CHMY 290x - Undergraduate Research: Chemical Oceanography

Credit(s): 3

Prerequisite(s): CHMY 291, Special Topics: Chemical Oceanography, and instructor’s consent.
This is a field course offered as part of an international studies experience in French Polynesia. The course gives students direct experience with an authentic scientific research environment. Student projects are carried out in coral reef environments, and the projects address important aspects of tropical marine water chemistry known to be crucial to coral reef ecosystems. In addition to the chemical sciences, this course incorporates participation in Polynesian food preparation, Polynesian arts including weaving, dance and music, visits to archaeological sites, and lectures by Tahitian elders. (Intermittently)

Course Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of the course, students will be able to

Execute and fully demonstrate basic principles of scientific investigation.
Demonstrate and utilize basic principles of mathematical modeling.
Use sources of information in electronic and print formats in field research.
Test and evaluate through experimentation appropriate research questions and/or hypotheses.
Communicate understanding of topics investigated in written and/or oral form.
Apply the fundamentals of chemical oceanography principles and field work.
Carry out chemical oceanographic data parameter design, acquisition, processing and interpretation.
Interpret chemical oceanography datasets using mathematical techniques including modeling.