A Year At Sea with Cody Bahlau

Cody Bahlau spent over 200 days at sea as Chief Science Officer aboard Columbia University's R/V Marcus G. Langseth, supporting expeditions investigating ocean currents, upwelling zones, and deep-sea fault systems stretching from Iceland to South Africa. One leg of the journey took him across the Atlantic, sailing nearly a month from Cape Town to New York City, passing the Statue of Liberty and cruising under the Brooklyn Bridge, an unforgettable way to return home.

When not at sea, Cody hiked nearly 400 miles of the Portuguese Camino from Lisbon to Santiago de Compostela, soaked in a hot spring beneath the northern lights in Iceland, and spent quiet mornings bow hunting whitetail deer in the forests of Michigan.

This talk is about more than just science. It is about the work, the challenges, and the unscripted moments that happen when you follow curiosity across oceans and continents, and the people you meet along the way.



Cody Bahlau is a field operations leader, geoscientist, and Chief Science Officer aboard Columbia University’s R/V Marcus G. Langseth. His career spans over 25 oceanographic research expeditions and nearly two decades in the offshore oil and gas industry, where he lived and worked overseas. Cody has traveled to more than 45 countries, combining his professional expertise with a personal passion for exploration. An avid outdoorsman, he enjoys long-distance hiking, camping, fly fishing, and hunting. His work today focuses on marine geophysics, offshore project management, and STEM outreach, connecting people to the realities of life and leadership at sea.