A journey of a thousand years

Every field trip is a journey of a thousand years. Man, if I think back to the beginning of this trip, it feels like a lifetime ago. Did I really spend Easter in Palau? 

I said goodbye to Maikani in Koror, Cas in Guam, and Matthew in Honolulu. I'm glad it worked out that way, because I could not have handled all those farewells at once. I am so proud of my team, and I will miss working so closely with them every day. Each of us has our strengths. Cas excels at experimental design and is really good at executing crazy ideas that might just change the way we see the world. Matthew has an astounding level of knowledge about coral reproduction and always makes sure we aren't claiming more than the data can actually show. Maikani knows coral species inside and out and is really good at documenting natural history - the baseline observations we need for solid science. The combination of our perspectives and skills makes for really compelling research. I can honestly say that working with this team has made me a better scientist.

One of my favorite things about Team Porites is our group dynamic. It ranks among the best communities I've been part of. We listen to each other, take care of each other, support each other, and call each other out. As a leader, I really appreciated the times when someone spoke up about a problem, when we had a discussion and made a decision as a group, or when we rallied behind a great idea. There was an ebb and flow to the team, and we really functioned as collaborators. 

Even though we're parting ways, the project is far from over. We still have data to analyze and papers to write. Actually, at this point, each of the team members has a half-written or outlined paper (and mine is the farthest behind!). Those manuscripts will take shape over the next few months. The four of us will be in frequent email and Zoom contact - I'll make sure of it. 

I will certainly miss Palau, but it's time to go home. I am grateful for each member of Team Porites and for the time we had together. We achieved so much - honestly, we're swimming in data. This trip was an immense success, and I can't wait to see all of our results take shape. 

Cas, Matthew, Maikani: thank you for an amazing trip. We will see each other soon.