The Salish Sea as a "classroom" for undergraduate research at the Ocean Research College Academy
Presentation Abstract
Connecting students to the places they live has been a cornerstone of the curriculum at the Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) since inception 15 years ago. By engaging students in a locally based research project in the Salish Sea, ORCA has graduated over 400 students that have direct, hands-on experiences in the Snohomish River Estuary. Through incorporating active learning strategies such as undergraduate research, students have engaged deeply in the biogeochemical processes of a salt wedge estuary. Over the course of an entire year, students collect oceanographic metrics and utilize their emerging mathematical and communication skills to analyze and interpret the longitudinal data set that includes temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, chlorophyll concentration, turbidity, nutrient levels, fecal coliform levels and plankton presence and abundance. Additional monitoring of seabird and marine mammal abundance and distribution round out the expansive data set. Students collect data twice a month from the Research Vessel Phocoena, a National Science Foundation funded custom built landing craft. Students present their findings at an annual event, the Possession Sound Student Showcase and Talks. A holistic look at understanding ecosystem drivers begins with the river and ends with an understanding of the intricate food web provides the foundation for future studies during the second year of the two-year program. Second year students expand on the data set, some choosing to incorporate data from two deployed CTDs that collect the metrics every 30 minutes. Two thirds of the ORCA graduates pursue a STEM major, and 95% matriculate to four-year colleges and universities. Regardless of the eventual university major, student connection to the to Salish Sea is a natural outcome of the two-year experience, and informed citizenry is the result.
Session Title
Posters: Collaboration & Engagement
Conference Track
SSE18: Posters
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2018 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE18-26
Start Date
5-4-2018 11:30 AM
End Date
5-4-2018 1:30 PM
Type of Presentation
Poster
Genre/Form
presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Universities and colleges—Curricula--Washington (State)--Everett; Marine biology--Study and teaching--Washington (State)--Everett
Geographic Coverage
Everett (Wash.); Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
The Salish Sea as a "classroom" for undergraduate research at the Ocean Research College Academy
Connecting students to the places they live has been a cornerstone of the curriculum at the Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) since inception 15 years ago. By engaging students in a locally based research project in the Salish Sea, ORCA has graduated over 400 students that have direct, hands-on experiences in the Snohomish River Estuary. Through incorporating active learning strategies such as undergraduate research, students have engaged deeply in the biogeochemical processes of a salt wedge estuary. Over the course of an entire year, students collect oceanographic metrics and utilize their emerging mathematical and communication skills to analyze and interpret the longitudinal data set that includes temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, chlorophyll concentration, turbidity, nutrient levels, fecal coliform levels and plankton presence and abundance. Additional monitoring of seabird and marine mammal abundance and distribution round out the expansive data set. Students collect data twice a month from the Research Vessel Phocoena, a National Science Foundation funded custom built landing craft. Students present their findings at an annual event, the Possession Sound Student Showcase and Talks. A holistic look at understanding ecosystem drivers begins with the river and ends with an understanding of the intricate food web provides the foundation for future studies during the second year of the two-year program. Second year students expand on the data set, some choosing to incorporate data from two deployed CTDs that collect the metrics every 30 minutes. Two thirds of the ORCA graduates pursue a STEM major, and 95% matriculate to four-year colleges and universities. Regardless of the eventual university major, student connection to the to Salish Sea is a natural outcome of the two-year experience, and informed citizenry is the result.
