Our Mission
Ignite curiosity for our oceans through the power of the scientific process — connecting the world to the microscopic wonders that power our planet.
About Plankton Base
A mission-driven organization connecting science, travel, and the ocean.
We are a mission-driven organization with a unique collaboration between scientists, tour expedition operators, educators, expedition cruise travelers, and science students — collecting ocean samples to assess the impacts of a changing environment on plankton communities.
Our Vision
A connected network of explorers working toward a healthier, more approachable ocean environment.
Built on a decade of polar research
Built on the proven legacy of FjordPhyto.
FjordPhyto is our foundational legacy — the proven lineage Plankton Base grew from. Led by Dr. Allison Cusick and Dr. Martina Mascioni, FjordPhyto spent nearly a decade sampling Antarctic and Arctic waters alongside polar expedition operators, building a long-running time-series of molecular DNA, microscopy, and CTD records. Those years of polar research and tourism collaboration laid the groundwork for everything Plankton Base now offers: a durable multi-season expedition program, official facilitator training and certification, open-source data, lab analytics, and seasonal reporting for operators, educators, and donors across polar and ocean regions.
Our framework was born in the fjords of the Antarctic Peninsula. For ten years, under the FjordPhyto program, we refined the art of engaging travelers in high-level science — which became a premier participatory science program that led the way in Antarctic fjord research.
Today, Plankton Base carries that legacy forward. We have taken those years of field-tested protocols and guest insights to create a more comprehensive, ship-ready activity for the global fleet.
About the team
Marine scientists, educators, and expedition guides.
At Plankton Base, our team is uniquely positioned at the intersection of polar research, environmental education, and expedition tourism. We have spent 10 years pioneering citizen science programs in the most remote corners of our planet.
Backed by a diverse board of advisors in strategy and management, we build frameworks that are both scientifically rigorous and deeply human. We know exactly what it takes to translate complex research into inspiring, engaging field experiences that protect our oceans.
Leadership
Co-founders.
Dr. Allison Cusick
Co-Founder, Plankton Base
Allison is a US biologist and oceanographer with a background in research, genetics, and conservation, holding degrees from the University of Washington and a PhD from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She has spent more than 20 years working in labs, studying phytoplankton since 2010, and focusing on polar ecosystems with a special interest in Antarctica since 2013. Through her outreach platform Woman Scientist and her work directing citizen science initiatives since 2016, she connects the public directly to the wonders of marine science and climate research. Allison is a Fellow National of The Explorers Club (San Diego chapter) and a certified rescue scuba diver.
Dr. Martina Mascioni
Co-Founder, Plankton Base
Martina is an Argentine polar biologist and researcher with a PhD in Natural Sciences from the Universidad Nacional de La Plata. She has spent more than a decade studying marine microalgae and polar phytoplankton ecology. As a passionate advocate for ocean literacy, science diplomacy, and public engagement, Martina co-founded Plankton Base to leverage her extensive background in international citizen science, global research networks, and environmental education, bridging the gap between scientific discovery and global ocean conservation.
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Kristina Ciari
Board Chair
Kristina is a strategic communications leader with 15+ years helping mission-driven organizations deepen audience engagement, build scalable systems, and grow with intention. She is Chief Communications Officer at Occasionally Epic Communications and a longtime board member in the outdoor and nonprofit space (including SheJumps). A skier, climber, runner, and biker based in the Greater Seattle area, Kristina brings brand strategy, governance, and storytelling expertise that helps Plankton Base scale its participatory-science framework across global polar regions.
View LinkedIn profile →CC
Cindy Cusick
Secretary / Treasurer
Cindy oversees the financial stewardship and operational governance of Plankton Base. She ensures the nonprofit operates with transparency, fiscal responsibility, and the structural integrity required to support multi-year research commitments and donor-funded program expansion.
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Editt Vartanian
Board Member
Editt is a Burbank, California–based consultant and founder of Parasail Consulting LLC, bringing cross-disciplinary advisory experience across operations, strategy, and partnerships. On the Plankton Base board, she supports governance decisions that strengthen the organization's reach across science, education, and expedition partnerships, helping ensure meaningful, lasting impact for travelers, operators, and the polar science community.
View LinkedIn profile →Partners & recognition
Building upon years of impactful work with the FjordPhyto citizen science program, Plankton Base's founders have garnered extensive support and recognition across the community. Their research and educational initiatives have been funded and supported by NASA's Citizen Science Earth Systems Program (CSESP), the NASA SMD Community of Practice for Education (SCoPE), and the National Science Foundation (NSF) Office of Polar Programs.
Celebrated for innovation and research excellence, the founders received the UC San Diego Inaugural Chancellor's Innovation Award and award-winning recognition from the Phycological Society of America. Plankton Base operates through close academic collaborations with Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego and the Universidad Nacional de La Plata, while working alongside Operators who are members of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) and Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) to engage the polar tourism sector in rigorous scientific programming. Their ongoing monitoring efforts with FjordPhyto were officially endorsed by the Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS).
Historical partnerships do not imply current endorsement of Plankton Base by these organizations.