My Scientific Expedition To Antarctica

Greetings, fellow science enthusiasts, Earth stewards, and outstanding supporters!

I am John R.F. Humphreys, and I am 15 years old. I live in the Greater Tampa Bay Area, Florida born and raised. I enjoy scientific diving, coral restoration, working with veterans, and helping the environment. I also have a huge love and passion for flying. I aspire to be in the space industry as a Mission Commander, specializing in Mars exploration and colonization. I am an active member in many youth organizations, and I commit myself to working hard and doing a lot of community service. Currently, I have well over 1,000 community service hours. Below, you will find a list of my current certifications, achievements, leadership positions, and ranks:

• American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS), Scientific Diver

• Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF), Level 2 Fish Surveyor

• National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI):

◦ Coral Restoration Diver

◦ Master Scuba Diver

◦ Rescue Scuba Diver

◦ Advanced Open Water Diver

◦ Drysuit Diver

◦ Nitrox Diver

◦ Open Water Scuba Diver

• SCUBAnauts International (SNI), 1st Class Naut

• Boy Scouts of America (BSA), Eagle Scout

• Sea Scouts, Ordinary rank

• Venturing Scouts, Venturing rank

• Order of the Arrow (OA), Ordeal member

• Civil Air Patrol (CAP), Brigadier General Billy Mitchell Award (2d Lt)

• Civil Air Patrol-Experimental Aircraft Association (CAP-EAA), Liaison

• United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps (USNSCC), Petty Officer 1st Class

• US Coast Guard Auxiliary, Basic Qualified Member

• 4-H, Florida Legislative Representative 2022 and 2023

• The President’s Volunteer Service Award, Gold Level 2022

• The Congressional Award, Silver Medal 2022

• Infinity Aero Club of Tampa (IACT), Outstanding Cadet 2023

• I completed my first solo flight in a motor-glider (Pipistrel Virus SW) at 14 years old

In SCUBAnauts, we have a ranking system. You start as a Naut-In-Training (NIT), equivalent to a Tenderfoot in scouts. Then, after completing a few dive, service, and science related requirements, you rank up to a 2nd Class Naut, equivalent to a 2nd Class scout. After completing more requirements, you rank up to a 1st Class Naut, equivalent to a 1st Class Scout. Finally, you must complete advanced dive, service, and science requirements to promote to the elite rank of Masternaut, equivalent to an Eagle Scout. One of these requirements, is to create, lead, analyze, and report on a scientific, research intensive, Masternaut project, similar to an Eagle project.

Due to the amount of work I have performed with scientific diving and coral restoration over the past 3 years. I am embarking on a groundbreaking scientific expedition to Antarctica, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the HMS Challenger’s crossing, and I invite you to be a part of this extraordinary journey. The team of dedicated researchers and explorers is passionate about unraveling the mysteries of the frozen continent, and on a quest to expand our understanding of this remote and mysterious continent. I believe that with your support, we can make a real difference. Your support will play a crucial role in making my scientific endeavor a reality.

The Vision:

Antarctica, the frozen continent at the bottom of the world, is a treasure trove of scientific mysteries. Our goal is to push the boundaries of knowledge and contribute to a deeper understanding of our planet. With your help, I aim to conduct groundbreaking research that will have a global impact.

February 2024 represents the 150th anniversary of the HMS Challenger’s crossing of the southern polar circle. This expedition is to honor their contribution to our understanding of the world’s oceans while simultaneously exploring Antarctica.

This expedition is much more than just a dive trip. Here we will pool our resources and time to assist scientists and imagemakers in adding to our understanding of the Antarctic region.

The Mission:

Ecological Studies: We'll explore the unique ecosystems that thrive in this extreme environment. Understanding how life survives in Antarctica can provide insights into biodiversity and resilience in the face of environmental challenges.

There will be 3 scientific teams working during the expedition.

One will be for divers conducting benthic video surveys. Divers must have significant experience in cold water and excellent buoyancy skills. They will work in 2-3 person teams and will be conducting baseline surveys, and looking for new invasive species and any signs of sea star wasting disease.

Another team will work primarily at or near the surface snorkeling as they collect samples of jellyfish and other planktonic species in the water column.

Finally, the non-diver surface only team will do plankton tows to get samples of phyto and zoo plankton and assist with sample collections.

I will be participating, collecting, and analyzing data with all three scientific teams as well as my own.

Why Your Support Matters:

Scientific expeditions to Antarctica are expensive and challenging. I need funding for cutting-edge equipment, transportation, accommodations, research materials, and safety measures. Your contribution will directly fuel my ability to carry out this vital research.

How You Can Contribute:

Donate: Your financial support will make a substantial impact. Every donation, no matter the size, will get us one step closer to our goal.

Share: Help me spread the word about our mission. Share my GoFundMe with your network and on social media. Your advocacy is instrumental in our success.

Follow My Journey: (Coming Soon!) Stay connected with me as I prepare for this remarkable expedition. Follow my updates and be part of this scientific adventure from the beginning.

The Impact:

By supporting me on this scientific expedition, you are directly contributing to our understanding of climate change, biodiversity, plankton, invasive species, micro-plastics, jellyfish, and Sea Star Wasting Disease. Your involvement will help us address critical questions about our planet's past, present, and future.

Throughout the expedition, I will conduct research for my Masternaut project. Some of this research includes creating a baseline of the data collected on many different facets. I will be assisting in all areas of data collection, and analyzing the data. This project is important, because of how quickly our world is changing. Due to invasive species, climate change, and many more factors, it is urgent that we develop a baseline of data in these areas for Antarctica.

Join me on this incredible scientific journey. Your support is invaluable, and I am profoundly grateful for your commitment to expanding our knowledge of the world we live in. Since 2021, I have personally invested over $18,000 into training and equipment to make sure I am prepared for the risks and dangers of this expedition.

Every day, I will be working tirelessly towards this goal, until the day I depart on the ship. Then, the real work will begin...

Thank you for being part of my scientific mission.