HR: 0800h
AN: ED31B-1213    [Abstracts]
TI: Undergraduate Research From Start to Finish in a SEA Semester
AU: * Lavender, K
EM: klavender@sea.edu
AF: Sea Education Association, P.O. Box 6, Woods Hole, MA 02543 United States
AU: Joyce, P
EM: pjoyce@sea.edu
AF: Sea Education Association, P.O. Box 6, Woods Hole, MA 02543 United States
AU: Graziano, L
EM: graziano@sea.edu
AF: Sea Education Association, P.O. Box 6, Woods Hole, MA 02543 United States
AU: Harris, S
EM: sara@eos.ubc.ca
AF: University of British Columbia, Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences 6339 Stores Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4 Canada
AU: Jaroslow, G
EM: garyj@sea.edu
AF: Sea Education Association, P.O. Box 6, Woods Hole, MA 02543 United States
AU: Lea, C
EM: clea@sea.edu
AF: Sea Education Association, P.O. Box 6, Woods Hole, MA 02543 United States
AU: Schell, J
EM: jschell@sea.edu
AF: Sea Education Association, P.O. Box 6, Woods Hole, MA 02543 United States
AU: Witting, J
EM: jwitting@sea.edu
AF: Sea Education Association, P.O. Box 6, Woods Hole, MA 02543 United States
AB: Undergraduates in the 12-week SEA Semester program at the Sea Education Association (SEA) carry out the entire scientific research process, from conception of a testable scientific question to final presentation of results from data they collect on a six-week research cruise. SEA is uniquely positioned to direct undergraduates in oceanography research projects as diverse as the students that propose them, from the curious non-science major to the student wishing to continue their research at their home institution (i.e. for a senior thesis project). Upon arrival at SEA''s campus in Woods Hole, MA, students are challenged to design a research project they will carry out at sea. They are guided by faculty in reading and discussing primary scientific literature, formulating a research question, and describing a specific data collection and analysis plan to be carried out at sea, culminating in a written research proposal that is defended orally. In developing their project students have access not only to the SEA faculty, but also to the many resources of the larger scientific community of Woods Hole. During the six-week sea component students participate in all aspects of data collection, analysis, and interpretation aboard one of SEA's state-of-the-art oceanographic research vessels. Before the end of the program each student presents their final results in both an oral presentation and a written research paper. The SEA Semester model gives students the opportunity to take complete ownership of a research project, and provides access to cutting-edge research capabilities both onshore and at sea. Examples of recent student research projects will be presented. SEA has been simultaneously developing its undergraduate research program and collecting an extensive historical oceanographic database since 1971. Students are encouraged to incorporate these data in long time series analysis projects, and data are also available to outside researchers. Collaborations with research scientists enhance the educational program, and provide opportunities for ship-of-opportunity sampling in remote locations. There are currently more than 7000 alumni of SEA Semester, and SEA alums are associated with all major centers of oceanographic research in the United States.
UR: http://www.sea.edu
DE: 0810 Post-secondary education
DE: 0820 Curriculum and laboratory design
DE: 0825 Teaching methods
DE: 4200 OCEANOGRAPHY: GENERAL
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005