I am 1/4 Ukrainian. Here’s a story relevant to today’s disaster. In 1976 I traveled to Moscow in a 6-person U.S. delegation to an ocean science conference, 1 of the early ‘safe exchanges’ (athletes & scientists) in the thaw of in relations between the U.S. & the USSR. A young Ukrainian woman was 1 of our USSR-assigned translators. The translators were also our minders - they accompanied us everywhere - to the conference itself, banquets, the Moscow Circus (dancing bears!), & a fabulous performance of Swan Lake by the Kirov Ballet.

1/ What an honor it was to receive the 1st Mary Sears Medal from ⁦@TOSOceanography⁩ at #OSM20 & to have a chance to recognize a remarkable scientist & true pioneer. It’s hard to appreciate how challenging her circumstances were, but I can begin to imagine some of the... 2/ ...barriers she faced because her life was chronologically between my grandmother’s & my mother’s. They, too, were professional women. Their stories, passion, & achievements inspired me. My grandmother was only 18y older than Mary Sears; Mary was 12 yr older than my mom...