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Interview with OCEANOS Instructor Roy Armstrong


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Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

A Puerto Rican man wearing sunglasses, a navy baseball cap and longsleeve shirt is visible from the waist up, standing behind the silver wheel of a small white boat. In the background are a few islands of green foliage.
Roy Armstrong, an instructor for the OCEANOS internship and marine sciences professor, pilots a small boat around the cays off the coast of La Parguera, Puerto Rico.
NASA ARC/Milan Loiacono

What is your name and your role with OCEANOS?

My name is Ray Armstrong and I am a professor in the Department of Marine Sciences of the University of Puerto Rico. I came to be involved in OCEANOS because my ex-student and good friend Juan Torres-Perez, who works at NASA Ames Research Center, came up with this idea of having an internship for Hispanic students in Puerto Rico in the areas of remote sensing and oceanography, as a way of motivating Hispanic students to pursue careers in technology and oceanography.

What is the importance of a program like OCEANOS, especially in Puerto Rico?

Puerto Rico is an island and surrounded by ocean, and yet there is a lack of interest in marine sciences and oceanography compared to other disciplines. So we think that we need to promote the study and also conservation of our marine resources, and to use high technology  – such as remote sensing – to study and monitor our oceans and deal with things like water quality and the status of coral reefs, mangroves communities and so forth.

What is something that has been rewarding about working with these students?

Mostly the enthusiasm of the students when they go in the water or they look at mangroves for the first time, and learn more about their importance for fisheries and the coastline and so forth. Also sharing some of our stories and experiences in marine sciences, and listening to the students at the end of the program say that because of this experience they would like to pursue careers in marine sciences.

What has been a challenge of the program?

Well, one thing is the logistics, because it involves going out in boats in the ocean and there’s a limit of how many students can be in one place or in the water for safety reasons. So that that sets a limitation on the number of students for different activities.

This year we started a virtual component where we are also teaching a cohort of students and teachers on the use of NASA remote sensing technology in a virtual way and they also participate in some of the projects that the in-person students developed for this project.

How did you get into science?

Oh, for me it was simple. I was in love with the ocean since I was a little kid. I had the opportunity of participating in what is called the ‘sea semester’ at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, also Boston University where I graduated, and that was a big difference. I immediately realized that that’s what I wanted to do the rest of my life.

As someone born and raised in Puerto Rico, what are some of the environmental changes you’ve noticed in and around Puerto Rico?

I was born in Ponce, which is the second largest city in Puerto Rico. I moved to Parguera to study marine sciences at the Department of Marine Sciences in 1976. So basically I have lived here all my life, as a student but also as a professor: this year is my 28th year as a professor of marine sciences.

There were a lot of changes initially from hurricanes. In the late 1970s a couple of hurricanes destroyed huge areas of very shallow coral reef zones. After that there was a bloom of coral diseases. Through the years that has increased, decimating a lot of the coral populations in this area and in many other areas of the Caribbean and the world. More recently, in the last 5-10 years, more people in boats are coming to this area to a marine reserve, which put constant pressure on the ecosystem. When you have too many boats in one place, too many people in the water, and so forth, we don’t give the ecosystem a time to recover.

What is the importance of a program like OCEANOS, particularly in Puerto Rico?

We have seen that many professionals leave the island, in all disciplines. But if we can get younger people to be interested in what we do in the marine sciences in general. they will lhopefully ike to stay in Puerto Rico and work here and also make a difference in protecting our coastal ecosystems.

What is something that you hope the students take with them when they leave?

Even now, when the program is still going you can hear them say that the bonds they have established with fellow students and also with mentors and professors is very important. Some have also completely shifted their interest in other disciplines to marine science, or technology in general. And I’m very happy to hear that, because I think we’re having an effect on the on the people that come and the students that participate in this internship.

