{"id":777,"date":"2025-10-01T18:03:15","date_gmt":"2025-10-01T18:03:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/?p=777"},"modified":"2025-10-01T18:03:15","modified_gmt":"2025-10-01T18:03:15","slug":"bridging-international-waters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/?p=777","title":{"rendered":"Bridging International Waters"},"content":{"rendered":"<style type=\"text\/css\">\n#foogallery-gallery-779 .fg-image { width: 1200px; }<\/style>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"foogallery foogallery-container foogallery-carousel foogallery-lightbox-foogallery fg-carousel fg-ready fg-light fg-border-thin fg-shadow-outline fg-loading-default fg-loaded-fade-in fg-caption-hover fg-hover-fade fg-hover-zoom\" id=\"foogallery-gallery-779\" data-foogallery=\"{&quot;item&quot;:{&quot;showCaptionTitle&quot;:true,&quot;showCaptionDescription&quot;:true},&quot;lazy&quot;:true,&quot;template&quot;:{&quot;maxItems&quot;:5,&quot;scale&quot;:0.12,&quot;gutter&quot;:{&quot;min&quot;:-40,&quot;max&quot;:-20,&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;%&quot;},&quot;autoplay&quot;:{&quot;time&quot;:7,&quot;interaction&quot;:&quot;pause&quot;},&quot;centerOnClick&quot;:true}}\" data-foogallery-lightbox=\"{&quot;thumbs&quot;:&quot;bottom&quot;,&quot;thumbsCaptions&quot;:false,&quot;thumbsBestFit&quot;:false,&quot;thumbsSmall&quot;:false,&quot;thumbsCaptionsAlign&quot;:&quot;default&quot;,&quot;info&quot;:&quot;bottom&quot;,&quot;infoVisible&quot;:true,&quot;infoOverlay&quot;:true,&quot;infoAlign&quot;:&quot;default&quot;,&quot;transition&quot;:&quot;fade&quot;,&quot;hoverButtons&quot;:false,&quot;fitMedia&quot;:false,&quot;noScrollbars&quot;:true,&quot;preserveButtonSpace&quot;:true,&quot;buttons&quot;:{&quot;fullscreen&quot;:true,&quot;info&quot;:true,&quot;thumbs&quot;:false,&quot;next&quot;:false,&quot;prev&quot;:false},&quot;video&quot;:{&quot;autoPlay&quot;:true}}\" style=\"--fg-title-line-clamp: 0; --fg-description-line-clamp: 0;\" >\n\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"fg-carousel-prev\" title=\"Previous\"><\/button>\n\t<div class=\"fg-carousel-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"fg-carousel-center\"><\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-idle\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2025-10-01-preston-akenga-horizontal-01.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"780\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" data-src-fg=\"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2025-10-01-preston-akenga-horizontal-01.jpg\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%221200%22%20height%3D%22800%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201200%20800%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" loading=\"eager\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-idle\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2025-10-01-preston-akenga-horizontal-02.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"781\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" data-src-fg=\"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2025-10-01-preston-akenga-horizontal-02.jpg\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%221200%22%20height%3D%22800%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201200%20800%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" loading=\"eager\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-idle\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2025-10-01-preston-akenga-horizontal-03.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"782\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" data-src-fg=\"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2025-10-01-preston-akenga-horizontal-03.jpg\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%221200%22%20height%3D%22800%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201200%20800%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" loading=\"eager\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div>\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"fg-carousel-bottom\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"fg-carousel-progress\"><\/div>\n\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"fg-carousel-next\" title=\"Next\"><\/button>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>This past summer, <strong>Bigelow Laboratory<\/strong> was pleased to welcome <strong>Dr. Preston Akenga<\/strong> to our community for a few months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p>Akenga, from <strong>Kisii University<\/strong> in Kenya, joined the lab of SRS <strong>Steve Archer<\/strong> as a fellow in the <strong>BioGeoSCAPES<\/strong> program, a global research network funded by NSF to advance understanding of biogeochemistry and train the next generation of researchers in the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Akenga spent his exchange learning new techniques in analytical chemistry and gaining skills in using advanced instrumentation, which he plans to take home with him to help increase analytical capacity at his own university.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He also spent the time developing new collaborations and research projects with Archer and other Bigelow scientists (with plenty of time to go hiking, canoeing, and enjoy the best of Maine summer!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-a89b3969 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-50\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-text-align-center wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bigelow.org\/news\/articles\/2025-10-01.html\">Meet Preston Akenga<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\"><style type=\"text\/css\">\n#foogallery-gallery-784 .fg-image { width: 400px; }<\/style>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"foogallery foogallery-container foogallery-carousel foogallery-lightbox-foogallery fg-carousel fg-ready fg-light fg-border-thin fg-shadow-outline fg-loading-default fg-loaded-fade-in fg-caption-hover fg-hover-fade