ARCTIC CITIZEN SCIENCE : Seeking Support to Get Me There.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I have never done something like this before and, quite frankly, have been very hesitant. It is an odd sensation to be asking others to fund something for you directly, especially when there are so many other things it could be going towards. I definitely think it was a sense of selfishness and fear that held me back from creating this in the first place. Regardless, for those of you that don’t know me, my name is Claire Mortensen. I am an avid scuba diver, freediver, traveler, and passionate advocate for the environment and human rights. My goal is to inspire others to have awe for our planet and a sense of shared humanity, to promote the interconnectedness of the environment and human rights, and to create a more just and equitable world.

About the Project/ Expedition:

The Arctic is changing faster than almost anywhere on Earth. And yet—some of these fragile ecosystems remain data deserts, rarely visited by scientists due to cost and accessibility barriers. This summer, I have a rare and historic opportunity to change that.

I have been invited to be part of launching an ambitious ocean research project entitled Project Blue Echo—led by The Seabirds Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to inclusive, ethical, and community-based citizen science. Our team will be heading to data-scarce marine regions in Greenland, Svalbard, and Iceland to collect vital ocean health data. With Greenland being a point of rising geopolitical tension, gathering and sharing climate data is more urgent than ever. And this campaign is a chance to assist me in joining.

With your help, i’ll have the opportunity to step into a role I’ve only ever dreamed about - joining a crew of female explorers, scientists, and storytellers working in partnership with NOAA and with approval from the US Department of State and foreign states to make sure the Arctic has a voice in global climate data.

WHAT I’LL BE DOING

As a part of this Project Blue Echo I will help with:

✨ Collecting acoustic data and ambient underwater soundscapes to help scientists track noise pollution and marine life behavior. ✨Capture images, video, and personal accounts to preserve the ecological narratives of changing coastal regions.

✨ Gather key ocean health data including temperature, salinity, and pH, along with exact GPS coordinates.

✨ Tell the story—through blogs, videos, and live calls with schools—to inspire more girls and underrepresented communities to see themselves as part of science and exploration.

✨Help build a global, open-access ocean database with NOAA and other partners. This is science you can feel—where storytelling meets data, and discovery meets impact. This data will be submitted to NOAA for publication and to reach a broader audience.

ABOUT THE SEABIRDS FOUNDATION

The Seabirds Foundation is a nonprofit built on the belief that anyone—regardless of background or training—can contribute to ocean science. Our squad members come from every walk of life. Together, we collect ocean data, amplify the voices of marine ecosystems, and teach the next generation of ocean stewards.

✨We use non-invasive, ethical data collection.

✨We work collaboratively with local communities.

✨We bring ocean science tools to everyday explorers.

✨We teach. We reach. We explore.

https://www.theseabirds.org/#Newsletter

Why this expedition is important to me and the bigger picture.

This expedition holds both personal and broader significance for me. To start, I've felt deeply unfulfilled in my previous career in the legal field. I always knew, intuitively, that I wanted to do something more—something that allowed me to advocate for our world on a larger scale, beyond the confines of an office. While the legal profession is important and noble, it often feels constrained by too many factors, hindrances, and nuances to create real change from just that perspective.

Since childhood, I’ve been captivated by how exploration and visual storytelling can evoke wonder and awe, connecting people to a shared sense of humanity. These stories open eyes to the inexhaustible variety of life our world holds, as well as the many challenges and inequality it faces. This is what has drawn me toward a career transition—back into the realms of advocacy, adventure, storytelling, and science. I never anticipated this journey would lead me to something of such a large scale.

This endeavor is not simply about fulfilling a personal goal or childhood dream I once set aside and now have the courage to pursue. It is about gathering critical data that must be observed, analyzed, and shared with the world to provide a clearer and more urgent understanding of the impacts of climate change. The role of polar ecosystems in mitigating these effects is vital to our collective efforts to preserve both the planet and humanity.

Moreover, with Greenland now at the center of international political contention, it is more important than ever to gather and disseminate this data. Should the conversation surrounding Greenland evolve into more than just dialogue, it’s future would face concerning uncertainty —accelerating the degradation of Arctic ecosystems, worsening the global impacts of climate change, and further impacting the autonomy, and safety of Greenland’s people.

My hope is that the data we collect through this citizen science expedition reaches a broader audience and contributes to meaningful change in climate policy.

WHAT YOUR DONATION SUPPORTS

Every dollar raised goes directly toward my costs to partake:

✨Expedition vessel fees - $4,500

✨Gear and safety equipment - $850 to $1,200

✨Miscellaneous travel expenses $600

✨ Flights to Spitsbergen $900-$1200

If you choose to donate it is investing not just in my personal journey but in critical climate data, and in a future where necessary research is accessible to everyone. I will be providing frequent updates about the progress of the citizen science expedition and where the funds have been allocated to.