Course Instructor: Dr. John Viechnicki, Stinson Seafood
Contact details: 207-546-1154
e-mail: john@downeastscience.com

Course Description:
This workshop introduces the fundamental basics of oceanography, including reviews of the chemical, biological, sedimentary and dynamic disciplines. Included in the course will be: several trips on the college's boat, Indigo, fieldwork at various sites of representative oceanography; and a possible whale watch trip aboard a commercial vessel for scientific observation of marine mammals, particularly Right Whales. If time allows, we may also visit Mount Desert Rock, one of the college's field stations situated close to whale breeding ground and home to substantial breeding seal colony.
Lab fee $175

Instructor's Background
John Viechnicki, Ph.D., received his B.A.in physics from Middlebury College;  M.S. and Ph.D. in applied marine physics from the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami.  John is a quality assurance and environmental manager in Prospect Harbor, Maine at the last sardine cannery in the United States.  His interests include human ecology issues such as the sustainability of the herring fishery in the Gulf of Maine and the increasing role companies play as stewards of the environment.  John has spent time sailing the North Atlantic with the Sea Education Association teaching college students and K-12 teachers all aspects of oceanography, sailing and navigation.  He taught herring management issues at the first ever COA Mount Desert Rock Herring Forum last year. John participates in Allied Whale projects including the development of the digital North Atlantic and Antarctic humpback whale catalogs.

Dates and times:
In general, classes run 9am - 12pm, 1 - 4pm, allowing for special considerations of tides for some field trips.

Class size:
Because of limitations at some of the field sites that will be visited, this class is limited to 10 students.

Where:
Class•Lecture Hall, College of the Atlantic
Labs•In the field! But when we need a dry space, Zoo Lab, College of the Atlantic.

Textbook:
Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science, by Tom Garrison, 4th Edition (2002). Brooks/Cole (Thompson Learning), Pacific Grove (CA). ISBN: 0-534-37557-X. Purchase of the course text is highly recommended, especially if the student is in the secondary education field. Students will need to purchase the text prior to arrival. It is available from the standard online purchasing sources (e.g., http://www.amazon.com, http://www.ecampus.com.)

Other resources:
* Textbook website: contains updates on ideas presented in textbook, tutorials and self-quizzes. The following website includes resources for both the course textbook, and second text the publisher also carries. Go to: http://www.brookscole.com/oceanography_d/index.html
* Infotrac: An online database of articles available for purchasers of the course textbook.
* Thorndike Library at College of the Atlantic: Includes text and journal resources, some computer terminals.
* Computer labs: several labs around campus give students access to word processing, spreadsheet and graphics/presentation programs.
* Allied Whale at College of the Atlantic: Includes text and journal resources.

Course details
Oceanography is a vast subject within which one can become immersed for an entire career. Thus compressing the field of oceanography into a ten-day field course will necessitate only the briefest of reviews of each of its disciplines. Each topic area will represent a cumulative knowledge, allowing the student to move onto the next course subject. At the peak of this particular learning track is the discipline of biological oceanography. Marine organisms are inexorably linked to the physical processes of the ocean. Thus, before we examine the biota of the ocean, we must first understand the mechanisms that drive their existence. With that knowledge in hand, we can explore the vastly diverse array of organisms that inhabit the ocean, from the micro-organismal phyto-and zooplankton, to the top predators of the ocean, including the marine mammals.
The class will be as interactive as possible, encouraging discussion and questions throughout the lecture and lab periods. A number of field trips will provide students with practical examples of oceanography in the field, including trips a trip to Mount Desert Rock (MDR). Since a majority of labs and field trips will be outdoors, the below schedule will need to be flexible to allow maximal use of good-weather days. On the ocean, good weather does not necessarily mean warm temperatures; however, it does invariably imply low winds (< 15 kts).

What to bring:
In addition to school supplies, for offshore trips, and the trip to Grand Manan (see below), students should bring with them:
1. cold-weather gear (it can get very cold offshore, even in peak summer). A thermos can be a good idea.
2. a sturdy waterproof coat (oilskins are best but not essential)
3. waterproof footwear (e.g., rubber boots)
4. sunscreen (of at least SPF 25), good sunglasses and a hat
5. seasickness medication, if necessary
6. a flashlight
7. any special dietary requirements/medications that cannot be provided for locally
8. a reasonably water-resistant overnight bag that can hold a change of clothes
9. if desired, a camera and binoculars•there will be plenty of photo-opportunities!
10. Photo-ID documents (driver's license with photo, passport) suitable for crossing the US/Canadian border.

Evaluation
Education at College of the Atlantic emphasizes an experiential, participatory style. Thus, at the end of the course students will receive a grade based on their level of participation in the class, and a demonstration of their competency in the subject matter covered.  An important part of the evaluation will be an informal 20-minute presentation to class on a particular topic within Oceanography. This is an excellent opportunity for students to practice presentation techniques. Students will also be asked to complete a class evaluation sheet that should include both positive and negative criticisms of the course design, content and delivery.

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