Lehigh University and Newark Academy

 

On Thursday I was able to go back out to North Rock, but this time with a new group: 3 Lehigh University students, 7 Newark Academy students, 2 chaperones, and one Ocean Academy Bermudian student.

The Lehigh University and Newark Academy students are here as part of a new collaborative program called “Lehigh in Bermuda.”  Here’s a program description from Lehigh University:

Lehigh in Bermuda is a unique, interdisciplinary program offered

to high school students (rising Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors)

during the summer of 2015 by Lehigh University in conjunction with the

Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) and an energy company

called Eccosolution. Dates: 6/14/2015 - 6/20/2015.

Students will travel to Bermuda and stay at BIOS where they will

receive an in depth education regarding sustainable development and

wave energy. Lehigh students, and BIOS and Eccosolution staff

members will teach the curriculum. Course topics include an

introduction to the island of Bermuda including its culture, ecology and

geology, basic forms of energy (including renewable and alternative),

integration of sustainability with public policy, environmental

economics, and special lectures in wave energy. In addition, activities

include snorkeling in the island’s coral reefs, boat trips and dives to

gather data from wave energy converters, a geological hike through

Bermuda’s unique cave system and hands on learning of the energy

conversion systems.

Learn more here: http://www1.lehigh.edu/news/riding-waves

On the 45-minute boat trip to North Rock, I made sure to speak to Mike Celente, a Newark Academy alum and current Lehigh University student.  Mike is one of the founders of the inaugural wave energy course for high schoolers.  He explained that a team of Lehigh University researchers received a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to conduct research in sustainable wave energy in Bermuda.  Part of the NSF research grant was education and outreach for high school students, so Lehigh teamed with BIOS, Eccosolution, and Newark Academy to educate high school students in wave energy technology.  As part of the collaboration, 4 Lehigh university students and BIOS staff help to teach the high schoolers.  
 

When not teaching, Mike explained that he helps to build a wave energy converter prototype.  I could tell Mike was captivated by wave energy research by the excitement with which he spoke about the program and his research.  He told me that creating energy using waves is a relatively new technology that has not yet become widely commercialized like wind and solar, but a technology that he feels has a lot of potential for future sustainable energy.

 

The students were enjoying the wave energy course at BIOS just as much as Mike was enjoying teaching it. BIOS was able to sponsor one Ocean Academy student to participate in the week-long wave energy program alongside the other students.  Ocean Academy (http://www.bios.edu/education) is a K-12 educational program aimed at bringing ocean science into the classroom, through hands-on learning experiences.  BIOS sponsored CaVon, a Sophomore at Saltus Grammar School in Bermuda, who is interested in engineering and technology. CaVon explained that he had heard about the wave energy course and was excited to be apart of it, “it’s really great.  I love it here.  I love learning about the water.”

Jasper and Charlie, two Newark Academy high school students, both agreed that the trip was “amazing.”  Charlie reflected, “I was in New York 2 days ago and now I’m here… it’s unreal… It’s cool to be out applying what we know, and start bringing change.”  Like CaVon, Jasper also has enjoyed learning about the water, “I’ve always loved the ocean but never really studied it so it’s great to be here.” 

I also spoke to Lizzy, Megan, Elina, and Sanya from Newark Academy about their experiences on the trip.  All four echoed what Jasper and Charlie said, and one commented, “it’s a really good opportunity for high school students.  Usually all the adults have the power so it’s cool to be here.”  The students emphasized how much they loved a recent presentation at BIOS, the 5 Gyres presentation.  One called it “outstanding and really inspiring.”  Read more about the 5 Gyres project and how they are determined to get plastics out of our oceans: http://www.5gyres.org/

The students also excitedly told me about shipwreck snorkeling, viewing a model of a wave energy converter, and learning about marine animals.  The Newark Academy high schoolers explained how much they enjoyed learning in the classroom and then going out on trips to see exactly what they had been reading about in their textbooks.  Sonya explained, “it’s really cool to go from the classroom to the real world.  Sometimes you just need a hands on experience,” and some other students told me, “it’s been really fun to see all that we are learning in the lecture hall and coming out and seeing what’s actually happening.”  

