how I got to and chose to pursue oceanography, what types of questions oceanographer try to answer, and how oceanographers study ocean pathways using free-floating objects. For most of the session the students worked in small groups on an activity inspired by my coworker Sam's (who helped facilitate the activity with me) intermediate-water targeting Swish floats. We filled a tall transparent tube with oil and water and tasked the students to design a float that would sit half in water, half in oil by achieving neutral buoyancy. The students had to consider the float volume, oil and water density, and how much weight to add to their float. 

The students exhibited remarkable engagement, with 11 out of 21 groups hitting the target depth. The mixed success prompted insightful conversations about the challenges faced when making in subsurface ocean observations, including biofouling, and  temperature and pressure variability affecting float behavior. It was really rewarding to witness their enthusiasm and critical thinking skills blossom throughout the activity and discussion.