|
||||||
|
|
|||||||
|
||||||||
|
MIT Summer Research Program Students Visit USGS in Woods Hole
A group of undergraduates from across the country visited the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Woods Hole Science Center last June as part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Summer Research Program (MSRP). MSRP is designed to facilitate the involvement of talented science and engineering students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds, are members of underrepresented minorities, or are first-generation college students. The program draws sophomores and juniors from around the country to MIT's campus, where they spend the summer working in a research laboratory under the guidance of experienced scientists and engineers. As part of their research experience, these students were given the opportunity to visit the six scientific institutions in Woods Hole, Mass., on Saturday, June 24, 2006. During the day-long tour, the MSRP students visited the USGS Woods Hole Science Center, two National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ships, the Woods Hole Science Aquarium (part of NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center), a Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) autonomous underwater vehicle, the Sea Education Association (SEA) campus, and the ecofriendly Gilman Ordway Campus of the Woods Hole Research Center. In the afternoon, the students were provided information about summer programs, research opportunities, and graduate programs available in Woods Hole. At the USGS, Glynn Williams led an informative walk through the Crawford Building and spoke about the USGS' commitment to making its information available to interested researchers and the public, and how to make that possible. Bill Waite gave tours of the GHASTLI (Gas Hydrate and Sediment Testing Laboratory Instrument) facility that included a short presentation on gas hydrates peppered with his own research experience. Claudia Flores gave a minilecture on the geology of the Caribbean region, focusing on Puerto Rico and reinforcing her information with the USGS center's GeoWall data-visualization system. Tour organizers reported that of the four afternoon tours students could choose to attend, the GeoWall tour was the overwhelming first choice. Despite their long day and hectic schedule, the students were enthusiastic, asking challenging questions not only about USGS science but also about research opportunities and career-path decisions. The chance to put a human face on USGS science and to potentially lure bright, young stars into coastal and marine research made for a valuable outreach opportunity. The USGS participants were Claudia Flores, Bill Waite, and Glynn Williams. The tour was organized by Christopher Jones of the MIT Graduate Students Office and Regina Campbell-Malone of the MIT/WHOI Joint Program. For more information about the MIT Summer Research Program, visit their Web page. Information on the Woods Hole Diversity Advisory Committee is posted on their Web site.
|
 |
in this issue:
Mapping the Sea Floor Off Santa Barbara, CA
Manatee Traveler in Northeastern Waters Not Chessie Cat Parasite May Affect Cultural Traits in Human Populations
USGS Participates in Waquoit Bay Watershed Block Party
New Coastal and Marine Digital Library September 2006 Publications List |
||||||||||||||||||||
U. S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
previous story