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      One of the things that we like to do is add pictures to these interviews, of things we talked about, or any images that you particularly like.  What picture might you have on the wall there in your office, or perhaps in your home?  You could add something later after thinking about it a bit.  I had a map of the world, a satellite image of the world at night, in my office for a time. You’ve probably seen it. I was fascinated by it because you could tell so much about the countries by the lighting, the different colors, where it was and where it wasn’t.
      I have a big map of the world that emphasizes geology and particularly shows a lot of details about the ocean floor, especially with the volcanoes and all the features there. And you’ve probably seen the exobiology mural? it was in building N-200.
      I think I know which one you’re talking about. It has sea life coming up from the ocean on one side across the land and up to the stars on the other side.
      Exobiology panorama (D. Des Marais, L. Jahnke, T. Scattergood, 1988) That’s right. Linda Jahnke, Tom Scattergood, and I created that back in 1980’s.
      You did?
      Yeah. When the art department made copies, I got one for my office, and several others have copies also.
      Oh, that’s wonderful. If you have an image of that you could include it when you send me back your edited transcript, and we could put it in and attribute it to you, Linda, and Tom.
      OK. That mural touches on several research topics I’ve addressed during my career. So, it would be a good one to include.
      We also ask if there is a favorite quote that has been particularly meaningful to you. We can put that in, too.
       ‘Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans’ (John Lennon)
      ‘We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.’ (the attribution to Winston Churchill is controversial)
      Thank you for getting in touch with me and for sitting down for an hour to do this. I will get this into a format where you can edit it. And then we’ll make a post out of it. And I think you’ll be pleased. And if not, you’ll have only yourself to blame! (laughs)
      That’s very cagey of you! (laughs) But then again, you’ve done this for quite a while.
      Your approach is quite sophisticated, so I appreciate that. I also appreciate your effort because so often stuff like this just disappears from history.
      Well, thank you, Dave. I’ve appreciated the chat and thank you for your time. We’ll make something out of it.
      Thanks for your commitment and for pursuing me to do this. Take care.
      You’re welcome.
      ________________________________________________
      Interview conducted by Fred Van Wert on January 13, 2025
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      ¿Cuál es tu nombre y tu rol en OCEANOS?

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      ¿Cómo llegaste a la ciencia?

      Yo empecé en ciencias desde bien pequeños con el interés de ser pediatra. Luego cambiaron un poco los intereses y me tiré hacia la educación secundaria en ciencia, manteniendo las ciencias como base, y tuve una mezcla de la pasión del agua. A los cinco años estuve por ahogarme, y en vez de congelarme entre el miedo y el susto que había pasado de estar casi ahogándome. Me puse una careta y desde ese entonces no me he quitado la careta, aprendiendo cada vez un poquito más del océano, de nuestros mares, nuestras costas.

      ¿Cuál es la importancia de un programa como OCEANOS, particularmente en Puerto Rico?

      Yo creo que debería haber muchos más proyectos como OCEANOS en Puerto Rico que le den la oportunidad a jóvenes de explorar los recursos naturales que tiene nuestra isla. Si nosotros no aprendemos a cuidar nuestros recursos, no lo vamos a tener en el futuro. Así que una experiencia en un océano que nos permita a los internos tener en vida una experiencia en la que les acerque más a estos recursos marinos que tenemos tan bellos, que permitan que se envuelvan y se apasionen por la defensa de los mismos.

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      El programa OCEANOS le ha permitido a los estudiantes tener un cambio de actitud, de pensamiento, en el que entiendo que han ido creciendo a lo largo de las experiencias. No solamente han tenido experiencias académicas y de instrucción, sino también experiencias prácticas en el campo, y cada uno de ellos se ha soltado de una manera increíble. Algunos han tenido la posición de liderazgo en sus grupos de trabajo y colaboración, en su grupo de trabajo y en otros grupos de trabajo, por lo que yo creo que la experiencia de OCEANOS le ha permitido madurar de cierta manera a estos jóvenes lo que es tan importante para el país y para el planeta.

      ¿Qué es algo que espera que los estudiantes se lleven con ellos cuando se vayan?

      A mí me gustaría que los estudiantes, y estoy muy seguro de que lo van a hacer, van a llevar una pasión bien grande por el océano, por nuestros mares, nuestras costas, nuestros arrecifes. Y definitivamente estoy muy confiado en que van a ser embajadores para la protección de estos recursos. Así que creo que programas como OCEANOS deben asfixiarse en muchos sectores para que podamos tener una participación un poquito más amplia alrededor de lugares y estudiantes que tienen acceso a este tipo de recursos y apoyo.

