IOCOM, software provider for video conferencing and collaboration, partnered with the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program’s (IODP) Deep Earth Academy to offer educational video conferencing for students to witness live deep-sea voyages.

Since the installation of the IOCOM solution 12 months ago, 12 conversations have taken place with Northside Independent School District (ISD) of San Antonio, Texas; Oregon’s Treasure Valley Community College; and other students and teachers across the United States and Japan. More presentations are planned for student groups and museums in the near future.

The program has enabled students to connect with the IODP’s ship, JOIDES Resolution—also known as The JR— through IOCOM’s video conferencing platform, allowing scientists on board The JR to host interactive sessions with students that include file sharing of relevant scientific data. Participants discuss and observe how the scientists take core samples and measurements from under the ocean floor, giving them a glimpse into the earth’s development and a scientific means of measuring climate and environmental change throughout a significant part of the earth’s history.