This summer, CCHS Marine Biology and Oceanography teacher Stacey Sebert, traveled to Toolik Alaska after being selected to participate in a program dedicated to studying the effects of climate change on the Alaskan Tundra. Also a science teacher at Sand Creek Middle School, Sebert excitedly applied to this program in early 2020, recognizing this as a unique opportunity to share field experience with both her high school and middle school classes. Once the center re-opened in 2023 the nationwide program, Research Experience for Teachers (RET), accepted Sebert’s application to participate as a part of a long term ecological research (LTER) team specifically tailored to K-12 teachers. This team of teachers were able to accompany research scientists on various expeditions to gather information spanning from temperature fluctuations to pollen particles carried by local insect populations- seemingly unconnected, these datasets all contribute to the scientist’s understanding of the effects climate change is having on the Alaskan ecosystem structure and functionality. 

This experience also lends to collaborative lesson planning, where participating teachers work together to create a lesson that is shared online for widespread use. By bringing real world data and experiences into the classroom, Sebert hopes to encourage students to consider what life as a field researcher is really like. 

"Participating in initiatives like this gives educators a valuable advantage. By sharing my own life experiences, I can help students feel more connected to the scientific discoveries and processes they learn about in class," Sebert explains.

Set against the breathtaking Alaskan Brooks Mountain Range, the early mornings and six-day workweeks were made more enjoyable with Netflix parties, karaoke, and ‘Toolik-style’ Olympic games to boost team morale. “Beyond the amazing research opportunities, we also saw plenty of wildlife,” Sebert shared. “Each morning, I’d sip my coffee while taking in unforgettable views of the mountains—who says science can’t be fun too?”

Visit the Toolik Field Station website for more information. 

Visit the Data Nugget website for the full lesson plan that was created based on this experience.

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Q&A: What it was really like surveying the Alaskan Tundra.

Q: While in Alaska, were you able to see the Northern Lights?

A: No, while I was in Toolik we actually had 24 hours of daylight for most of my stay. I spent almost 3 weeks in July at Toolik. A few weeks after I had left, in mid-August, the remaining scientists were able to see the lights.

Q: Was there snow on the mountains even though you visited in the summer?

A: Yes! The tops of the mountains were covered in snow, which isn’t always typical. We even had two inches of snowfall in July, just barely a full week after the daily temperature was staying around 85 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Q: What kind of food do you eat on a research base?

A: You might be expecting me to say something along the lines of “freeze-dried astronaut food”; but the reality was that we had fantastic cooks who prepared delicious breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for us every day besides Sundays, when we heated up leftovers. 

Q: Why were the native tree species not a central part of this study?

A: We were actually not able to interact with the native Alaskan tree species where I was stationed. Toolik is located well above the Arctic Circle- as well as the tree line, meaning no trees grow in that area as there is not enough soil (that isn’t frozen) present for trees to take root.

Q: What is the weather like during an Alaskan summer?

A: Besides the snow, Toolik also receives a lot of rain, even a few thunderstorms. That might sound a bit dreary, but the rainbows stretching across the mountain ranges afterwards were beautiful! If it wasn’t too foggy, I always enjoyed sitting out in the crisp morning air with my coffee- so overall, not too bad. Except for the mosquitos! They like to come out in full force for a few weeks of the summer. They are often called “ladies of the tundra” and can be so thick, the sky looks black. We have to wear bug coats so we don’t get eaten alive.

Q: How much time did you actually spend in the field?

A: We worked 6 days a week gathering data, with Sundays as rest days. My most exciting days in the field consisted of a helicopter ride to a burn site, where no one else is around for 20 miles in any direction. We collected data on what plants grew in the former burn site.

Q: What did you do for fun outside of data collection?

A: We often attended events at night to keep up morale. We also played plenty of board games when the weather was unfavorable, and of course we would go on hikes in the neighboring Brooks Mountain Range- usually on our free days. 

Q: Did you come across any animal life while collecting data?

A: We did see a good amount of wildlife at camp. Most notably were a momma moose and her calf, a caribou, and some black bears. We also saw a few families of foxes while we were there. I made sure to always have a camera ready for moments like these!