Tom’s Cruise preparation on French Research Vessel!
Sequoia’s Research Scientist Thomas Leeuw is preparing to embark on the TARA research vessel this Spring in support of a mission to study microbiomes. The French flagged TARA is a 35.91 m monohull sail yacht, designed for expedition and research, serving as a scientific platform to collect and study Earths oceans, rivers and climate worldwide. Installed onboard will be the LISST-200X, LISST-Holo2, LISST-Tau, LISST-Horizon and Hyper-bb; all optical related instruments designed and built by Sequoia.
Scientist Thomas Leeuw on TARA
TARA is operated by The Tara Ocean Foundation who is the first foundation in France to be recognized as promoting the public interest dedicated to the ocean, founded by Agnès Troublé called agnès b. in 2003 and chaired by Etienne Bourgois, the Tara Ocean Foundation is leading a scientific revolution around this ecosystem.
With its associated scientific consortia, it is developing innovative and original open ocean science which, in the future, will enable us to predict anticipate and better understand climate risks and better protect biodiversity.
It uses this high-level scientific expertise and these sea voyages to raise awareness and educate young people and the public in general, to mobilize political decision makers at the highest level and to enable developing countries to access this new knowledge about the Ocean.
https://fondationtaraocean.org/en/home/
TARA
Mission Microbiomes is part of the European AtlantECO project, financed by the European Commission, that brings together 36 scientific institutions in Europe, Brazil and South Africa and involves 15 scientists on the ship itself. This international scientific collaboration is intended to develop a deeper understanding of the challenges linked to the Atlantic Ocean. AtlantECO will roam the Atlantic Ocean with six main expeditions, two of which will study the coasts of Brazil.
Mission Microbiomes https://fondationtaraocean.org/en/expedition/mission-microbiomes/
Thomas Leeuw is a graduate of the University of Maine, where he received his Bachelor of Sciences in Marine Sciences and Masters Degree in Oceanography. Primarily focused on optical oceanography, he is also a software developer with experience in a wide variety of languages and platforms; developing and supporting all modern software associated with the Sequoia product family. Look for updates to the TARA mission and new reports of Tom’s cruise to be posted in the weeks and months ahead!