fg-hover-zoom\" id=\"foogallery-gallery-784\" data-foogallery=\"{&quot;item&quot;:{&quot;showCaptionTitle&quot;:true,&quot;showCaptionDescription&quot;:true},&quot;lazy&quot;:true,&quot;template&quot;:{&quot;maxItems&quot;:5,&quot;scale&quot;:0.12,&quot;gutter&quot;:{&quot;min&quot;:-40,&quot;max&quot;:-20,&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;%&quot;},&quot;autoplay&quot;:{&quot;time&quot;:5,&quot;interaction&quot;:&quot;pause&quot;},&quot;centerOnClick&quot;:true}}\" data-foogallery-lightbox=\"{&quot;thumbs&quot;:&quot;bottom&quot;,&quot;thumbsCaptions&quot;:false,&quot;thumbsBestFit&quot;:false,&quot;thumbsSmall&quot;:false,&quot;thumbsCaptionsAlign&quot;:&quot;default&quot;,&quot;info&quot;:&quot;bottom&quot;,&quot;infoVisible&quot;:true,&quot;infoOverlay&quot;:true,&quot;infoAlign&quot;:&quot;default&quot;,&quot;transition&quot;:&quot;fade&quot;,&quot;hoverButtons&quot;:false,&quot;fitMedia&quot;:false,&quot;noScrollbars&quot;:true,&quot;preserveButtonSpace&quot;:true,&quot;buttons&quot;:{&quot;fullscreen&quot;:true,&quot;info&quot;:true,&quot;thumbs&quot;:false},&quot;video&quot;:{&quot;autoPlay&quot;:true}}\" style=\"--fg-title-line-clamp: 0; --fg-description-line-clamp: 0;\" >\n\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"fg-carousel-prev\" title=\"Previous\"><\/button>\n\t<div class=\"fg-carousel-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"fg-carousel-center\"><\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-idle\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2025-10-01-preston-akenga-vertical-03.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"787\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"600\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" data-src-fg=\"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/cache\/2025\/10\/2025-10-01-preston-akenga-vertical-03\/710844501.jpg\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%22400%22%20height%3D%22600%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20400%20600%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" loading=\"eager\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-idle\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2025-10-01-preston-akenga-vertical-02.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"786\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"600\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" data-src-fg=\"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/cache\/2025\/10\/2025-10-01-preston-akenga-vertical-02\/167793855.jpg\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%22400%22%20height%3D%22600%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20400%20600%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" loading=\"eager\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-idle\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2025-10-01-preston-akenga-vertical-04.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"788\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"600\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" data-src-fg=\"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/cache\/2025\/10\/2025-10-01-preston-akenga-vertical-04\/3833982071.jpg\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%22400%22%20height%3D%22600%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20400%20600%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" loading=\"eager\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-idle\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2025-10-01-preston-akenga-vertical-01.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"785\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"600\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" data-src-fg=\"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/cache\/2025\/10\/2025-10-01-preston-akenga-vertical-01\/2944659652.jpg\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%22400%22%20height%3D%22600%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20400%20600%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" loading=\"eager\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fg-item fg-type-image fg-idle\"><figure class=\"fg-item-inner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2025-10-01-preston-akenga-vertical-05.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"789\" data-type=\"image\" class=\"fg-thumb\"><span class=\"fg-image-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"600\" class=\"skip-lazy fg-image\" data-src-fg=\"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/cache\/2025\/10\/2025-10-01-preston-akenga-vertical-05\/2281402462.jpg\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%22400%22%20height%3D%22600%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20400%20600%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" loading=\"eager\"><\/span><span class=\"fg-image-overlay\"><\/span><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"fg-loader\"><\/div><\/div>\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"fg-carousel-bottom\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"fg-carousel-progress\"><\/div>\n\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"fg-carousel-next\" title=\"Next\"><\/button>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-a89b3969 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This past summer, Bigelow Laboratory was pleased to welcome Dr. Preston Akenga to our community for a few months. Akenga, from Kisii University in Kenya, joined the lab of SRS Steve Archer as a fellow in the BioGeoSCAPES program, a global research network funded by NSF to advance understanding of biogeochemistry and train the next [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":791,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","css_class_manager_body_classes":"","css_class_manager_use_in_post_loop":false},"categories":[7],"tags":[46,92,48,75],"class_list":["post-777","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-laboratory","tag-analytical-services","tag-professional-development","tag-steve-archer","tag-trace-metals-gases"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/777","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=777"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/777\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":790,"href":"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/777\/revisions\/790"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/791"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=777"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=777"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/currents.bigelow.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=777"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}