Adam Kos, a 2026 graduate of Rutgers University School of Environmental Biological Science, joins the Schmidt Ocean Institute research expedition in the western tropical Atlantic Ocean
When Adam Kos started working in Dr. Grace Saba’s laboratory of in 2024, he didn’t realize his experiential learning would culminate with a month at sea in the western tropical Atlantic Ocean. Kos will be joining a multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary research team led by Rutgers faculty, Dr. Joe Gradone and Dr. Corday Selden, to study ocean mixing and its role in sustaining life and regulating the Earth’s climate. The 28-day expedition aboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s R/V Falkor (too) will take place in August 2026, three short months after Kos graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Science from Rutgers University.
When asked about the upcoming expedition Kos commented, “I am extremely excited to participate in the research cruise. Being a part of such valuable research is a very surreal experience, and it is something I am very grateful for.”
“Mentoring Adam has been a rewarding experience for everyone in my research group. Through his self-motivation, consistent and strong work ethic, and enthusiastic character, Adam mastered a diverse set of techniques that make him a highly valuable team member on the upcoming interdisciplinary field effort.”
Kos started off in the Saba lab as an intern to meet the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences experiential learning requirements. After completing a semester of work identifying and quantifying zooplankton species from off the coast of New Jersey, Kos was offered to stay on as an undergraduate research assistant to continue to perform zooplankton assessments that support larger analyses valuable to the New Jersey State-funded project. During this time, he refined his laboratory and field skillset that make him a valuable member of both the Saba lab and the diverse team leading the upcoming research expedition aboard the R/V Falkor (too). On the upcoming cruise, Kos will work with a team of biological, physical, and chemical oceanographers to assess community composition of and grazing processes by zooplankton in the region and the influence of ocean mixing on those dynamics. He will utilize the skills honed during his undergraduate research efforts to deploy specialized nets that will gather zooplankton for onboard measurements, experimentation, and future data analysis.
“During my time with the Saba Lab I learned many things about marine research, ranging from the importance of metadata and meticulous note taking, to what methods are used in the laboratory and field to conduct biological oceanography,’ Kos explains.
When asked what excites him most about his past and future research, he noted that, “it has been great to work with such an amazing group of people who have helped me further my career.” As Kos progresses in his post-graduate work, he aims to explore careers in marine science that will let him use the skills developed in his experiential work at Rutgers.
