OCN 443/444
Oceanography 443 and 444 form a two part independent research project series for majors in oceanography.
In Ocean 443 the quarter will be spent doing background research, selecting a research problem and formulating an hypothesis, and then writing a proposal to conduct the research necessary to address the problem/hypothesis. Three credits.
Oceanography 444 gives each student the opportunity to carry out the observational and sample collection phases of their research proposed in OCN 443. Depending on their chosen study site, students utilize one or more of the university's research vessels, the R/V Thomas G. Thompson the R/V Clifford A. Barnes and the R/V WeeLander to collect their samples. During the research cruise the students are responsible for the operation of all the major science systems on the ship including but not limited to the integrated positioning system, the seafloor acoustic imaging system, the acoustic Doppler Current profiler (ADCP), and the CTD-water sampling system. Back on land, the remainder of the quarter is spent processing samples, analyzing data and writing up the results. Students write a final paper, post their results on a web page they create and present their results orally in a public symposium. Five credits
In the 2005-2006 academic year students conducted their research projects in the Galapagos Islands!
You can still view our cruise page.