Who is John Deaton?
My name is John Deaton; I am an elementary school teacher currently working at McMurdo Station in support of the National Science
Foundation and the United States Antarctic Program. I have taught fourth
grade in Truckee, CA, sixth grade in Alexandria, Egypt, and I volunteered in
the compensatory reading program at Department of Defense schools in Kaiserslautern, Germany. I also have extensive experience as a leader and trainer
of accredited, supplemental learning programs, focusing on experiential field studies for elementary students. My personal goal is to experience life on
every continent and share those experiences with elementary students. I am excited to be in Antarctica and live in a scientific community. I find
Antarctica parcticularly interesting because both Egypt, where I taught school, and Antarctica are deserts with astounding similarities and differences.
What is John Doing in the
Antarctic?
I will be in Antarctica until February 2005 working for Raytheon Polar Services Company, a logistics contractor supporting the United States Antarctic
Program. I provide ground transportation in the McMurdo Station area, and my job is one of the many basic services required to achieve the ambitious
scientific objectives in Antarctica. I like my job because it allows me to interface with scientists, research associates, and other members of the
USAP support community; I also have a unique opportunity to visit sites outside McMurdo Station and volunteer to help with science research. When I am
not working, I contribute to the McMurdo weekly newspaper, the Antarctic Sun, lead tours for the McMurdo
community to historic sites on Ross Island
http://www.heritage-antarctica.org and volunteer in the recreation department.
John Deaton's Journals
Be sure to check out the images in the journal entries!
29 December, 2004: My last journal entry - favorite Antarctic jokes; have a GREAT school year!
28 December, 2004: What are scientists studying in Antarctica?
23 December, 2004: Who discovered Antarctica?
18 December, 2004: Do you think something like "Day After Tomorrow" could happen?
15 December, 2004: How is iceberg B-15 affecting McMurdo Station?
12 December, 2004: What is there to do when you are not working?
9 December, 2004: What is an ozone hole and can you see it?
6 December, 2004: Is it true there were dinosaurs in Antarctica?
2 December, 2004: Who owns Antarctica?
28 November, 2004: What is it like to scuba dive beneath the ice?
23 November, 2004: How do you stay warm?
20 November, 2004: What does it look like where you live?
15 November, 2004: How cold does it get in Antarctica?
10 November, 2004: Is your job dangerous?
7 November, 2004: Have you seen any polar bears, penguins, or seals?
5 November, 2004: What part of Antarctica are you in?
4 November, 2004: A talk with astronaut Mike Fincke onboard the International Space Station, October 22, 2004
3 November, 2004: Where is Antarctica and how big is it?
1 November, 2004: Although I am a teacher, I don't teach school at McMurdo Station
John Deaton