OCB 4996C - Oceanography at Sea II is a 3-credit combined lecture/lab course intended to
introduce majors of Marine Biology (and Biology, if places are available) to the specificities of
working at sea. This course entails participation in a 6-10 days research cruise on the Florida
Institute of Oceanography's research vessel Suncoaster. Students will experience first hand how it
is to live and work on a research vessel. They will experience working on an ever moving platform,
scheduling sampling around the clock and working in shifts, living in confined spaces with limited
privacy inherent to any ship. More information on the research vessel Suncoaster can be found
on this Internet link.
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This course satisfies an upper division elective requirement for the Marine
Biology B.Sc. degree.
Time and Location: The course will comprise a student teaching/reseach cruise
from May 6 - May 13, 2007. In addition, students will meet for a cruise planning meeting, will
participate in sample and data analysis after the cruise, and will meet for a final meeting at the end
of the summer A term.
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The student teaching/research cruise 2007 will be on the R/V Suncoaster. We will
leave Port Everglades, Ft. Lauderdale, in the early evening of May 6 and will return to Port Everglades
in the afternoon of May 13. All students need to meet at FIU/BBC, Marine Sciences building, for loading
equipment into the Marine Biology truck by 10:00 a.m.. Therefore, all students need to schedule
to be at the university at this time. Students also must participate in unloading the ship upon return
to port on May 13. Please allocate sufficient time.
Students will also meet for a cruise planning meeting on May 4, 2007, 10:00 a.m.
in MS 150. During this meeting, we will discuss: general cruise plan; scientific programs to
be followed and sampled during the cruise; equipment needed for our scientific program; scheduling and
planning of shipboard work; safety regulations and precautions; personal living conditions aboard the
ship (i.e. what to bring, what to wear, and what better not to do).
After the cruise, students will participate in sample analysis and data compilation.
Lab work, in collaboration with the instructor or graduate students in the faculty's research lab,
will be scheduled according to personnel availability and specific needs of sample analyses. Aside the
participation in the cruise, students are expected to participate in sample and data analysis to write
up a cruise report (for specific sub-projects of the cruise). All students will meet for a final
meeting towards the end of the summer A term, which will be scheduled in consultation among all cruise
participants. During the final meeting, students will present their cruise report as a short oral
presentation and participate in a written final course examination. Written cruise reports will be
distributed to all participants.
Enrollment in this course requires instructor permission numbers. Students need to apply by
email. For summer 2007, 7-8 undergraduate students can be
admitted to the course/cruise (total science personnel aboard = 12). Successful completion of OCB 3043
"Marine Biology & Oceanography" or special recommendation is prerequisite for this course. If more
students than available spaces apply, grades in OCB 3043 and special recommendations will be considered
to choose cruise participants. Selected students will receive an instructor's course permission
number to their registered FIU email account, which students can use to enroll.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of OCB 3043 Marine Biology & Oceanography,
BSC 1010 General Biology I, BSC 1011 General Biology II; physical ability to swim and to work at sea;
medical fitness to remain at sea for an extended, uninterrupted period of time.
Textbook: No textbook is required for this course.
Course Expectations and Grades: Students are expected to participate actively
in the pre-cruise planning meeting, the teaching/research cruise, and post-cruise sample and data
analysis. Students are expected to write up a cruise report on their specific, assigned research
topic, which will count towards their final grade. This cruise report can be prepared in student
groups, with every involved student receiving the same grade. Students (or groups) are expected to
present their cruise report as a 10 minutes PowerPoint presentation during the final course meeting.
Students will take a written final exam during the final course meeting.
Course grades will be computed from: Participation and performance at sea (20%);
written cruise report (40%); cruise report presentation (10%); final exam (30%).
