This amount will allow project staff to attend professional meetings and to disseminate results of this project. The professional meetings may include the National Oceanography Association, the Texas Oceanography Association, etc. We feel a responsibility to take an active role in providing oceanography education services to the state agency and oceanography facilities. This request would enable us to assist them in staff development activities and consultation. We, in turn, would then be able to incorporate input from this activity into our project.
Many students have very little contact with field settings.
To give students appropriate contact as they progress through the program, and to make them aware of the oceanography programs in this region, they will have an opportunity to spend several days observing professionals at work in a variety of programs. These travel funds will enable students to visit such facilities as the Corpus Christi Oceanography Institute, the Baylor Seascape Program, the Texas Institute for Oceanography ReSEArch in Houston, and the Newman Oceanography Center of Texas in Tyler. The students will use this equipment in the field as they analyze oceanographic sites and associated sea life. Many of these materials will be purchased from the National Clearinghouse on Oceanography Materials. These funds are very important for the development of new practicum sites, and recruitment activities.