PhD students Alex Niebergall and Weiyi Tang participated in a NASA-funded research cruise in the Northern Pacific Ocean as part of the Export Processes in the Ocean from Remote Sensing (EXPORTS) project. EXPORTS is a multi-institutional research initiative that seeks to develop a predictive understanding of the export and fate of global ocean net primary production and its implications for present and future climates. The students’ research project specifically looked at the role marine microbes play in drawing carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

Duke Environment corresponded with PhD students Alexandria Niebergall and Weiyi Tang to discuss their experience on the EXPORTS research cruise, what sparked their interest in the field and how it will contribute to their own research moving forward.