MSCI 503 - Interdisciplinary Research in Estuarine and Coastal Systems

Spring Credits: (2) Brush

This course provides an interdisciplinary overview of estuarine and coastal systems and exposes students to these systems through student-directed, interdisciplinary group research projects in Virginia coastal waters. The course covers the key geological, physical, chemical, and biological processes that structure these systems, highlights spatiotemporal variability in these processes, and emphasizes examples from Chesapeake Bay and the Virginia Eastern Shore. Concepts are reinforced through group field projects that cover all aspects of the scientific process from project conception to presentation, provide hands-on experience in assessing naturally-occurring, integrative processes in coastal settings, and expose students to the collaborative, interdisciplinary research process that characterizes modern marine science. Emphasis will be placed on integrating diverse results and products into an interdisciplinary “story” that addresses the overall group objective, which is communicated through group poster presentations at the end of the semester.