Scientific Publications

Polar Biology – Mascioni et al 2019 – Phytoplankton composition and bloom formation in unexplored nearshore waters of the western Antarctic Peninsula.

Journal of Tourism Futures – Taylor et al 2019 – Arctic expedition cruise tourism and citizen science: a vision for the future of polar tourism. 

Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics – Cusick 2019 – Citizen Scientists in Antarctica: FjordPhyto Approach to Understand Climate Change Affected Environments. 

Oceanography – Cusick et al 2020 – Polar Tourism as an Effective Research Tool: Citizen Science in the Western Antarctic Peninsula.

ECO Magazine – Cusick et al 2020 – A Helping Hand in Phytoplankton Research.

Journal of Marine Systems – Mascioni et al 2021 – Microplanktonic diatom assemblages dominated the primary production but not the biomass in an Antarctic fjord.

Frontiers in Marine Science, accepted – Mascioni et al 2023 – Phytoplankton dynamics in nearshore regions of the western Antarctic Peninsula in relation to a variable frontal zone in the Gerlache Strait. 

Citizen Science Theory & Practice, submitted. Cusick et al 2023 – FjordPhyto: A Citizen Science Project That Enriches Travelers’ Experience in Antarctica.

Annual Reports for Each Season

2017-2018

2018-2019

2019-2020

2021-2022

2022-2023

News & Media Highlights

San Diego Tribune (2017) – Robbins, Gary. Scripps Oceanography to teach ‘citizen scientists’ in the wilds of Antarctica.

Discover Magazine (9 Dec, 2017) – Newman, Sarah. Stay Warm with Winter Projects from Home. 

Discover Magazine (4 Jan, 2018) – Cavalier, Darlene. Seven Citizen Science Projects to do in the Snow.

Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic (2018, Jan 8) – Plankton BioBlitz Antarctica.

Fodor’s Travel (15 Dec, 2019) – Alpert, Kristy. Antarctica 101: 15 Things You Need to Know Before You Go ‘On the Ice’. 

Discover Magazine (2019, June 8) – Cusick & Meraldi. Looking beneath the ocean’s surface with Antarctic Citizen Scientists. 

Zeiss Microscope. (2019) – Carrying out research at sea. 

Planet Forward (1 Mar, 2019) – Pothamsetty, Navya. First Class Citizen Science.

Science News (30 Mar, 2020) – Temming, Maria. These Women Endured a Winter in the High Arctic for Citizen Science.

The Washington Post (4 Dec, 2020) – Goodman, Tanya Ward. Citizen Science Allows Amateurs to Contribute to Groundbreaking Investigations, even without Traveling.

Beleg Natur Magazine (Dec, 2020) – Goth, Katrin. Der Meeresblute auf der Spur. Print only.

International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators. (6 Feb, 2020) – Cusick, A.  Tiny but Mighty – why we owe our existence to phytoplankton. 

Canadian Geographic (28 Feb, 2020) – Kirnishni, Tanya. Hearts in the Ice: Citizen Science.

ECO Magazine (2020) – Polar Heroes Recognition – Maria Vernet and Allison Cusick.

Fodor’s Travel (2021) – Christine, Theresa. Is Sustainable Tourism to Antarctica Actually Possible?

Condé Nast Traveler (22 July, 2021) – Johanson, Mark.  Trailblazer: The Scientist’s Apprentices. On These Expedition Cruises, Guests Play a Critical Role. Print and online article.

CNN Travel (28 April, 2022) – Johanson, Mark. Next Big Trip, Antarctica Cruise: The last frontier for a big at-last luxury adventure. 

BBC (1 April, 2022) – Ritson, Julie. Antarctica Tourism_Ritson. 

Mental Floss (26 Sept, 2022) – Pothamsetty, Navya. Antarctica’s Tourists are Turning into Citizen Scientists to Clean up the Continent.  

Nice News (3 Oct, 2022) – Curran, Amanda. Antarctica Promotes Tourists to Scientific Ambassadors for “Immersive Experience” 

SCAR 2022 Fellowship Report (6 Feb, 2023) – Mascioni, Martina – Diversity of bloom-forming phytoplankton species in Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) nearshore waters. 

Interviews

Antarctica 21 (8 March, 2018). An Interview with Allison Cusick, Polar Scientist and Citizen Science Leader

Exploring By The Seat of Your Pants with Joe Grabowski. (Feb, 2020). Hearts in the Ice & Allison Cusick.

Viking Cruises (5 April, 2021). Exploring Citizen Science with Dr. Damon Stanwell-Smith, Laura Smith, and Allison Cusick

SciStarter (13 April, 2021). Citizen Science in Antarctica with Dr. Verena Meraldi (Hurtigruten) and Allison Cusick (FjordPhyto)

SciStarter (14 April, 2021). Citizen Science Around the World – Antarctica feature minute 16:53

Condé Nast Traveler (16 Nov, 2021). Fourth annual travel summit, Points of View. Evolution of Experience panel.

Viking TV (13 April, 2022). Special Episode: Scientific research on board Viking Octantis.

