From Arizona to the Hadal Zone: Tyler Fellow Landon Schumaker Explores One of Earth’s Deepest Environments
Growing up in Chandler, Arizona, thousands of miles from the nearest coastline, Marine Biology major and Honors student Landon Schumaker never imagined his future would take him to the farthest reaches of the deep sea. But this past summer, Schumaker went to Perth, Australia with the support of the Tyler Fellowship for International Research, a funding opportunity administered jointly by UROP and the Tyler Center for Global Studies.
“The Tyler Fellowship provided me with the financial support I needed to travel, live abroad for an extended period, and gave me the opportunity to learn about so many different projects going on around the world,” said Schumaker. “This fellowship meant a lot to me, as it was something I put a lot of effort into between developing a proposal and a project plan, and then being entrusted with this award. Receiving it was both rewarding and humbling.”
From June through August, Schumaker worked with the Minderoo–University of Western Australia Deep-Sea Research Centre under the mentorship of Dr. Alan Jamieson to study the Nova Canton Trough, a hadal region more than 6,000 meters deep. Featuring a broad depression that until recently had never been studied at such scale and depth, the Nova Canton Trough. “Last year, a long and ambitious expedition to the Nova Canton Trough in the Pacific Ocean was undertaken by scientists working with Inkfish, which was part of an even larger and ambitious project to survey many of the deepest undersea features on Earth,” explained Jamieson. “During this expedition the team deployed baited cameras to assess deep-sea biodiversity between 2471 and 7983 metres deep, 110 times.” Schumaker contributed to meticulous work on this footage, including taxonomic identifications, statistical analyses, and visualizations.
“The deep sea fascinates me because it feels like an entirely different world,” shared Schumaker. “It’s a world that is perceived to be so far away, yet in reality, is on our planet and right beneath our surface waters. There are vast knowledge gaps, and every expedition brings the possibility of discovering something new. I’ve always been a curious person with endless questions, and the unique animals and extreme environments at these depths fuel that curiosity and motivate me. As humans, we think of the deep sea as one of the most extreme environments on Earth with high pressure, no light, little food, yet the animals there are perfectly adapted to it. That contrast is what fascinates me.”
Schumaker’s overseas work was complemented by monthly virtual check-ins with his UH Mānoa mentor, Dr. Jeff Drazen (Professor in the Department of Oceanography), who has guided him for more than a year. “Landon was pretty familiar with the deep ocean when he departed for Australia and he had already analyzed deep-sea videos. But in Australia he really dug into big datasets and he dramatically increased his ability to use statistical modeling to explore research results. I’m really impressed that he analyzed the data and has a draft of a peer reviewed paper. This was a stellar opportunity for Landon and he really capitalized on it,” shared Drazen.
Schumaker’s growth as a researcher was complemented by the personal development he experienced as the result of living in a new country. “Life outside the lab in Australia was a true adventure. That sense of discovery was really transformative for me. Being in a completely different environment gave me the chance to step back, see life from fresh perspectives, and set new goals for myself,” he shared. “Some of my favorite memories were the moments experiencing new cultures with fellow researchers, the generosity of the family I stayed with, and the times I spent wandering both the city and the countryside on my own. The hikes and encounters with Australian wildlife like kangaroos, echidnas, and quokkas are moments I’ll never forget.”
Schumaker’s first hands-on experience with research at the university came through UROP Project funding, which gave him the confidence and skills to apply for the more competitive Tyler Fellowship. “My initial UROP Project not only developed my research skills but also gave me the tools to apply for the Tyler Fellowship,” Schumaker stated. “UROP helped me grow in writing funding applications, conducting research, and presenting my work. These are all skills that I will continue to build on through the Tyler Fellowship. Together they have helped in the process of developing my ability as a researcher and I am incredibly grateful for the foundation they have provided me with.
Looking ahead, the results from the Nova Canton Trough study are expected to lead to at least two scientific publications, with Schumaker as a co-author, and potentially lead author, continuing the work as he’s back in Hawaiʻi. Long term, he hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in biological oceanography and dedicate his career to exploring and protecting the deep sea. “This experience pushed me to challenge myself daily and think more critically about the kind of impact I want to make. It has helped me take steps toward ambitions that I once only imagined. While I’m still shaping what the future will look like, this opportunity has been an essential part of that journey,” he stated.