University of San Diego Student from San Marino Embarks on Research Expedition at Sea

2015 Jul 17

University of San Diego student Toffee Jiaravanon from San Marino is currently sailing with SEA Semester aboard one of the first scientific research voyages to the Phoenix Islands, a largely unexplored region of the Pacific Ocean.

Data gathered by the class has the potential to make real and lasting contributions to our limited knowledge about one of the last remaining coral wildernesses on earth.

Jiaravanon, who plans to graduate in 2017, is studying marine biology.

Through an eight-week SEA Semester summer program called Protecting the Phoenix Islands, a total of 22 undergraduates from diverse U.S. colleges and universities will help to complete some of the first comprehensive oceanographic surveys of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA). PIPA, an expanse of ocean about the size of California, is one of the world's largest Marine Protected Areas and was recently named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The program, offered in partnership with the New England Aquarium, began in mid-June at SEA Semester's campus in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, where the students completed preparatory coursework and developed their own research projects in ocean science or conservation policy. Presentations by research colleagues from New England Aquarium and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution set a common purpose and mission for the upcoming voyage.

Last week, the class began the hands-on centerpiece of the program: a six-week sailing voyage as active crewmembers and scientists aboard the SSV Robert C. Seamans, operated by Sea Education Association. This 134-foot brigantine is the most sophisticated oceanographic research/sailing school vessel ever built in the United States.

Starting in Honolulu, Hawaii, they will first cross the Equator as part of their two-week, 1,600-mile open ocean voyage to the Phoenix Islands. Then, during three weeks in PIPA, the student researchers will document the oceanic ecosystem around seven small coral atolls, including pristine reefs filled with rich fauna of corals, other invertebrates and fish. A final leg to American Samoa will round out the voyage around August 14.

"Between our expedition last year and what we're up to this year, SEA Semester students have had a hand in developing most of the existing knowledge about the oceanography of this area," said Jan Witting, SEA Semester professor of oceanography and chief scientist for the voyage. "It's valuable knowledge that will go directly to help make management decisions about the future of PIPA, and helping to gather it on board our ship is also a terrific learning experience for our students."

About Sea Education Association/SEA Semester(R)

Sea Education Association (SEA) is an internationally recognized leader in undergraduate ocean education. For nearly 45 years and more than one million nautical miles sailed, SEA has educated students about the world's oceans through its Boston University accredited study abroad program, SEA Semester. SEA/SEA Semester is based on Cape Cod in the oceanographic research community of Woods Hole, Massachusetts and has two research vessels: the SSV Corwith Cramer, operating in the Atlantic Ocean, and the SSV Robert C. Seamans, operating in the Pacific.

About the University of San Diego

The University of San Diego is a Catholic institution of higher learning committed to teaching, the liberal arts, the formation of values and the creation of ethical leaders. Chartered in 1949, the university enrolls approximately 8,300 undergraduate and graduate full-time equivalent students. The University of San Diego has a long history of public service and is recognized as a Changemaker Campus by Ashoka U, the global association of the world's leading social entrepreneurs. The university's eight academic divisions include the College of Arts and Sciences, The School of Business Administration, The Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, The School of Law, The School of Leadership and Education Sciences, the Hahn School of Nursing and Health Sciences, The Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, and the Division of Professional and Continuing Education. For more information go to www.sandiego.edu.