SciStarter (1 April, 2023). SciStarters Caroline Nickerson speaks with Allison Cusick and Martina Mascioni about Citizen Science in Antarctica

Televisión Pública (25 April, 2023). Martina Mascioni  y Abro Hilo: Vos también podés ser parte: Ciencia Ciudadana

Conferences (oral/poster presentations)

2017

  1. March – Gordon Research Conference – Polar Marine Science, poster presentation – Ventura, CA.
  2. May – Citizen Science Association Conference – CitSci2017 – St. Paul, MN  
  3. June – FjordPhyto Conceptualized – presented as Allison’s Master’s Capstone at Scripps Inst. Oceanography.
  4. October – AECO/IAATO Polar Field Staff Conference, oral presentation – Iceland

2018

  1. May – Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) Online Conference – Butterfly Effect, oral presentation – online (begin at 0:32:00 – 1:01:00)
  2. June – Polar2018 Open Science Conference, oral presentation – Davos, Switzerland   

2019

  1. March – Citizen Science Association Conference – CitSci2019, oral & poster presentation – Raleigh, NC
  2. April – SCAR Standing Committee on the Humanities and Social Sciences (SC-HASS) conference – Ushuaia, Argentina
  3. June – 1st Annual Building the NASA Citizen Science Community – Tuscon, AZ  
  4. September – AECO/IAATO Polar Field Staff Conference, oral presentation – Sturbridge, MA

2020

  1. February – AGU Ocean Sciences Meeting, poster and oral presentation – San Diego, CA
  2. August – SCAR 2020 Online International Conference, oral presentation – Online  Dr. Vernet (video presentation), Martina (poster session and video presentation), and Allison (Slack discussion and poster session). Originally scheduled to be in Hobart, Tasmania. 
  3. Summer – NASA 2nd Annual Citizen Science Workshop Series – Virtual
  4. November – IDEAL (Centro de Investigación Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes, Chile) —> read more here https://www.centroideal.cl/2020/para-celebrar-el-dia-de-la-antartica-vuelven-charlas-bajo-cero-con-ciencia-arte-y-ciencia-ciudadana/

2021

  1. Spring – NASA Citizen Science Leaders Series – Virtual  
  2. April – Argentina Conference – Jornadas de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades Antárticas (JoCSHA) – Puede un proyecto de ciencia ciudadana generar conciencia en los turistas antarcticos? (begin at 1:15:00).
  3. May – CitSciVirtual 2021 – workshop organizer for session B.17 Hearts in the Ice – Panel 1 on Resilience Through Extreme Citizen Science – and – Panel 2 Reflections on Panel 1 and Extreme Citizen Science – Virtual  
  4. May – AECO/IAATO Polar Field Staff Conference, attendee – Virtual  
  5. August – Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship Symposium – poster presentations at Scripps Oceanography
  6. September – Chilean Conference – Congreso Ciencia Ciudadana – Descubriendo un mundo microscopico en aguas antarticas (begin at 48:48)
  7. November – SCAR SC-HASS Biennial Conference presentation #72 Citizen Science increases awareness and appreciation for the Antarctic Environment
  8. November – IX JJIYE  IX Jornadas de Jóvenes Investigadores y Extensionistas – poster presentation
  9. December – CIACIAR Argentina FjordPhyto poster and GIF

2022

  1. February – March – Ocean Sciences Meeting OSM22 undergraduate poster presentation Session ED12 “Shifts in Phytoplankton Diversity with Relation to Glacial Meltwater Along the Western Antarctic Peninsula“
  2. April 28 – Museo de La Plata Universidad Nacional de La Plata “Charla virtual sobe experiencia de ciencia ciudadana en Antartida” watch the video here (en español).
  3. May – C*Sci 2022 Virtual Conference – poster presentations
  4. June – United Nations Generation Connect Global Youth Summit 2022 – Masterclass #1: Applying the power of digital technology for climate action
  5. Aug – SCAR Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research 10th Open Science Conference (virtual) – Cusick, A., Pinpokintr, A., Johnson, C., Mascioni, M., Zheng, H., James, C. C., Allen, A.E., Reynolds, R. A., Vernet, M. Seasonal changes in diatom communities in nearshore coastal regions along the Western Antarctic Peninsula. Session D4-H1-05-07 Microbial Diversity of the Polar Oceans and their Role in the Biogeochemical Cycles Under the Global Warming Scenario. Online oral presentation.
  6. Aug – SCAR Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research 10th Open Science Conference (virtual) –  Mascioni, M., Almandoz, G., Cusick, A., Pan, J.B., Vernet, M. Phytoplankton variability in nearshore regions of the western Antarctic Peninsula in relation to a temperature gradient. Session D7-H1-20-30 Southern Ocean Plankton Diversity, Food Web Ecosystems and Biogeochemical Cycle. Online oral presentation.
  7. October – California Academy of Sciences NightSchool: The Invisible Forest. Virtual event. 
  8. Nov  – United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP27 (Egypt)  delegate
  9. Nov – COP27 Side Event: Ocean observations for climate change: How do we train and educate the next generation of scientists and citizens? (video)

2023

  1. Jan 26 – NASA ARSET: NASA’s Citizen Science for Earth Systems Program, Part 2/3 . ARSET – Connecting Citizen Science with Remote Sensing. NASA Applied Remote Sensing Training Program (ARSET). English.
  2. Jan 26 – NASA ARSET: Ciencia Ciudadana en la NASA con Aplicaciones Costeras/Oceánicas. Parte 2 de 3. ARSET – Conectando la Ciencia Ciudadana con La Teledetección. NASA Applied Remote Sensing Training Program (ARSET). Español. 
  3. April – NASA Earth Science Data System Working Group Meeting. 
  4. May – C*Sci 2023 Conference, Tempe Arizona.