Virginia Western University Marine Science Program

Overview

The VWU Marine Science Summer Program is a live and learn, immersion program for college students from around the country. Specifically designed for upper-division undergraduates majoring in biology, marine biology, earth and environmental science/studies, or general science, the six-week program is scheduled for May 22-June 30, 2023 on the campus of Virginia Wesleyan University. Students may earn credits by enrolling in the courses offered:

* BIO 319 Field Studies in Coastal Marine Environments (4 credits) Be prepared to get wet! Through lectures, primary literature discussions, and field trips, students will pair ecological principles with field observation and data collection to understand the coastal environment. Major course topics include: organisms of the marine environment; sampling and analytical approaches for studying plankton, invertebrates, nekton, and plants; and conservation issues in marine ecosystems. Students will be introduced to commonly employed sampling designs and methods to explore the diversity of coastal intertidal environments. The course will culminate in a group research project. Class will meet Tuesdays and Wednesdays 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.. Overnight field trips to local areas are possible.

* EES 200 Oceanography (4 credits) Oceanography is a 6-week immersive program in marine science that includes daily morning class lectures followed by afternoon laboratory and field excursions. The course explores the geology of the ocean basins and the physical and chemical nature of seawater. Topics studied include ocean waves, tides, currents and biodiversity of pelagic and benthic organisms. Links between the oceans and the atmosphere are explored with emphasis on the effect of oceans on climate, El Niño, and climate change. Involves extensive fieldwork, water quality analysis and specimen collection in the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean habitats. Class will meet Thursday and Friday 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

* BIO 489 Undergraduate Research (2 credits) Offers students the opportunity to conduct original scientific research in an area of marine biology. Students work closely with a faculty mentor to develop and conduct a research field project, then present their findings orally at the end of the program.