1. The Ocean Inquiry Project (OIP) is a non-profit organization implementing a new strategy for ocean science education in Puget Sound, Washington. OIP’s mission is to educate students, teachers and community members about oceanography in the Sound using scientific inquiry, and to connect them with the local research community. Motivated by their own questions and those posed in established research and monitoring projects, OIP students collect high-quality data during day-long cruises on Puget Sound. The experience expands their horizons, fosters an appreciation for the environment, and involves them directly in the research process. Student observations are archived on the OIP web site (www.oceaninquiry.org) and are subsequently accessed both by the students and local researchers for analysis and further inquiry. An on-going and successful pilot program involves community college and university students collecting data for themselves and researchers at the Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE) and University of Washington (UW). Recently, funding from the National Oceanographic Partnership Program formed an official partnership between OIP, UW, DOE, King County and the Navy. For this project, OIP’s web site will be expanded greatly to include tools to facilitate data and model exchange and data-rich curricula for educators not located near Puget Sound. OIP also seeks to expand our field operations to other colleges within the Puget Sound area and include middle and high schools as well. We hope others can build upon the OIP model to develop similar programs in additional locations. The Mary L., operated by the American Institute for Marine Studies, a non-profit located in Seattle, WA. Students collect a water sample. Where ever you go, there you are... An amphipod who couldn’t escape our nets. Students interpret CTD readings near Deception Pass. Figure 1: This map of Puget Sound shows where OIP operations have been targeted to date. Red circles are ambient monitoring stations of either the Washington State Dept. of Ecology or the PRISM project that have been occupied by OIP. Blue dots indicate sites sampled by OIP with a CTD. Blue triangles show dive locations. The Ocean Inquiry Project: Win-win for the Learning and Research Communities Jill L. Schmidt 1, Christian P. Sarason 2, Scott R. Veirs 3 and Frederick R. Stahr 2. 1) NCEAS, University of California at Santa Barbara, 735 State St., Suite 300, Santa Barbara, CA 93101-3351 2) Ocean Inquiry Project, P.O. Box 23189, Seattle, WA 98102 3) School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195email: info@oceaninquiry.org Seattle Tacoma Olympia Everett Hood Canal Main Basin South Sound Saratoga Passage Admiralty Inlet INTRODUCTION MOTIVATION Figure 3: The color plots at left show time series measurements of temperature collected by the Washington State Department of Ecology. The annual signal of heating, cooling and mixing is quite apparent. Color intensity denotes temperature, with data sampling located at the boundaries of the color swaths. The data from Ecology was downloaded from their web site located at: Figure 3 http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/eap/mar_wat/mwm_intr.html Learning through Inquiry Field Experiences Stimulating Science Experiences Positive Science Experiences Interaction with Scientists Hands-on Learning Multib-disciplinary Learning Experiences RESEARCH COMMUNITY NEEDS Outreach and Public Education Increased sampling resolution in time and space Validation of Models Water Quality Monitoring Teaching Opportunities for Graduate Students Watch for Invasive Species Secchi Depth Measurements EDUCATION COMMUNITY NEEDS Catalyst: OIP Stir Well EVERYBODY WINS!! Public Interest in Research Excitement about Scientific Discoveries Effective Observations Sense of Ownership of Puget Sound Increases Likelihood of Good Stewardship Knowledge of Scientific Process Connections between Students and Researchers Increased Sampling Rates FUTURE DIRECTIONS A) B) Students get a close-up view of some benthic critters. Figure 2 a)b)c) Figure 2: Filling in gaps in data collection frequency and geographical coverage is one of the scientific goals of OIP, as are smaller and more detailed hydrographic surveys. OIP CTD stations collect temperature and salinity measurements using a SeaCat 19 rented from the University of Washington’s equipment pool. This figure shows intra-monthly variability of temperature, salinity and density profiles for a) July 8th, 2001 b) July 11th, 2001, and c) July 12th, 2001 at PRISM 28, a long-term monitoring location for the PRISM project at the University of Washington (see: http://www.prism.washington.edu) Ocean Inquiry Project is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. All donations are tax deductible. For more information about our programs, see our web site at: www.oceaninquiry.org Improve inquiry nature of students' experiences Identify additional case studies meeting educational and research criteria Solicit proposed ideas for smaller, 'ground-up' research projects from local researchers and teachers. Improve pre-cruise curricula by providing more context and motivation for the questions asked Seek review of curriculum from educational advisors Raise funds for program growth and development Acquire vessel for exclusive use by OIP Acquire additional instrumentation to expand sampling capabilities. Develop program to bring in graduate students to gain teaching experience while collecting data for their research.