NOAA Teacher at Sea: Frequently Asked Questions
Who may apply?
When can I apply?
How much does it cost?
When and how long are the cruises?
What types of cruises are offered?
How are cruises assigned?
What would a NOAA Teacher at Sea do while at sea?
What would be expected of me if I became a NOAA Teacher at Sea?
What is life at sea like?
How are applicants selected?
How are applicants notified of selections?
Who may apply?
In order to be eligible to apply to NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program, you must meet these minimum requirements:
- Be currently employed, full-time, as: a K-12 teacher or administrator; a community college, college, or university teacher; a museum or aquarium educator; or an adult education teacher. (We do not accept applications from part-time, substitute, or pre-service teachers, or teaching assistants.)
- Provide evidence of good health as determined by a completed medical history and have passed a TB test within 12 months of your sailing date. Applications received without a completed heath questionnaire will not be considered. IMPORTANT: Some cruises, especially fisheries cruises, require high-intensity work that demands physical adeptness and endurance. Work shifts on some ships may be 4 hours on/4 hours off, 6 hours on/6 hours off, or 12 hours on/ 12 hours off. You may also be required to work a night shift.
- Have flexibility and the ability to cope with the uncertain (see "Life at Sea")
- Have a unique ability to communicate complicated information to students, with a special interest in NOAA-related science.
- Have a principal/supervisor/department head who is supportive of your endeavor.
- Have superior English language ability (dual language ability is a plus).
- Be comfortable with travel and have no aversions to traveling by airplane or ship.
- Be computer literate and have an active e-mail account.
- You are not required to have a passport to apply, but your options for cruises may be limited if you are selected because NOAA ships sometimes travel into international waters, for which a passport is required.
(top)
When can I apply?
The Call for Applications to NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program is open each year from October 1 to December 31. Application materials may be accessed only during this time. Application packages postmarked after December 31 will not be considered.
(top)
How much does it cost?
All necessary travel costs are paid for by the NOAA Teacher at Sea Program. While airfare is paid for up front by the government, all other costs are reimbursed, including transportation costs, hotel costs, and per diem allowance.
At this time we are unable to supply funding for substitute teachers.
(top)
When and how long are the cruises?
Participants can expect to be at sea anywhere from one week to one month, with the average cruise lasting 12-14 days. Most of our participants try to sail on cruises offered during the summer vacation, but cruises take place throughout most of the year on a space-available basis.
(top)
What types of cruises are offered?
NOAA conducts three main types of cruises:
- Fisheries research ships perform biological and physical science studies in support of fisheries and marine mammal research.
- Oceanographic and atmospheric research ships perform physical science studies in support of physical oceanography, atmospheric studies, and climate research.
- Hydrographic survey ships scan the coastal sea floor with side-scan sonar and sophisticated bottom sounding systems to locate submerged obstructions and navigational hazards for the creation or update of the nation's nautical charts.
(top)
How are cruises assigned?
Four main factors are analyzed when making cruise assignments:
- NOAA ship schedules
- Dates participants list as being available
- Cruise type preference
- Geographical preference
Because of Homeland Security reasons, specific NOAA ship schedules are no longer made available to the public. Therefore, we ask applicants to list all the dates they will be available to sail on their application so that we can then attempt to match participants' requests to a ship's schedule. The public may view NOAA's fleet allocation plan by going to http://www.omao.noaa.gov/shipallocation.html
(top)
What would a NOAA Teacher at Sea do while at sea?
Participants can expect to participate in a myriad of activities while at sea ranging from helping to navigate the ship to recording species data to assisting in deploying research equipment. Please see our slideshow to get an inside view of what it’s like to be a Teacher at Sea.
(top)
What would be expected of me if I became a NOAA Teacher at Sea?
As a NOAA Teacher at Sea, you must be willing to fulfill several program requirements during and upon completion of your cruise:
- Submit 2 to 3 logs per week with digital photographs while at sea or upon return.
- Submit receipts and travel voucher for reimbursement.
- Submit a post-cruise survey.
- Submit one lesson plan that addresses the science and research that was being conducted on the mission.
- Submit one lesson plan, activity, or similar document (e.g. brochure, flyer) that addresses ocean careers.
- Create and administer a test before and after teaching your lesson plan that measures students’ knowledge of the lesson’s subject matter as appropriate to grade level.
- Submit one copy of the test and its overall results, both pre- and post-lesson.
- Submit an article for publication OR conduct a presentation about your mission at an educators' conference or for colleagues.
(top)
What is life at sea like?
One aspect that NOAA’s Teacher at Sea program finds crucial to emphasize is that life at sea can be very unpredictable and flexibility and the ability to cope with the uncertain is crucial to the character of those who go to sea. Applicants should keep in mind the necessity for flexibility regarding ship departures and arrivals, ship working shifts, and the level of work intensity on some ships. As the unforeseen sometimes occurs, ship departure and arrival dates are never guaranteed. In fact, sailing can never be guaranteed. In addition, work shifts on some ships may be 4 hours on/4 hours off, 6 hours on/6 hours off, or 12 hours on/12 hours off. You may also be required to work a night shift. Finally, some cruises, especially fisheries cruises, require high-intensity work that demands physical adeptness and endurance.
(top)
How are applicants selected?
Applications are reviewed by the NOAA Teacher at Sea Selection Committee, which consists of a panel of NOAA employees and previous Teachers at Sea.
(top)
How are applicants notified of selections?
After review, applicants are notified via the e-mail address listed on their application of the Committee’s selections.
(top)