After checking in and getting an introduction, we went on a kayaking trip and saw a variety of organisms. Dolphins swam beside us, we kayaked through the mangroves, checked out the oysters and saw lots of cool fish. It was lots of fun and a great start to this experience.
Day 2:
We started out the day with an overview from Dr. Judkins about general oceanography. From there we visited Dr. Greco who taught us about microscopy. He showed us SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and TEM (transmission electron microscopy) microscopes and different specimens images seen through them. The SEM specimens were really cool and some we even got to look at some in 3D. After leaving Dr. Greco, we went down to see Dr. Goddard who is a geologist. He showed us core samples from the ocean floor and explained how to understand what is seen within each one; such as age, minerals and weather patterns. He also showed us a mass spectrometer and explained how important it is in identifying isotopes and how they can explain natural phenomenons. Dr. Goddard taught us the fundamental importance of studying geology: that the present helps us to understand the past, which then helps to predict the future. We ended the day by starting to identify preserved organisms using field guides, which was quite a challenge.
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| Dr. Goddard explaining the Mass Spectrometer |
Day 3:
We started off the morning finishing up our organism identification (Patrick and I had a Keyhole Urchin, White Ibis, Stripped Mullet, Leatherjacket, and a Common Razor Clam). We continued onto identifying corals and shells as well followed by a lecture on marine animals and organisms. We went to see an amazing wax model plate that showed how the seafloor was formed by the movement of continents. It was really cool looking and a useful tool to represent that phenomenon. After lunch we saw Dr. Otis who explained how optics are used to provide data for physical oceanography, I learned a lot about satellites and how to analyze the data that it provides. We ended our day with a tour of The Weatherbird, which is a research vessel that we will be working on when we return to USFSP on our last week of the program.
I had a great time and have already learned so much this week. It was a perfect overview to kick off the course and I am excited to experience this with my wonderful cohort! I am happily anticipating next week and the rest of the course. These few short days also has me looking forward to return to Dr. Judkins and The Weatherbird in June!
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| On the Weatherbird |
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