06/17/2026
Big news from the MaST Center! Our very own Director, Rus Higley, just stepped back onto dry land after spending 8 incredible days at sea. Check out his blog about going out to sea, facing his fears and seeing new horizons.
Rus was on board the state-of-the-art UC San Diego R/V Sally Ride as part of an amazing expedition with STEM SEAS.
If you aren’t familiar with STEM SEAS, they are a fantastic organization dedicated to opening doors for college students—especially those at two-year institutions like Highline College. They provide hands-on, life-changing opportunities for students to explore careers in marine and ocean sciences right from the decks of cutting-edge research vessels.
We are so proud to have our team directly involved in programs that bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world oceanography. Stay tuned, because we can’t wait to share some of the stories, science, and insights Rus brought back from the Pacific!
Welcome back to shore, Rus!
The digital clock on the wall in the lab says 158:21:40:00, which probably doesn’t mean a lot to most people. The first number, 158, means that today is the 158th day of 2026, while the rest tells me it is 9pm (2100 military time), 40 minutes, and zero seconds. I’ve never counted days in the yea...
