The Nature of Nantucket

This week on the show, host Joanna Roche chats with Emily Molden the Executive Director at Nantucket Land and Water Council . In this insightful interview, Emily discusses her role at the helm of the organization, which is dedicated to preserving Nantucket's unique environmental resources. She highlights the challenges and successes the council faces in protecting the island's land, wate...

Geoff Clayton is the Interim Director of Astronomy at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff talks about why we celebrate the New Year on January 1st.

This week on the show, host Joanna Roche chats with Dr. Rich Blundell from the Maria Mitchell Association . As the MMA’s visiting scientist for the past few years, Dr. Blundell dives into the " Healthy Harbor Project "—featuring their newly installed, custom-designed buoy that’s been actively monitoring Nantucket Harbor since August. They’ll explore the latest data collected and share in...

 This week, host Joanna Roche sits down with Deblois Milledge , a talented singer and songwriter currently serving as the Artist in Residence at the Maria Mitchell Association on Nantucket. Deblois is working on a collection of original songs inspired by the life and legacy of Maria Mitchell . In addition to her musical pursuits, Deblois shares her experiences as a registered nurse (RN) and a Deat...

This week, host Joanna Roche sits down with Jennifer Walsh , a renowned wellness expert with a deep focus on the powerful connection between humans and nature. Jennifer shares her insights into how immersing ourselves in natural environments can profoundly impact our mental well-being. In the conversation, she explores the numerous benefits of spending time in nature, from reducing stress to enhan...

Geoff Clayton is the Interim Director of Astronomy at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff talks about the significance of the winter solstice.

This week host Joanna Roche talks with Zoe Barry.   From Wall Street to being a racecar driver to being the founder and CEO of Zingeroo, Zoe has done it all! She chats with Joanna and tells her about what brought her to Nantucket, her exciting background and making an impact in more traditionally male-dominated industries. To learn more about the Maria Mitchell Association visit https://www.mariam...

Geoff Clayton is the Interim Director of Astronomy at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff talks about the Voyager spacecraft which are still sending back data 47 years after launch. 

This week on the podcast, host Joanna Roche sits down with Ginger Andrews , the Field Ornithologist for the Maria Mitchell Association , for an insightful conversation about Nantucket’s birdlife. Ginger delves into the unique challenges Barn Owls face during the island’s harsh winters, including the dangers of secondary poisoning from their prey. She shares practical ways we can protect these magn...

Geoff Clayton is the Interim Director of Astronomy at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff talks about planets orbiting other stars.

Join Joanna Roche on this week’s episode of the Nature of Nantucket podcast as she sits down with former NASA astronaut and US Navy Captain (Ret.), Daniel Bursch , to talk about his Nantucket roots. Bursch is a former Naval Flight Officer and astronaut.  He completed four missions to space, including a 196-day mission to the International Space Station from December 2001 to June 2002 as a flight e...

Geoff Clayton is the Interim Director of Astronomy at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff talks about Jupiter and its moons.

This week, host Joanna Roche welcomes Tara Riley , Nantucket's Shellfish and Aquatic Resource Manager , to continue their conversation about the Eelgrass restoration project. She goes into depth about the importance of Eelgrass here on Nantucket and how we can help protect it and improve its presence here. Together, they explore the importance of managing Nantucket’s marine resources and the...

Geoff Clayton is the Interim Director of Astronomy at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff talks about how to identify Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn in the skies of Nantucket right now.

Geoff Clayton is the Interim Director of Astronomy at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff talks about the Full Moon.

This week on the show, host Joanna Roche sits down with Charlie Brooks , a dedicated field researcher from the renowned Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego . Charlie shares fond memories of his childhood summers on Nantucket, where his fascination with the ocean first took root. He takes us on his journey from these early inspirations to a rewarding career in marine science, detailing...

This week, host Joanna Roche welcomes Tara Riley , Nantucket's Shellfish and Aquatic Resource Manager , for an in-depth conversation on her unique journey in marine biology. Tara shares her personal background, her early passion for aquatic sciences, and the path that led her to this specialized role. Together, they explore the importance of managing Nantucket’s marine resources and the rewar...

Geoff Clayton is the Interim Director of Astronomy at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff recites the poem written by US Poet Laureate, Ada Limon, for the NASA Europa Mission.

This week, host Joanna Roche welcomes Shawn Sneddon a system engineer with Yellow Springs Instruments or YSI which specializes in water quality equipment. Shawn is now one of the lead engineers for all things autonomous: Performing hydrographic surveys, trainings, customer/sales support, and demos for customer applications. Shawn started his career as a service and calibration engineer for Aandera...

Geoff Clayton is the Interim Director of Astronomy at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff discusses the Cosmic Dawn, the time 13 billion years ago when the first stars and galaxies began to shine.

This week, host Joanna Roche sits down with U.S. Navy officer Kari Yakubisin . As the Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Nantucket , Kari shares her experiences leading the crew of the Navy's newest combat ship, which is making its way to Boston for its commissioning ceremony from November 8th to 16th. In this episode, she also offers insights into her journey as a female leader in the Navy and...

Geoff Clayton is the Interim Director of Astronomy at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff discusses the exciting launches of two rockets, the SpaceX Moon rocket, and the Europa Clipper, heading to Jupiter to look for life.

This week, host Joanna Roche welcomes artist and designer Morgan Raith to the show. Morgan is an artist, designer, and creative strategist specializing in science communication. Growing up on Nantucket, she developed her love for the natural world and artistic expression from a young age. She now provides creative direction for clients in marine technology, natural sciences, education, and conserv...

Geoff Clayton is the Interim Director of Astronomy at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff discusses the Northern Lights or the Aurora Borealis. We have seen the aurora from Nantucket this year because the Sun is very active, and we may see it again.

This week, host Joanna Roche speaks with Emmy Wisz , a postbaccalaureate research fellow at the Maria Mitchell Association for the past year. Joining them is Grecco Oyarzun Martinez , a visiting astronomer collaborating with MMA astronomers and mentoring Emmy through the scientific paper writing process. Together, they discuss their recent projects and delve into their research on galaxies dating...