Alejandro enjoys the role because IODP, the employer that has hired him to work on the ship, also supports him financially to obtain the skills required for the physical properties and marine technician field. He jumped into classes about density, magnetic susceptibility, natural gamma radiation and other key studies involving core samples. During previous expeditions, Alejandro recalls that when cores break or leak, the gas inside the sediment starts to expand as they get used to the sea surface pressure. In turn, the gas at the seafloor is under a lot of pressure and is squeezed down, filling up all the spaces and leading to cores cracking or leaking. The role of the technician is to relieve the gas pressure. He drills holes into the wall of the core liner so that the gas can exit through, instead of bursting through the liner and leaking all over the shelves.
He believes that scientific ocean drilling is incredibly important because of all the surprising findings and results from the cores. Alejandro wants people to understand the importance of physical rock properties, and the JOIDES Resolution provides that opportunity for so many different scientists both early and late career.
