Addison Shea
Lakewood Ranch High School
Bradenton, Florida
Bowhead Whale Migration Amid Changing Circulation Patterns in the Beaufort Gyre
Addison studied how bowhead whale migration patterns have changed in the Arctic Ocean.
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Addison Shea, 18, of Bradenton, examined how changing currents in the Arctic Ocean affect whale migration patterns for her Regeneron Science Talent Search environmental science project. The current she studied, the Beaufort Gyre, is a major current in the Arctic Ocean. In the past, it reversed direction every 5-7 years. However, it hasn’t done so for at least 21 years, causing more freshwater to enter the region, an increase in the current’s rotation speed and greater water movement. These changes may affect animals in the area as well as the ocean’s food webs.
In her project, Addison used spatial statistics to analyze the location of bowhead whale sightings. These sightings spanned the whales’ autumnal migration from 1989 to 2018. She found that as the currents changed, so did the bowhead whales’ migratory patterns.
Addison, the child of Julie and Ty Shea, attends Lakewood Ranch High School. She is captain of the cross-country team. In past summers, she has volunteered at the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium and the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature. She was a NASA Langley summer knowledge management intern.
Beyond the Project
Addison is a leader in her high school’s Girl Up chapter. In this role, she raised funds to sponsor the education of female refugees. She also ran a donation drive for a local women’s shelter and voter registration drives at her high school.
FUN FACTS: Addison is on her high school cross-country team, where she was team captain for three years. In the summers, she trained five days a week, running up to 40 miles per week.
