HR: 0830h
AN: ED11B-0100    [PDF]
TI: Experiencing the Full Research Process at Sea Education Association (SEA)
AU: * Harris, S E
EM: sharris@sea.edu
AF: Sea Education Association, PO Box 6, Woods Hole, MA 02543 United States
AU: Joyce, P
EM: pjoyce@sea.edu
AF: Sea Education Association, PO Box 6, Woods Hole, MA 02543 United States
AU: Jaroslow, G
EM: garyj@sea.edu
AF: Sea Education Association, PO Box 6, Woods Hole, MA 02543 United States
AU: Graziano, L
EM: graziano@sea.edu
AF: Sea Education Association, PO Box 6, Woods Hole, MA 02543 United States
AU: Lea, C
EM: clea@sea.edu
AF: Sea Education Association, PO Box 6, Woods Hole, MA 02543 United States
AU: Witting, J
EM: jwitting@sea.edu
AF: Sea Education Association, PO Box 6, Woods Hole, MA 02543 United States
AU: Bower, A
EM: abower@whoi.edu
AF: Sea Education Association, PO Box 6, Woods Hole, MA 02543 United States
AU: Bower, A
EM: abower@whoi.edu
AF: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Mail Stop #21, Woods Hole, MA 02543 United States
AB: While some undergraduate research experiences include only a small piece of the research process, students attending Sea Education Association's SEA Semester complete all aspects of oceanographic research in an intensive 12 week program that earns a full semester's credit. In the first half of the program, students read and discuss background literature on a subject, ask questions, pose hypotheses, and develop a written research proposal, which they defend orally. The second half of the course takes place at sea on one of SEA's state-of-the-art oceanographic research vessels where students carry out their sampling plans, analyze samples and data, write a final paper and present their results before the vessel reaches port, completing the course. At sea, students participate in sample collection and analysis for all student projects in addition to learning the general oceanography along their cruise track. This structure exposes students to the realities of research from start to finish and allows them to take full ownership of their projects. In addition to honing writing, public speaking, and problem-solving skills, students learn that research requires dedication, flexibility, and creativity, particularly when their results are unexpected or negate their hypothesis. SEA's undergraduate research program has been developing since 1971. Over that time, SEA has collected an extensive historical oceanographic database in the western Atlantic and Caribbean, plus Pacific data since 2001. This database is available to both students and outside research scientists. Collaborations with scientists outside SEA enhance the student experience and help facilitate oceanographic research by providing "ship-of-opportunity" sampling in remote locations. SEA Semester provides an excellent model for undergraduate research experiences with over 5000 alumni, about 30% of whom enter graduate school. About half the students in SEA's undergraduate programs are non-science majors. Although their experience at SEA may be their only hands-on exposure to scientific research, they take away an understanding of the process and an ability to think critically about scientific problems.
UR: http://www.sea.edu
DE: 4200 OCEANOGRAPHY: GENERAL
DE: 4500 OCEANOGRAPHY: PHYSICAL
DE: 4800 OCEANOGRAPHY: BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL
DE: 6605 Education
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting