CURRENT MISSION

As a graduate student in ecology, my mission is to understand how the physical world interacts with the biological world, and vice versa. I look for green and blue spaces, disturbed by humans and untouched by our hands. Mainly, I am interested in comparing how anthropologic (human) impacts affect marine systems. One day I hope we can find a sustainable solution for interactions between human ecology and other systems.

ABOUT ME

When I'm not donning neoprene (or a drysuit) to stick my face in the ocean (either do dive or surf) I like to climb rocks ("thinks rocks are cool and likes touching them"), play music, cook, and talk about things. I suppose it goes with the territory, but I also love to hike/camp/backpack, brew and drink beer, and recently I've gotten into fermentation!

Currently I am pursuing a Masters of Science in Ecology, with a focus on kelp forest ecology. Algae are always interesting!

Feel free to check out my (science for non-scientists) blog: baronvonurchin.weebly.com

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

As a traveler I love to CouchSurf because it affords a better perspective of the area in which I am traveling.

As a host I would like to help those that I can, show them around my abode/town, and listen to their stories! A safe space, warm food and easy company are priceless.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

So far the hosts that I have met have been incredible people! All have been incredibly hospitable and helpful. I've 'surfed in Oregon, Washington, Canada, France, and New Zealand

I haven't been able to host as much as I'd like in the last two years, but as an undergraduate in Santa Cruz, CA, I had a practically had surfers every other week!

Interests

Surfing, SCUBA diving, music, travel, literature, marine biology, ecology, aikido, botany, astronomy, geology, physics, hiking, biking, skateboarding, hmmm there isn't much that doesn't interest me!

• dining
• traveling
• music
• cycling
• hiking
• surfing
• scuba diving
• rock climbing
• swimming
• biology
• ecology
• geology

Music, Movies, and Books

Books: On the Road, Ishmael, Two Years Before the Mast, Stranger in a Strange Land, The Dharma Bums, The Omnivore's Dilemma, Slaughterhouse V, The State and Nature, Game of Thrones, The Log from the Sea of Cortez

Music: Whelp... just about anything with strings (bluegrass, folk etc), funk, blues, cumbia. Yeah, just about anything.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

During the summer of 2016 I spent 3 weeks living on a research vessel and diving along the Aleutian Islands (South and way west Alaska). The 5ºC water was certainly a shock at first, but never in my diving career have I seen such water. And there is nothing that compares to surfacing from a dive under an active volcano.

Actually, you can check out a little video I made about it!

http://aleutianislandskelp.weebly.com/videos.html

Teach, Learn, Share

Someone once told me I'm a jack of all trades, and a master of none. Hah! If we're near the sea I can teach you to surf (if there are waves), otherwise I can teach you what I know about... well anything. 90% of what I say might be bs, so it's your job to figure out the 10%.

But, let me tell you, algae are always interesting (yes, algae is plural! see? learning already).

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can teach you to cook some of the finest dirt-bag California cuisine. My specialities include quesadillas, stir-fry and fancy mac n'cheese. I love to cook, and wax romantic about ecology and natural systems. If I have my banjo I can teach you how to claw-hammer.

I'm a marine ecologist, ask me anything!

Countries I’ve Visited

American Samoa, Austria, Canada, Costa Rica, France, Italy, New Zealand, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

•