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      ¿Cuál es tu nombre y tu rol en OCEANOS?

      Mi nombre es Roy Armstrong y soy profesor del Colegio de Mayagüez en el Departamento de Ciencias Marinas y en Océanos. Yo soy el investigador principal local en la Universidad de Puerto Rico y la manera que me involucré en este proyecto fue por invitación de mi ex estudiante, Juan Torres, quien trabaja en la NASA y se ideó este programa para motivar estudiantes hispanos puertorriqueños, particularmente a seguir carreras en la oceanografía usando tecnología de la NASA.

      ¿Cuál es la importancia de un programa como OCEANOS, particularmente en Puerto Rico?

      Primero, porque son muy pocos los jóvenes que deciden continuar en sus estudios graduados y sobre todo en las ciencias marinas. Y muchos se van fuera de Puerto Rico. Lo que queremos hacer es motivar a estudiantes desde jóvenes, desde escuela superior y a principios de universidad, a que estudien y tengan carreras en la oceanografía, las ciencias marinas, usando tecnología de la NASA, satelital y robótica, etcétera para que entonces se queden en Puerto Rico y trabajen protegiendo nuestros recursos naturales.

      ¿Qué ha sido algo gratificante de trabajar con estos estudiantes?

      Ha sido de gran satisfacción ver como los estudiantes se interesan en estos temas, aunque al principio lleguen con otras ideas en mente de otras carreras que quieren proseguir. Al final algunos deciden cambiar por completo sus preferencias y estudiar entonces ciencias marinas o seguir alguna carrera en tecnologías satelitales o cosas por el estilo. Así que eso para nosotros ha sido de suma satisfacción.

      ¿Cuál ha sido un desafío del programa?

      El reto principal de trabajar con estudiantes primero es mantenerlos motivados y atentos. Así que hay que intercalar diferentes actividades fuera del salón. Las charlas no pueden ser muy extensas y también los temas tienen que ser diversos. Tratamos de que también ellos participen en actividades, en pequeños grupos y participen en proyectos diferentes proyectos de investigación, así que no es todo estar oyendo charlas en un salón de clase, sino que hay muchas otras actividades.

      ¿Cómo llegaste a la ciencia?

      Yo empecé con mi interés en las ciencias marinas desde pequeño, porque yo nací en Puerto Rico, en Ponce y siempre he tenido una admiración inmensa por el mar. Y luego tuve la experiencia en mi 4.º año de universidad en los Estados Unidos de participar en un programa que se llama ‘el semestre en el mar,’ donde participé por seis semanas en un velero grande haciendo estudios de Oceanografía y eso me fascinó, me encantó. Y desde entonces yo supe que eso es lo que yo quería hacer en mi carrera.

      ¿Cuáles son algunos de los cambios ambientales que ha notado en Puerto Rico y sus alrededores?

      En Puerto Rico, al igual que muchas áreas del Caribe y del planeta en general, han ocurrido muchos cambios a través de las décadas. El ambiente marino en las costas y sobre todo en los arrecifes de coral en Puerto Rico. En particular, luego de varios huracanes al final de la década de los setentas una mortandad grande de los corales en aguas bien someras y luego eso dio lugar a enfermedades que afectan los corales por muchos años.  En años más recientes hemos tenido también el impacto del humano porque ha habido más presión en los ecosistemas por el uso de múltiples  embarcaciones que cada vez son más y más. Así que también se ha deteriorado la calidad de agua en muchos sitios. Y sabemos que esto no es exclusivamente de Puerto Rico, sino que es un problema básicamente a nivel global.

      ¿Qué es algo que espera que los estudiantes se lleven con ellos cuando se vayan?

      Pues mi esperanza con los estudiantes es que en los próximos años que pasen a universidad o que pasen a escuela graduada para estudiar entonces temas relacionados con las ciencias marinas y el uso de la tecnología satelital de la NASA. También espero que se motiven a permanecer en Puerto Rico y participar en el cambio que hace falta de protección de los ecosistemas de parte de una nueva generación que vienen desde pequeño con el interés y también el conocimiento de hacer un cambio notable en el futuro de este país y de nuestros ecosistemas.

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