TAKE 5: with Megan Cook, Recipient of 2024’s ON&T Early Career Ocean Professional Award

The 2024 ECOP award recipient, Megan Cook. (Image credit: MTS)
The Ocean News & Technology Early Career Ocean Professional Award (ECOP) is presented to an individual within 10 years of their last degree or designation who has shown leadership in the Marine Technology Society (MTS) and who works in a professional capacity in management, engineering, or research and development in a marine technology field.

The 2024 ECOP award recipient, Megan Cook, has demonstrated these qualities in spades. As the Director of Education and Outreach for Ocean Exploration Trust and E/V Nautilus, Megan leads initiatives that connect millions to ocean exploration through STEM education, media, and global campaigns. She has participated in over 130 research cruises and has been instrumental in co-designing expeditions with Indigenous communities. Megan’s dedication to inclusivity in ocean exploration and her research on deep-sea mining underscore her commitment to advancing marine science.

1. What inspired you to work in the ocean industry?

Lots of six-year-olds want to be marine biologists; I was one of them! But the ocean is quite a way from where I grew up, in Idaho. I was so fortunate to have inspiring teachers, a family that encouraged me, and plenty of library books to help bridge that distance. However, I had very little notion of just how many different professions—beyond marine biologists, of course—worked in the ocean space.

Today, having spent time working in ecotourism, nonprofits, ecological restoration, technology, and ocean exploration, I’ve gotten to experience many facets of the industry and remain as eager as ever to help inspire others to dedicating their time and effort to working for the ocean.

2. Having experienced over 130 research expeditions, what key lessons have you learned during your time at sea?

The ocean is the ultimate classroom! Time at sea pulls me out of my technology bubble and allows me to appreciate being part of a magnificent natural system.

Working at sea, and all this encompasses, has taught me so much about the magic of teamwork, where communication, problem-solving, kindness, focus, and clarity are so essential. Over 50 people are aboard E/V Nautilus on each expedition, and they each bring different expertise, curiosity, and experiences. Few other workplaces concentrate on people so eager to learn, share, and help solve the genuine challenges found in sending technology to the bottom of the ocean and sharing the results live with the world.

3. Talk to us about your involvement and leadership in co-designing research cruises…

Our team aims to co-design expeditions that elevate the priorities of local communities and appropriately reflect culture in their science, technology applications, and outreach. Across the Pacific, we work to ensure that island communities are centered in efforts to understand the ocean they steward and live within.

Every community contains multitudes, so this co-development process works by inviting many different stakeholders to contribute their ocean exploration priorities and science needs. We work together to form at-sea teams that include local students, educators, scientists, and cultural experts in key roles that utilize the unique capabilities of our vessel, partnerships, and team. As deep-sea specialists, we can often bring new technologies like mapping sonars, remotely operated and autonomous vehicles, and telecommunication capabilities that can gather data that will forever remain publicly available for these stakeholders to address their needs and form new questions.

Megan Cook on deck of the E/V Nautilus. (Image credit: Megan Cook)

Building expeditions grows from building intentional relationships, so this approach takes time. That investment is extremely rewarding, and it’s my vision that the future of ocean work will involve developing reciprocal and ethical relationships with all who steward oceans worldwide, especially those whose input and leadership have been historically marginalized.

4. How have you seen the ocean tech landscape change in recent years, and where do you see this heading?

There remains so much we have left to understand about the ocean. And yet, the oceans are changing dramatically year by year. Technology must play a role in helping to accelerate our learning. I’m excited by seeing technologies move from research lab prototypes into robust, integrable, low-cost, community-scale systems that get data more easily into the hands of youth and decision-makers. I’m also excited by new platforms through which to share and visualize data to help those beyond the research world experience more of the ocean in their daily life.

5. If you could give one piece of advice to another Early Career Ocean Professional, what would it be?

Let the wonder never cease! Surround yourself with people who will champion you in working hard for your goals and share in being fascinated by your passions. Remember, there are lessons to be learned from every opportunity.

While most of the seafloor is yet to be fully mapped and studied, the ocean impacts us all. I’m thrilled to lead programs that invite millions of people every year to further our collective understanding of the planet’s ocean. I’d like to invite all ON&T readers to tune into NautilusLive.org to join me and the team aboard E/V Nautilus to explore new reaches of our blue planet.

For more Take 5 interviews, visit: oceannews.com/frontline

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