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Saturday, April 25, 2015

Arrrrrr, there be teachers at sea

Rhode Island educators invited to participate in expedition aboard URI ship Endeavor

NARRAGANSETT, R.I. –Rhode Island educators interested in marine science are invited to apply to participate in a three-day oceanographic expedition aboard the University of Rhode Island’s research vessel Endeavor in August. 

Up to 12 educators from kindergarten through college will live and work aboard the 185-foot ship from August 17 to 19 and learn various research techniques for studying the biology, physics, chemistry and geology of the sea.


“We’re hoping to provide teachers with a much greater appreciation for how science is accomplished, the challenges of working at sea, and the excitement of oceanographic research,” said David Smith, associate dean of the URI Graduate School of Oceanography, who is coordinating the expedition. 

“There’s a big difference between reading about science and actually taking part in it, so this opportunity will allow educators to expose their students to science in a way they might not be able to do otherwise.”

This will be the first time that so many Rhode Island educators have participated together in a research expedition aboard Endeavor. For many years, the Rhode Island Teacher at Sea program has placed one or two K-12 teachers at a time aboard research vessels, but never before has an entire expedition been opened up to broader educator participation.

“This is the type of experience that rarely crosses an educator's desk, and we encourage applications from any educator in the state, formal or informal, to take advantage of this unique opportunity to experience oceanographic science firsthand,” said Maryann Scholl, coordinator of the Graduate School of Oceanography’s Narragansett Bay Classroom and Teacher-at-Sea programs.

The expedition is funded by the Rhode Island Endeavor Program, a state-funded effort to provide URI researchers and local educators with access to the scientific research and educational capabilities of an ocean-going research vessel.

To apply to participate in the August expedition, educators should visit Rhode Island Teacher-at-Sea. For more information, contact Maryann Scholl at 401-874-6500 or mscholl@uri.edu. Application deadline is May 31.