Sea Education Association: Pacific Reef Expedition (Summer)

Thriving, successful island and atoll communities depend on healthy oceans – and healthy coral reefs. Throughout history, reefs and their linked ecosystems have protected islands and provided food for growing human populations. Today, they also attract tourists and drive economic development. But coral reefs face many threats, including overfishing, reduced water quality, and rising temperatures and lower pH caused by climate change. Effective solutions require an understanding of the economic, political, and cultural landscape, as well as ocean and climate science.

Through coursework in Hawai’i followed by an extended research voyage at sea, students in this semester will study tropical marine ecosystems, their diverse marine life inhabitants, and the impact of human actions upon them. You will develop the background knowledge to understand history, science, leadership, and policy strategies, and design your comparative reef project to be carried out in the Pacific. During six weeks at sea aboard the SSV Robert C. Seamans, you will develop and refine your reef survey techniques and collect observations for your comparative reef project at several reef locations. You will also learn how to crew a tall ship and hone your leadership skills, all while voyaging in some of the most remote and pristine regions of the Pacific Ocean.

This program is for any student interested in exploring the changing Pacific Ocean environment through hands-on research and leadership experience at sea and is an opportunity to contribute to a growing body of knowledge about the health of coral reefs.

Students will participate in snorkel survey operations on a variety of reef ecosystems, collect real-time ecology and oceanography data, develop leadership skills, and ground-truth beliefs about policies and global change in the Pacific.

Program goals and learning outcomes