Scientific Diving Syllabus

Scientific Diving - MSL 220 - Spring
Course Description

Completion of this course will allow students to be eligible to join (or remain active in) the UA dive program. This will allow students to dive on UA sanctioned diving projects and have reciprocity to dive with other universities and government agencies. The course will introduce and familiarize students to SCUBA diving techniques commonly used in the research community. The course also will familiarize students with local Alaska subtidal flora and fauna and give students an opportunity to work underwater.

We will spend several weeks in Fairbanks mastering skills and passing evaluations and then will spend Spring Break diving at the Kasitsna Bay Lab. The field trip is mandatory. After several check-out dives at the lab for specific skills and completing a mock "at sea" rescue, the students will assist with diving projects being conducted by the Field Topics students and assist in a survey for invasive species.

Scientific Diving Syllabus - Coming soon

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Field Studies in Subtidal Ecology - MSL 421/623 - Spring
Course Description

Students in this course will propose a hypothesis that they will experimentally test during a one-week field trip to the Kasitsna Bay Marine Lab. Associated with their hypothesis, they will develop a proposal, dive plan, and materials list. The proposal will be orally defended in front of the class prior to turning in a written 3-4 page proposal. Field work cannot occur until a satisfactory written proposal, dive plan, and materials list is complete. After finishing the fieldwork, undergraduates will present their findings in a poster while graduate students will present theirs in a poster and public seminar. Posters may be turned in one week prior to their due date for feedback. Practice talks are highly recommended for graduate students.

Field Studies Syllabus - Coming soon

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Kelp Forest Ecology - MSL 456/656 - Even-year Summers
Course Description

This 4 credit class will emphasize the existing knowledge, hypotheses, and disputes regarding kelp forest ecology. A strong focus will be on the ecological interactions that influence kelp forest structure and dynamics. During the class, students will critically read published literature and will learn local Alaska subtidal flora and fauna. Students will be given an opportunity to work underwater by conducting their own ecological research including: formulating questions, collecting and analyzing ecological data, writing reports based on such data, and giving and receiving critical feedback. This course takes place at the Kasitsna Bay Lab.

Kelp Forest Ecology syllabus - Coming soon

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