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Second Study Abroad Class a Success

Second Study Abroad Class a Success

June 19, 2024 1-min. read
Class of 2024 in front of their home base of Tropical Divers.

Thirteen NC State undergraduate students recently completed a Study Abroad course entitled: “Ecological and Geological Processes in an Immersive Scientific Diving Experience”. The semester-long course culminated in a 15-day study abroad experience on the Dutch Antilles Island of Bonaire.  Bonaire is well known for its superb diving, and the students were able to complete a broad range of diving experiences from practicing scuba skills to scientific diving such as photo quadrat surveys of corals and visual surveys of reef fish and coral disease, to participation in reef restoration training, to night dives. The course was led by Drs. Lewis Owen (Dean, College of Sciences) and David Eggleston (CMAST Director), as well as Mr. Steve Broadhurst (NC State Dive Safety Officer) and Mr. Dan Bowling (NC State/MEAS PhD student).

Students conducting an underwater visual survey for coral reef fish and coral disease.
Students conducting a photo-quadrat survey of coral cover and diversity.
Students participating in a Reef Renewal restoration class.  The coral fragments are growing on PVC-pipe frames suspended from the seafloor and the coral fragments will be harvested and out-planted on the bottom in an attempt to grow new coral reefs.

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