GRADUATE
Aquarist Fishery Biologist Landings Coordinator Marine Resource Scientist United
Kingdom Exchange Officer Submarine Tactics Officer Emergency Medical
Job Titles Sampling Technician General Vessel Assistant NOAA Fish Biologist Science Teacher
Lieutenant, Operations Officer NOAA Hydrographic Survey Technician Marine
Resource Technician Marine Scientist Commander, U.S. Navy Deputy Chief,
Ecosystems Survey Branch ROV Technician Aquarium Director and Natural Science
Educator Congressional Staff NOAA Corps Officer LCDR Nuclear Submariner
Marine Technician Alaskan Fisheries Groundfish Observer, 2nd Mate Senior
Technician Marine Scientist Lead Hydrographer Geospatial Analyst Oceanographer
Col een Peters '05, Lead Technician
hands-on training, whether it's lab equipment or oceanographic
Academy to determine the feasibility and make recommendations
equipment on the school's research vessel, Friendship," said Cleve-
for Ocean Studies students to participate in the annual MMA
land. Acquired in 1996, Friendship is a 49', 52-ton, steel-hulled
training cruise aboard the TS State of Maine.
vessel, powered by a 350-hp Cummins diesel. Recent equipment
The ship, original y an ocean survey vessel, would require the
deployments include side-scan sonar, acoustic Doppler current
addition of lab facilities to enable students to do oceanographic
profiler, core samplers, otter trawls and bottom dredges, and she is
work, and Ocean Studies instructional courses would need to be
equipped with an array of oceanographic instrumentation.
augmented, for example, by adding seamanship training.
"The project is stil in the proposal stage," said Barlow, "but
Scientific Dive Certification
adding the cruise component would be a unique enhancement
While MMA offers several recreational diving courses, Ocean
for graduates. No other U.S. bachelor degree program in marine
Studies introduced a Scientific Diving course in 2013 to provide
sciences includes significant sea time in degree requirements."
undergraduates with another professional advantage. The 100
Pressing issues such as climate change, declining fisheries and
hour-plus course, taught by Professor Alan Verde, PhD, who also
coastal pol ution are just a few of the concerns that wil shape
teaches Marine Biology, is endorsed by the American Academy of
the work of Ocean Studies graduates in the future. Advances in
Underwater Sciences (AAUS).
technology wil provide new and better tools. But from Boucher's
"The organization includes prominent research institutions,
perspective, "Today's student needs real y haven't changed much
such as the Smithsonian Institute, NOAA, NASA," said Verde, "and
from the Corning School's earliest days. Strong programs teach
also aquariums, consulting firms and educational programs that
students to think critical y -- science evolves, but the patterns
utilize diving to collect information/data from aquatic environ-
of obtaining data, analyzing them and formulating consistent
ments. Having the certification allows our graduates to be already
responses, real y haven't.
vetted as Scientific Divers, and they can start participating in
"Corning School faculty members assume our graduates wil
underwater projects within a few days of arriving on site.
have varied career paths and are preparing for employment that
"Consequently, a program wil preferential y employ a person
may change," she said. "We emphasize the importance of lab and
who already has gone through a Scientific Diving course over one
field work, especial y on the water. Equipment and technology im-
who has not," said Verde, "or they sometimes advertise specifical y
prove, but they stil are essential y assemblies of wiring, plumbing
for someone with this certification."
and code. Students need to learn how to use instrumentation ef-
Procedures for scientific diving such as mapping, quadrat
fectively, meaning they need to know how it can address scientific
surveys, visual censusing, and photography and video are included
concerns or resolve problems.
with other advanced dive training techniques. Twelve students
"While troubleshooting and deploying instrumentation at sea
have graduated with the certification from the fledgling course,
wil always be specific to the gear, students learning equipment
and more are on their way.
expertise as undergraduates are better positioned to transfer that
capability to equipment in their work environments and beyond."
Needs: Now & Future
This approach is confirmed by Col een Peters '05 (shown top
"Students are not only learning in the classrooms but at sea and in
left), a Marine Science and Smal Vessel Operations major who
the laboratory," said McKenna. "They have a broad, real-world skil
now works for the Schmidt Ocean Institute in Palo Alto, Califor-
set."
nia as Lead Technician for the R/V Falkor. "Although I was wel
The department's tropical marine science class travels to labo-
prepared and qualified to be a research vessel marine technician
ratories in the Caribbean between semesters to provide yet more
with my education from MMA," she said, "nothing beats hands-on
field experience. Destinations have included the Bahamas, Tobago
experience. Having smal classes with labs in the field had a big
and Belize, and studies of fish behavior, coral reef biology and
impact on my confidence in operating and troubleshooting ocean-
habitat surveys.
ographic equipment."
Growing importance of understanding the state and functioning
The key to the progress of the Corning School is its active
of the world's oceans has become the catalyst for 88 other under-
participation, skil s-based approach to learning--the trademark of
graduate marine science, biology and oceanography programs
MMA. Ocean Studies graduates have the combination of knowl-
offered at U.S. colleges and universities. To continue to differentiate
edge, practical experience and perseverance that sets them apart
MMA's program and provide graduates with further competitive
from others and makes a difference, especial y to al those who love
opportunities, John Barlow, now Dean Emeritus and endowed
and work in and around the sea.
as an independent Sawyer Professor, has been re-enlisted by the
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