Having multiple UNOLS volunteers aboard our ADEON cruise was the difference between ending the cruise as a resounding success as opposed to merely accomplishing the science objectives. - Dr. Jennifer Miksis-Olds, UNH
Welcome to the UNOLS Cruise Opportunity Program Webpage!
The primary goal of the UNOLS Cruise Opportunity Program is to provide graduate students currently completing (or who have recently completed) a degree in a field of oceanographic research with the opportunity to participate in a research cruise. The participant will be a member of the scientific party and be involved in data collection and all other activities at sea. It is envisioned that the individual will be familiar with the science to be conducted at sea, and thus, form new collaborations and potentially develop new research directions. To be eligible to participate in this program, the individual must be either currently be studying at a U.S.-based institution or a recent graduate, and must have either a U.S. Passport or a U.S. Work Visa. Please note that you are responsible for paying for your travel to/from the ship (unless otherwise noted), the UNOLS Office is unable to provide travel funds; however your advisor or institution may have some ideas.
Please review the opportunities and apply by their deadlines listed below.
Note to PIs: If you have empty bunks on your cruise, please consider making them available to graduate students. Contact the UNOLS Office to coordinate. Thank you!
To be notified when new cruise opportunities become available, please sign up for the Cruise Opportunity email list.
Available Cruise Opportunities
Application deadline: March 31, 2026
We are excited to announce an Apply-To-Sail opportunity for US-based undergraduate students, graduate students, postdocs, and early-career scientists to participate in a marine geophysical research cruise in the western Atlantic Ocean aboard the R/V Marcus G. Langseth, scheduled for Summer 2026. The project is funded by the National Science Foundation and focused on understanding mantle dynamics during incipient seafloor spreading in the Atlantic Ocean after the breakup of Pangea. During the cruise, we will acquire active-source wide-angle Ocean Bottom Seismometer (OBS) and Multi-Channel Seismic (MCS) data across 2D and 3D profiles in the western Atlantic Ocean offshore the Eastern North American Margin and south of Bermuda.
Participating early-career scientists will get hands-on experience in the acquisition, processing, and analysis of active-source OBS and MCS seismic data, as well as other marine geophysical tools, including multibeam bathymetry, CHIRP sub-bottom profiler, gravity, and magnetic data. Science party duties include helping with instrumentation deployment and recovery, watch-standing data collection, and assisting with preliminary analysis and interpretation of data. Other cruise activities will include reading and discussion of papers pertinent to the science goals of the experiment, and active training in geophysical data collection, processing, and interpretation methods/software.
No previous experience in seagoing or marine geophysical research is required to apply as participants will be fully trained onboard. Applications from graduate students and postdocs are particularly encouraged. All members of the science party will engage in a series of remote training and team-building activities in the weeks leading up to the cruise to ensure an inclusive and supportive shipboard community. This cruise offers a unique opportunity to sail with an interdisciplinary team of scientists, learn cutting-edge geophysical tools, and experience the only dedicated seismic vessel in the U.S. Academic Research Fleet.
Pertinent details about the cruise and the application link are listed below. Applications are due by March 31, 2026. If you have any questions, please email Brandon Shuck at bshuck@lsu.edu.
Tentative cruise dates: July 17th - September 1st, 2026 (47 days at sea). Exact sail dates are subject to change – flexibility of +/- 7 days in participant schedules is required.
Principal Investigators: Brandon Shuck (Louisiana State University), Anne Bécel (Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory), Harm van Avendonk (University of Texas Institute for Geophysics), Joshua Russell (Syracuse University)
Read more details about the project science goals here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/16rPP3zfydKHqoUytBg4-eqcMv0nwruKM/view?usp=share_link
Research Vessel: R/V Marcus G. Langseth
Port: Savannah, Georgia (departure); Charleston, South Carolina (return)
Eligibility: Undergraduate students, graduate students, postdocs, and early-career (<5 years post-PhD) scientists based at US-institutions at time of cruise start. No citizenship requirements, but MUST have a valid passport and authorization to leave/enter the United States.
Application requirements: Please include a 2-page CV and a 1-page Statement of Interest (i.e. why you want to sail, what you hope to gain from the experience, and how it aligns with your career goals). Student applications (undergraduate or graduate) require a brief statement of support from an advisor or supervisor.
Application link: Fill out the Google Form and upload your files at this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdsTC4UhQCYnDhR0Smv9WwMSLeIKmSRTYAKnOXxJspwaAjHyg/viewform?usp=dialog
Application deadline: March 31, 2026