I am incredibly excited — and deeply honored — to have been selected to join eXXpedition, an all-women ocean research expedition working to better understand and tackle one of our planet’s most urgent environmental challenges: plastic pollution.

In January 2027, I will join the Caribbean II expedition from Sint Maarten to Curaçao, becoming part of a multidisciplinary crew of women contributing to eXXpedition’s global mission to understand how plastic moves from communities, through waterways and into our oceans — and, most importantly, where we can intervene to stop it.

For eight days, we will live and work together aboard the vessel in close quarters. We will sail the boat, stand watches, cook, clean and take responsibility for life onboard while carrying out hands-on scientific research. At sea, our work will include collecting and analyzing samples for microplastics in ocean water and identifying different polymer types.

On land, we will investigate litter, consumer products and waste-management systems to help researchers understand not simply where plastic ends up, but where it comes from and what solutions may actually work. That distinction is incredibly important. Cleaning plastic from beaches matters. But if we want lasting change, we also have to understand the systems that allow that plastic to reach the environment in the first place.

I have spent years as a science teacher, service-learning / IBDP CAS coordinator and Rotary Interact Advisor helping young people understand that learning should lead to action. Science, education, service and the environment have been woven through my life for decades. As an educator, one of the things I'm most passionate about is empowering young people—especially young women—to see that they can be leaders, scientists, and change makers. Being part of a team of women working together to address one of the world's greatest environmental challenges will be incredibly inspiring and means so much to me.

There is something incredibly powerful about women learning from one another, doing difficult work together, contributing to science and then returning to their own communities equipped to create change. I am proud to become part of that community.

For almost twenty years, I have also volunteered with Ocean Conservancy beach cleanups, contributing to the collection of marine-debris data and seeing firsthand how a discarded object on land can become part of a much larger global environmental problem.

Joining eXXpedition gives me the extraordinary opportunity to take that work a step further. I won't simply be learning about ocean plastic, I'll be helping gather the data. I intend to bring what I learn back with me — through education, environmental outreach, storytelling and community engagement — so the impact of these eight days reaches far beyond the boat.

Participation in eXXpedition requires each Guest Crew member to fund her own place.

My crew contribution for Caribbean II is £5,490 — currently approximately $7,500 USD.

That contribution covers my expedition accommodation, meals on board and safety equipment.

I am also responsible for:

I’m hoping to surpass my $7,500 goal to help cover these additional costs. Any funds raised beyond my personal expedition expenses will be donated directly to eXXpedition to support their ongoing research, education, and work to tackle ocean plastic pollution.

Every bit helps and if you can’t give, please pass this along to people or places that care about the ocean and women in science. One share can change everything.

With tons of gratitude,

Courtney xx