The two chaperones from Newark Academy, Deb and Kristin, also seemed to be really enjoying their time at BIOS.  Deb Tavares, a science teacher who has been at Newark Academy for 23 years, told me, “I was a marine biology major so I love it (here at BIOS).”  Kristin has been at Newark Academy for 4 years, and works in the Dean of Students Office.  She came on the trip because she has a Master’s in Marine Biology and is an advisor to the student-run Marine Biology Club.  “It’s been really fun to be in the water with the kids, and imparting my wisdom and knowledge… I just love seeing it through their eyes.  Some have never been snorkeling before.”  Kristin explained that she too is learning a lot through participating in the program, “when I was in school, people were just beginning to talk about sustainability.” 

The two really could not say enough good things about the program at BIOS.  They did stress that one of the best parts of the program was the way that it inspired the students to bring back what they had learned to their home community in New Jersey.  In this way, they saw how the benefits of the program expand far beyond the 7 students who were able to attend.  It seems that the students also are aware of the potential of the program to reach other students, “when we return we plan on spreading what we learn back at school.”

source: http://www.bermuda-attractions.com/bermuda_00005a.htm

Princeton at Three Hill Shoals

On Friday afternoon I tagged along with Princeton University students on their research trip to Three Hill Shoals.  Princeton University students are in Bermuda studying marine biology under BIOS researcher, Dr. Gretchen Goodbody-Gringley, and Princeton University professor, Dr. James Gould.  Offered through the Princeton Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, the Marine Biology course is an intensive 4-week field course focused on marine ecology and coral reefs held annually at BIOS during the month of June. 

-See more at: http://www.bios.edu/education/summer-courses/

The students were headed out into the field to study corals and coral reef fish as part of their studies in coral community structure.  Half of the students collected data by snorkeling and the other half used scuba diving.  On the way to the shoals I got a chance to sit down and speak with two students, Lindsay and Sydney.  Both sophomores at Princeton, Lindsay is a biology major while Sydney is an economics major.  They explained to me that both the snorkelers and divers were identifying fish by using transect lines.  This is a sampling method that uses transect lines, in this case measuring tapes, to sample an area for species.  Transect lines are placed in an area, and any plant or animal that comes in contact with the line is then recorded.  In this case, the transect lines were placed on the reefs, and the fish that came in contact with the tape were then recorded.  The diving group also utilized underwater cameras to record video footage of activity at the transect line so the corals could later be identified back at the BIOS lab. 

Once we were within 10 minutes of Three Hill Shoals, the students began to get their gear on.  Experienced snorkelers and divers, everyone knew exactly what they were doing, and put everything on in a very methodological manner.  The divers checked their dive partner’s gear and made sure everything was ready.  By the time we arrived at the site, the wet suits were zipped, oxygen tanks had been strapped to their backs, and the clipboards and transect tapes were in hand. 

As the students jumped in, I was startled that their paper and clipboards went in with them!  I was so impressed to learn that the paper for recording data was waterproof, and that students could write while underwater!  Immediately after getting in the water, the students began to work.  I joined the snorkelers and we swam to a shallow reef.  Paired off into teams, the students carefully laid down their transects by swimming and dropping the transect line along as they went.  I watched as they recorded their data, and then move their transect to another area.  After about 40 minutes of data collection, the students returned to the boat. 

Once their gear was put away, the students were given a few minutes to jump back in for a leisurely swim.  We even got a fun group shot!

 

Back aboard the boat, I spoke with some of the students about their experiences at the BIOS station.  One told me that participating in the Princeton Marine Biology course at BIOS was “worthwhile and not something you can experience in any other place.”  She explained that before they went out on the trip, they memorized different fish and algae and said it was ”so cool to see them in the ocean.”  She is leaning towards a career in research.  I asked if her time at BIOS had changed her career plans, and she explained that because of the program she is now more interested in research, “I definitely think the research side is very interesting.  I’ve never been in the field before, and I’m really loving it--especially Walsingham Pond, Mangrove Bay, and Spittal Pond.” 

I then chatted with Dr. Jim Gould who is a professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology with a PhD in Animal Behavior and Ethology.  He specializes in animal behavior, specifically bees, and is known for proving that bees communicate through dances.  Gould and his wife have been to Bermuda 12 times, and it is Gould’s 10^th time teaching the summer course at BIOS.  Gould explained that he loves the small class size and teaching at BIOS,  “it is the perfect place to study marine biology because of the temperatures and tropical habitat…most courses I teach are big lecture courses so this is a real treat.”  When I asked if some students changed their minds about their career field as a result of coming to BIOS, Gould explained, “yes, several students find their life passion.”  One student who was especially inspired by the course last summer, even came back to be a teacher’s assistant (TA) for the course this summer.