The multi-disciplinary science group relies on each other to put together a dive plan that incorporates the priorities of everyone. They also advise each other with their expertise in their specific disciplines. This communication creates a powerful problem-solving team. Without them there are no dives. Everyone relies on the ship's crew to safely deploy and recover instruments, for food, travel and safety.
Oceanographic research is truly an interdependent effort.
The scientific process, as we learned in school, is modified in actuality. From my experiences talking to scientists on this cruise, I've come to understand that there's always a problem or question on which an inquiry is based. Some type of data generation is set in place and gathered. After an analysis of the results, a hypothesis is then formulated for a research paper. The steps of the scientific method are in place, but not in the strict way we study it in textbooks and in the secondary science classroom.