Dear Colleagues and Interested Students, I’m pleased to announce the launch of SUSiE's ‘re-designed’ website (www.scienceundersail.org <http://www.scienceundersail.org/>) AND new expeditions programs starting this summer 2017 to include High School students and Citizen Scientists, along with our normal college programs.
We’ve currently scheduled 10-19 day student expeditions to explore and conduct research on coral reefs of the Exuma archipelago. Briefly, our Research Objectives this year include the following: • Microplastics Pollution Research - Students will participate in on-going microplastics research to study their potential effects on corals. At the 2016 ASLO Ocean Sciences meeting, SUSiE presented the first ever study demonstrating the negative effect of microbeads on coral calcification. 2017 student participants will collect environmental microplastics prevalence data that will contribute to the publication of this research. • Coral Reef Photomosaic Monitoring Project - Last year, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Miami RSMAS, SUSiE launched its Coral Reefs Photomosaic Monitoring Project (CRPMP). The CRPMP uses cutting-edge technology to generate high resolution, spatially accurate consensus images, called photomosaics, from simple GoPro video footage. Participants will collect photomosaic data at several permanent research stations SUSiE has installed in the Exuma archipelago, and install, map and mosaic new stations to expand this ongoing, long-term monitoring effort. • Coral Cores for Sewage Pollution Forensics - In collaboration with University of Alabama, Birmingham and the Elizabeth Harbour Conservation Partnership, SUSiE has set out to pinpoint the currently unknown (and disputed) source of sewage pollution in Elizabeth Harbour, Bahamas. In 2016, SUSiE Expedition’s student researchers collected cores from living corals within the harbour. Using stable isotope analyses on the seasonal bands in the coral skeleton, we will try and reconstruct the historical signal of sewage pollution over the last 30 years. This summer, Student participants will help collect additional cores, establish and map underwater survey stations, and collect data and imagery necessary for publication of this research. Ultimately, these data will provide critical information needed to guide future resource usage and managements plans of Elizabeth Harbour. We’ll be posting a more formal announcement in a few days, but wanted to get the site launched and collect any constructive criticism, comments, etc. from some of our lists before widespread promotion. Likewise, please email me directly with questions or comments on the new site and/or programs. Kindly share with students or anyone you think might be interested in these unique research-sailing-expedition programs! Cheers, Robin -------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------- Robin T Smith PhD Founder & CEO Science under Sail Institute for Exploration www.scienceundersail.org <http://www.scienceundersail.org/> --------------------------------------------------------
