Artists and Educators on Board

Join scientists, educators, and artists on the JOIDES Resolution – Expedition 327: Juan de Fuca Hydrogeology, July 5-September 5, 2010.  Expedition 327 will install sub-seafloor observatories to monitor fluid circulation and microbial activity in the ocean’s crust, using cutting edge technology to help scientists explore unanswered questions about activity and life beneath the seafloor.  The expedition will carry a team of educators and artists, excited to communicate with you and answer your questions in multiple ways and multiple languages.  Read the blogs, follow the expedition, send in your questions, and more.

http://joidesresolution.org/node/1154

Follow Plastics at Sea Expedition

Follow Sea Education Association’s “Plastics at SEA” Expedition, the first federally funded research expedition on plastic pollution in the North Atlantic. To date, this research cruise has counted 42,186 pieces of plastic in 71 net tows over a period of 19 days. Although they have been averaging 100 or 200 pieces of plastic per tow, on Monday, June 21, one of the nets recovered 23,000 pieces of plastic in a 30-minute tow which translates to about 26 million pieces per km2. This is a record for SEA, which has been sampling plastic marine debris in the Atlantic Ocean for more than 25 years.

Watch the mid-cruise report

Listen to Captain Chris McGuire’s audio report from sea

Visit http://plastics.sea.edu/ daily for the latest information

Follow Research Cruise with Educators and Artists Aboard

We invite everyone to follow along on the next adventure of the JOIDES Resolution – Expedition 327: Juan de Fuca Hydrogeology! Expedition 327 will install several sub-seafloor observatories to monitor fluid circulation and microbial activity in the ocean’s crust – using cutting edge technology to help scientists explore many unanswered questions about activity and life beneath the seafloor. Expedition 327 will also carry a unique international team of educators and artists – who are all excited to communicate with you and answer your questions in multiple ways and multiple languages! Learn more about them here: http://joidesresolution.org/node/1154.  The expedition begins July 5th (next week!) and runs through September 5, 2010. You can become a part of it at www.joidesresolution.org, where you can read blogs, see the ship’s location, send in questions, find out who’s on board, and much more! You can also Adopt a Microbe on this expedition and do weekly activities that scientists will be responding to, win prizes, and learn all about these critters that live in the deep dark depths! Check it out here: http://sites.google.com/site/adoptamicrobe/

Educator Opportunity, RI Teacher at Sea

The University of Rhode Island’s RV ENDEAVOR has space available for educators, of any and all disciplines, who would like to become members of a scientific research team.  The Rhode Island Teacher-At-Sea (RITAS) Program is designed to establish sustainable partnerships between ocean scientists, researchers and teachers who live and teach in Rhode Island. Teachers selected for the RITAS Program will become part of a scientific research team conducting ocean science research during a cruise aboard the RV Endeavor.  As an educational component of the Rhode Island ENDEAVOR Program (RIEP), the RITAS Program is dependent upon the continued support from the State of Rhode Island.

For more complete information and to download an application please visit the OMP website.
http://omp.gso.uri.edu/ompweb/content/rhode-island-teacher-at-sea

Expedition for Earth and Ocean Science Educators

School of Rock 2010 Cascadia Cores and CORKS, a Hands-on, Research-based Expedition for Earth and Ocean Science Educators During IODP Expedition 328 (Cascadia Subduction Zone ACORK Observatory), September 3-19, 2010
During School of Rock research experiences, K-12, informal, and undergraduate educators have daily opportunities to conduct hands-on analyses of sediment and hard-rock cores with scientists and technicians who specialize in IODP research. This year’s workshop will focus on how cores and CORKS (http://www.oceanleadership.org/classroom/corks) shed light on the hydrology and geology of the Cascadia subduction zone. The workshop will also provide educators with time to develop and plan new museum or classroom activities based on their new knowledge and research.
Jennifer Collins, Teacher in Residence, Deep Earth Academy
Tel (202) 787-1614 jcollins@oceanleadership.org

Leslie Peart, Education Director, Deep Earth Academy
Tel: (202) 787-1603 lpeart@oceanleadership.org

