CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — A Pickaway-Ross Career and Technology Center teacher spent 13 days at sea this summer aboard a NOAA research vessel, helping scientists survey the lake bottoms of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. “I envision using the NOAA Teacher at Sea experience as a transformative opportunity to deepen scientific inquiry and strengthen cross-curricular collaboration,” she said in a statement. Jennifer Hammond, director of NOAA’s Teacher at Sea program, said the trip gives educators access to research many would otherwise never see firsthand. “Teachers describe this authentic research experience as transformative and one that allows them to bring new knowledge and excitement back to their classrooms.” The program has sent nearly 850 teachers to sea since 1990, giving them hands-on experience working alongside scientists who study the marine environment, according to NOAA.