Meet The Scientist: Jan Newton

Jan Newton is a biological oceanographer. She likes to study plankton, a collection of tiny organisms, that float around in the Puget Sound and the ocean. Plankton are an important part of the food chain and also a favorite snack for whales.

Jan focuses on the movement of plankton, which drift around in the water from the force of currents and tides. Jan is researching how plankton are affected by climate change and human activities.

"I like being involved in applying what I've learned to help us understand how humans may be affecting things,” says Jan.

As a kid, Jan was always asking "why” questions. She thinks this a useful trait for any scientist. As a student, she enjoyed studying math, biology, and geography. After school, she had a lot of fun on the high school swim team.

Today, technology is a key part of Jan's work. She uses remote sensors to help her collect data about the ocean, such as temperature, salinity, and the amounts of oxygen and organic material in the water. These sensors work everyday by themselves and help Jan better understand the daily changes in the ocean.

"I love that I have a job where I can use my mind as well as my hands. I'm studying nature and it's just fascinating,” says Jan Newton.

Super Cool Seaglider How do scientists learn more about the water in Puget Sound and in the ocean? They can go on scuba dives and sail on a boat to get measurements, but these methods are expensive and limited to days with good weather. So scientists have created "remote-controlled” tools to help them get information about the ocean at any time. The Seaglider is one tool that operates like a submarine, but without any crew. At only 100 pounds and about 6 feet long, the Seaglider swims by itself, diving down into the water to test for salinity, dissolved oxygen, and temperature. The Seaglider is controlled by scientists from many miles away by using satellite communication. Using its antenna, the Seaglider receives instructions for its next mission and sends back its information about the ocean.