You may have already met second-year Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology grad student Umi Hoshijima and not even known it. When not in Antarctica doing research in the bitter cold, he can be found on weekends at the Paseo Nuevo Mall playing a gold accordion with a sign saying “help fund my Ph.D.”
Umi Hoshijima and a handful of kelp. Credit: Crista DoughertyLike many graduate students, Umi has a unique life story. Umi was born in Kobe, Japan, but grew up in San Diego and has never lived more than three miles from the ocean. He got his B.S. in Biology from UC Santa Cruz, along with minors in Chemistry and Electronic Music. While there, he also gained notoriety with his accordion playing. One summer, he even earned enough money from busking to pay for his rent!
In addition to being a multi-instrumentalist (piano, guitar, upright bass, accordion, flute, and harmonica), he is also an NSF Graduate Research Fellow and a member of Professor Gretchen Hofmann’s research team in Antarctica. Currently, he is chronicling his experience in Antarctica on his blog. If you have time check it out.
Since the GradPost budget didn’t have enough money to send me to Antarctica to interview Umi, our interview took place over a series of emails. I asked him about what research was like in Antarctic conditions, winning an NSF fellowship, and his tips on surviving grad school. He had a lot to say, from his encounter with a lightning quick penguin to dealing with imposter syndrome.
How did you end up doing research in Antarctica?
I was invited to come to Antarctica by my advisor, Professor Gretchen Hofmann. We have about half of the lab here as our field team, and are all down for 11 weeks (late September to mid-December). We are researching pteropods (sea butterflies), a zooplankton that comprises an important part of the Antarctic food chain.
Umi holding a fallen chunk of the Barne Glacier (featured in the background) at Cape Royds Route, Ross Island, Antarctica. Photo courtesy of Umi Hoshijima
What are some of the adjustments you have to make when living and working in Antarctica?
The first several weeks were extremely stormy, with gusts up to 40 knots and wind chill down to -50C. Along with the 24-hour daylight, the harsh continent has taken some getting used to. Although my diving experience helped a bit for dealing with the cold, this was a whole new experience that I was not ready for.
The Internet is also slow, and phone calls off-continent are difficult. And personal relationships are more difficult to maintain from here, but that’s just the nature of remote fieldwork.
What’s the most surprising thing from your Antarctic experience so far?
The single most surprising moment was when I narrowly avoided getting tackled by a penguin shooting out of the water! We had broken a hole in the sea ice to net for pteropods, and the penguins very quickly started using it as an exit hole.
I see from your blog you get to snowmobile and dive as part of work. Are there other fun things you do as part of your extracurricular activities?
Umi deploying dissolved oxygen sensors at Mesa Lane, Santa Barbara. Photo courtesy of Umi HoshijimaWhile the snowmobiling and scientific diving is fun, ultimately I do both as a way to collect data for my research. Outside of work I also end up in the ocean fairly frequently to spearfish, SCUBA dive, and skin dive.
What’s a typical day like for you in Antarctica?
I wake up at 5:00 and am in lab by 5:30. Some days we spend in the field, collecting our pteropods and collecting seawater for chemical analysis. Other days I am in lab, running experiments with my team. I eat two to three meals a day at the cafeteria, which provides calorie-rich food that we need in these cold climates. After dinner, I make phone calls home, read a book, or hang out with friends at the station’s coffee house/wine bar.
Any advice for grads who are going to do research in Antarctica?
Antarctic research requires good experience in the field, the willingness to build up a tolerance to cold weather, and good enthusiasm!
Now let’s talk about your life at UCSB as a graduate student. This is your second year at UCSB. What advice would you give to grad students to be successful?
Leaving the “imposter syndrome” behind is an extremely crucial part of succeeding in grad school. This is the feeling of inadequacy, or the feeling that you’ve somehow wormed yourself into this position without being qualified. Not only can this lower your self-esteem, but it can also disrupt your work-life balance. It’s crucial to understand that you worked hard to get yourself to where you are, and with continued hard work you can keep succeeding!
What is the your most favorite thing you do to relax?
Umi busking on the streets of Santa Cruz with his gold accordion. Photo courtesy of Umi HoshijimaI love my bicycle commute from downtown, and ride it almost every day! I do weekend rides up the 101, as well as up Old San Marcos Road. In my free time I also compose electronic music, collect fountain pens, shoot and develop my own film photography, and roast my own coffee beans. One of my favorite places in Santa Barbara is the Mohawk Reef kelp forest (Mesa Lane stairs). Not only is it one of my local research sites, but it’s also a great spearfishing and skindiving spot!
What has been the biggest challenge in your life?
My ongoing personal challenge is the balance of work and hobbies. I think that making time to pursue interests outside of work is crucial – and I’m optimistically considering this an ongoing accomplishment of mine! My favorite quarters in undergrad involved upper-division biology lectures alongside electronic music seminars. I love being able to exercise a different side of my creativity while working hard in my primary field.
How did you get interested in marine science?
I first discovered my love for marine sciences through a high school quiz bowl called the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB). It’s the beginning of the obsession that grew into a career path. We competed up to the national level with the immense support of my high school’s marine science teachers, Mr. Lee Decker and Mr. David James. Each of these gentlemen showed up an hour early to their jobs in order to make this happen, and I am eternally grateful for their contribution to my education.
You recently won an NSF fellowship. That’s exciting. Was this your first time applying?
Umi has an eye on the future. Credit: Umi HoshijimaI received the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship on my second time applying to it (I applied once before starting my Ph.D.). Being awarded the fellowship is an incredible honor and opportunity, giving me the chance to fully pursue my research in whatever direction I wish to. Along with this fellowship, I received a California Sea Grant award to study the development of cabezon fish eggs under simulated ocean acidification (high carbon dioxide) and hypoxic (low oxygen) conditions that are predicted to impact coastal areas in the near future. By understanding how vulnerable this large predatory fish species is as babies, we can continue to make predictions about how local kelp forests may be impacted as a community.
What is the one thing you hope to be doing 5 or 10 years out of graduate school?
I am currently interested in pursuing a career in academia, so my dream job five years out of graduate school would be a tenure-track position as a biologist. I also hope to be working on my own Antarctic research grant, so I can bring my own future lab down to this amazing opportunity. If I decide not to pursue academia, I hope to be working with either a governmental or non-governmental organization on coastal conservation and scientifically informed active coastal management.