[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 138 (Monday, October 21, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1951]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1951]]


     RECOGNIGING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF DR. DIANE STANITSKI-MARTIN

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. TODD RUSSELL PLATTS

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 21, 2002

  Mr. PLATTS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an outstanding 
constituent and educator in my 19th Congressional District of 
Pennsylvania, Dr. Diane Stanitski-Martin, for her extraordinary effort 
to bring real scientific research to the classroom. Dr. Stanitski-
Martin, a professor at Shippensburg University, was chosen by the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Office of 
Global Programs to participate in a 3-week long research cruise in the 
Pacific Ocean. She participated in the retrieval and deployment of 
moored buoys that span the tropical Pacific Ocean as part of the TAO/
TRITON array, a complex climate observation system central to 
describing, understanding and predicting the phenomenon known as El 
Nino.
  Diane Stanitski-Martin embarked on the NOAA Ship Ka'imimoana August 
16, 2002 in Honolulu and arrived on September 1, 2002 in Nuku Hiva, 
Marquesas Islands. While onboard, Diane hosted several live Web 
broadcasts, taught her undergraduate and graduate classes, wrote lesson 
plans, maintained a daily log, took photographs, interviewed 
scientists, and engaged in dialogue with other teachers and students, 
as well as the general public. She described her experience to be ``a 
perfect chance for my students to learn more about current research 
which would help inspire them to pursue careers in the atmospheric and 
physical sciences.'' At a time when we are discovering how immense an 
influence the oceans play in the world's climate system, Dr. Stanitski-
Martin's adventurous research effort will hopefully inspire younger 
generations to have an interest in climate science as well as the 
social dimensions of climate change.
  I am very pleased to thank NOAA for its sponsorship of Dr. Stanitski-
Martin's participation in the Teacher-At-Sea Program. I am also pleased 
to commend Dr. Stanitski-Martin for her devoted efforts to educate and 
inspire her students. Dr. Stanitski-Martin has certainly set a 
wonderful example for her fellow educators to follow.

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