Course Description:
Modern oceanography combines increasingly large and diverse datasets to further our understanding of biogeochemical and physical processes in the marine environment. How are these data obtained and used? The aim of this course is to provide students with a broad introduction to and practical experience in the field of observational oceanography utilizing a variety of state-of-the-art technologies and methods.During the 3-week course, a combination of lectures, laboratory training and fieldwork will introduce students to current research questions and observational methods used to investigate them. Themes will include carbon and nutrient cycling and the processes that affect biological production in the ocean, carbonate chemistry and ocean acidification, ocean-atmosphere interactions, and the spatial/temporal scales of physical ocean processes. Students will collect samples and utilize various sensors and instrumentation – locally at the BIOS dock, on a research cruise aboard the UNOLS vessel R/V Atlantic Explorer, and through a small fleet of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) deployed offshore of Bermuda – to develop a practical understanding of both the science topics and the techniques used to study them. Throughout the course, students will conduct experiments, participate in round-table discussions, give presentations and produce a short report – all of which will provide opportunities for hands-on learning and a basis for evaluating student progress and performance.This course is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled in oceanography programs. Adequate standing in university-level physics and chemistry courses is required. SCUBA certification is not required. Course fee: $4,900 (includes tuition, room and board). Students can apply to BIOS for scholarships to assist with the course fee.Instructors: Professor Nicholas Bates (BIOS & University of Southampton), Dr. Rod Johnson (BIOS) and Ruth Curry (WHOI & BIOS)

Web Address of Course Info:
http://www.bios.edu/education/summer-courses/