Applications

Educators: Join Research Cruise to South Pacific Gyre

The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program invites educators to apply to sail on the JOIDES Resolution to serve as the onboard Education Officer during Expedition 329: South Pacific Gyre, October 8- December 12. This expedition will, among other goals, document the habitats, activities, composition and biomass of microbial communities in subseafloor sediments. Deep Earth Academy (IODP’s education program) invites interested educators at all levels (elementary – college) and informal science specialists to apply to be a part of this exciting scientific endeavor. The selected education officer will be responsible for sharing the science story with the outside world, including students, educators, and the general public. He/she will coordinate educational activities on board, such as blogging, maintaining social networking sites and facilitating live video conferences to classrooms, museums and special events on shore.  Applications

Fall 2010 Semester at Sea

Sea Education Association is currently accepting applications for their Fall 2010 programs, with a choice of themes:  The History & Practice of Pacific Ocean Science or Marine Resource Management in the Atlantic.  SEA is offering a 20% discount to select students who submit a complete application to the Ocean Exploration program before March 1, as well as a variety of merit scholarships and substantial need-based aid packages.  Contact admission@sea.edu for more information or to request the new SEA Semester catalogue.

Expedition to the North Atlantic – Join Online

On January 27 the Algalita Marine Research Foundation research team will embark on a voyage to study plastic pollution in the North Atlantic Ocean.  Students and teachers can join the research expedition from the classroom or home through the internet-based Ship-2-Shore Education Program, finding updates, images and videos from the research vessel through the program blog; opportunities to interact with the ship’s research team and other leading researchers to ask questions and share experiences; lessons and activities to integrate the experience into the classroom curriculum; and a chance to interact with students from around the world to share information, perspectives and solutions to this global issue.  For more information contact Holly Gray (vesselsupport@algalita.org) or visit the Ship-2-Shore website.

Join a Voyage to Study Marine Ecosystems – Online

Join Oceanographic Research Vessel Alguita for a voyage studying plastic pollution in the North Pacific Ocean. This September the Algalita Marine Research Foundation research team set sail to one of the most remote regions of the Pacific Ocean to study human impacts on marine ecosystems.The voyage started on September 7th, but it is not too late to get involved! We invite students and teachers to join this voyage from the classroom or from home on the Internet by providing:
• Daily updates and images from the research vessel
• The opportunity to interact with the ship’s research team and other leading researchers to ask questions and share experiences
• Lessons, activities and creative ways to integrate the experience into the classroom curriculum
• A chance to interact with students from around the world to share information, perspectives and solutions to this global issue
For more information contact Holly Gray- vesselsupport@algalita.org or visit http://algalita.org/ship-2-shore-education.html

Eye in the Sea Mystery

Mystery Question from scientist Dr. Erika Raymond, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
On the morning of Tuesday, July 21, the Ocean Research & Conservation Association’s Eye in the Sea (EITS) was placed at a depth of 2,000 feet, with a bait box to attract marine life, and its cameras set to record for one minute, every five minutes. For this deployment, the EITS would remain in place for several days capturing the marine life going about their everyday business. That afternoon, the Johnson Sea Link descended again with other scientists and they noticed that the EITS was on its side and had been dragged for about 20 meters. Nearby, they spotted something and picked it up. It was a tangled mess of fishing line with a large rusty hook and an illuminating lure – still flashing. Also swimming suspiciously nearby was a six-gill shark, a slow-moving very large, deep-sea shark that ambles along the ocean floor. The pilot righted the EITS and they went back to the business at hand.

Project scientists were puzzled by the mystery of what caused the EITS to be knocked down and dragged away and what did this hook and line have to do with it? Did a fisherman catch the EITS on its hook? Did that six-gill knock it down trying to get to the EITS bait box? Were the predatory pack of Cuban dogfish to blame?

What do you think happened? Submit your guess through our Ask an Explorer link. Your responses will be published on the Ocean Explorer website.  The amazing footage that the EITS captured that solved the mystery will be revealed Thursday July 30.