If you are a teacher interested in adopting one of our SOCCOM floats, visit our adopt-a-float resource page to learn more about the program and how to apply. The Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observations and Modeling (SOCCOM) project is partnering with teachers and classrooms across the country to inspire and educate students about the Southern Ocean and climate change through its “Adopt-A-Float” initiative. It creates a powerful opportunity for elementary- and secondary-aged students to engage directly with world-class scientists and learn about their research by naming and tracking SOCCOM floats. The process is simple. George Matsumoto of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute identifies science teachers interested in oceanography and climate and pairs them with SOCCOM scientists scheduled to deploy floats in the Southern Ocean. He then works with partners at Climate Central to provide the teachers with background materials (reports, videos, graphics, animations) on the Southern Ocean and on the specific work being done by SOCCOM researchers. The students have the opportunity to give a soon-to-be-deployed float a name, and follow its progress to sea through blogs written by their paired SOCCOM scientists. Students can: Find their float on our adopted floats table Explore data collected via a special adopt-a-float version of SOCCOMViz Learn about everything from float technology to what you get to eat at sea in our SOCCOM FAQ This program has enjoyed tremendous success. From just one classroom in just one school in 2015, the pilot now encompasses 50 schools in 30 U.S. states as well as Chile, Canada, Australia, and Poland. Adopted float names have honored explorers (RE Byrd, RF Scott, EH Shackleton), scientists (Darwin, Mann) and even favorite cartoon characters (Huey, Louie and Dewey). There’s even been a Tator Tot. Teachers, students and SOCCOM scientists have expressed strong support for the program, citing a unique opportunity to interact around a shared passion for better understanding the Southern Ocean’s outsized role in our climate system.
