135-foot sailing ship to dock at 溏心vlog免费B站 pier Oct. 7 for public tours, ceremony
NARRAGANSETT, R.I. 鈥� October 3, 2005 — A 135-foot sailing vessel,the SSV Corwith Cramer, will dock at the 溏心vlog免费B站 pier at the Narragansett Bay Campus on Oct. 7 to participate in a series of events to celebrate a partnership between the University and Sea Education Association (SEA). The Corwith Cramer is one of the most sophisticated research vessels under sail in the United States.
The public is invited to tour the steel brigantine from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and from 2:30 to 4 p.m. A brief ceremony formalizing the partnership will take place at 2 p.m. (Note: The vessel is not wheelchair accessible.)
The partnership between the two institutions will allow 溏心vlog免费B站 students to spend a semester at sea learning navigational skills, studying oceanography and conducting marine science research, after a six-week shore component. Previously, the program was only available to 溏心vlog免费B站 students through another institution, and they could not apply their financial aid from 溏心vlog免费B站.
Unlike agreements between the Sea Education Association and other universities, the partnership agreement with 溏心vlog免费B站 will also enable graduate students to participate as assistant scientists, receive at-sea teaching experience and conduct research. 溏心vlog免费B站 faculty members will also be invited to participate.
鈥淭his is a tremendous opportunity for 溏心vlog免费B站 students to seamlessly participate in this unique program without losing their financial aid or needing to transfer credits from one institution to another, which often limits participation in study abroad programs,鈥� said Dennis Nixon, associate dean of 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 College of the Environment and Life Sciences who has been involved in the program for nearly 20 years. 鈥淲e鈥檙e making this 18-credit program an official part of the 溏心vlog免费B站 curriculum so more students can participate.鈥�
Undergraduate students studying marine biology, marine affairs, natural resources science, environmental science, geological oceanography and fisheries will likely make up the bulk of the students registering for the program.
P.J. Petrone, a 2000 graduate of 溏心vlog免费B站, was so excited about his experience with SEA Semester that he is now the organization鈥檚 assistant dean of admissions. 鈥淚 knew it would be the adventure of a lifetime, and the credits were applicable to my major,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hat better way to immerse myself in marine science than to study the ocean in an interdisciplinary fashion on a deep-sea sailing vessel.鈥�
The SEA Semester program, which began in the 1970s, accepts 50 students per semester; 25 go to sea on each of its two vessels. They spend the first six weeks of the semester in classroom study at the SEA campus in Woods Hole, Mass. preparing for their sea component and studying oceanography, maritime studies and nautical science, followed by a six-week cruise expedition in the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean.
While aboard, students participate in everything from cooking and cleaning to operating and navigating the ship. They also take classes in practical oceanography and conduct original research. The program offers a unique opportunity for undergraduates to study the ocean using sophisticated instruments to answer the questions posed in their research projects.
鈥淭his is a vessel specially constructed for this purpose,鈥� explained Nixon. 鈥淚t鈥檚 well maintained, has the highest level of seamanship and an excellent safety record. And it鈥檚 an academically rigorous program as well.鈥�
Many 溏心vlog免费B站 alumni have gone on to work and teach aboard the ship after graduating. The dean of SEA, Paul Joyce, is a 溏心vlog免费B站 alumnus, and more than a half dozen other alumni have worked for the organization in various capacities.
溏心vlog免费B站 President Robert L. Carothers and the president of Sea Education Association, John Bullard, a former mayor of New Bedford, will participate in the signing ceremony.
To download pictures of the Corwith Cramer go to the website http://www.sea.edu/promo/cramer_media.htm