Senior Cruise 2013 - Before casting off
The UW School of Oceanography provides each of its undergraduate majors with the opportunity to conduct research and/or independent study on a topic of their choice and to write an undergraduate thesis formally presenting the results.
Research is a very collaborative and iterative process. It is a continuous learning experience in which even small results can have important influences. This year students combine guided large group activities with small group interactions to design, write, and communicate individual ocean science research proposals.
Before the ship leaves the dock each student has written and reviewed numerous drafts of their research proposal and made continuous changes and revisions that brought their questions into focus. This cruise will explore topics that range from the biological diversity of coral reefs to sedimentation patterns that have evolved along a geological hot spot. Each student has designed and defended their research plan and now it is time to put this phase of research into action. Here are the topics the students will be exploring:
Elise Baldwin: "The Search for Hydrogen Isotope Gradients in the Western Tropical Pacific"
Teos Bisbee: "Exopolymeric Substances in the Tropical Zone"
Lauren Brandkamp: "Evaluating the Effects of Anthropogenic Pollution on Coral Abundance, Diversity, and Coverage on Tutuila Island, American Soma"
Sonia Brugger: " Data Acquisition and Design requirements for Autonomous Phytoplankton Sampling during Phytoplankton Bloom Events"
Jake Dossett: "Wind Friction Velocity Calculated from Observed Wave Spectra"
Audrey Furlong: "Quantitative Characterization of the Surficial Geological Structure of the Seafloor"
Colin Katagiri: "Anthropogenic Influence on Phytoplankton Blooms and Dinoflagellate Cyst Formation near Tutuila Island, American Somoa"
Rhys Lloyd: "Nutrient Effects on Chlorophyll Levels in the South Pacific"
Nicolette McCary: "Survey of the Effects of Environmental Stresses on Coral Species Diversity, Abundance, and Percent Cover in Reefs on Tutuila Island, American Soma"
Charles Parker: "Stability Variations of Near-Surface Environments before and after a Rain Event in the Equatorial Pacific using ARGO floats"
Christina Ramirez: "Zooplankton Aggregation around Muli Guyot; a shallow seamount in the Samoan Archipelago"
Paul Russell: "Trade Offs in Sedimentation Rates with Age Along a Hot Spot Island Chain"
Madison Shipley: "Marine Organism Behavioral Response to Directed and Ambient Acoustic Energy"
Kiely Shutt: "Patterns of Vertical Abundance of Synechococcus in the Southern Pacific Ocean"
Tianna Simmons: "Distribution of Microplastics on a Transect from Tahiti to American Samoa and the Correlation with Primary Productivity"
Bianna Sweeney: "Exploring and Exposing the Spatial Complexity of Temperature and Salinity below the Ocean Surface using Remote Sensing and Tow-yo Surveys"
Kecen Zhou: "Comparison of Offshore Carbonate Sediments on two Islands at Different Stages of Reef Formation"
