 |
Laboratory for Interactive Learning Technologies |
About LILT
Team
Research
Software
Outreach
Opportunities
Sponsors
LILT, Dept. of ICS • University of Hawai`i at Manoa • 1680 East-West Road, POST 309 • Honolulu, HI 96822 • 1-808-956-3890
Professor At Sea
Dan Suthers
Between September 13th and October 16th, I joined a 5 week research expedition to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) on the recently commissioned NOAA vessel Hi`ialakai. The expedition was part of the NWHI Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP), and included SCUBA divers conducting Rapid Ecological Assessments of reef fish, corals, other invertebrates, and algae, along with shallow water habitat mapping and oceanographic monitoring.
I was the "science writer" for the expedition, documenting the work of onboard scientists for a general audience. During the voyage, I posted journal entries of activities almost daily, and wrote a series of feature articles delving into the science. Now that the expedition is over, I am completing several more articles and will be working with NOAA educational staff to convert these articles to various education and outreach purposes. I particularly want to hear from teachers interested in curriculum based on science in the NWHI.
Why did I do this? If you saw the NWHI you would understand instantly, but in addition to the sheer beauty of the region and the uniqueness of the opportunity there are also professional motivations. I am on sabbatical, a time for renewal and during which faculty traditionally explore new directions in their careers. I am intererested in developing a strong connection between the research of this laboratory and the environment in which we live. Marine environmental science is a particularly good fit to our location and to Hawai`i Networked Learning Communities.
It would have been better to post this story before it happened, but it's still relevant. You can read the daily journals and feature stories at