Shoals Marine Lab

Teachers are students, too, at CU-UNH Shoals Marine Lab learning island

By Roger Segelken

Summer noncredit courses for adults and families -- everything from island bird study, painting and nature photography to marine-mammal study, gardening and kayaking -- lure visitors to Appledore Island off the Maine-New Hampshire coast, the home of Shoals Marine: Laboratory (SML), which has become a learning island for students of all ages. Even teachers.

Established more than 35 years ago as a seasonal field station for undergraduates studying marine sciences, the Cornell-University of New Hampshire program soon expanded to share the island's resources with the general public and alumni who wanted to learn about sea life in a stimulating environment.

The R/V Heiser, the smaller of Shoals Marine Lab's two research vessels, heads back to the Appledore Island home of the seasonal field station. Ron Sher

In 2003 SML added family-oriented programs, such as "Kids Ahoy! Discovering Marine Science for the Whole Family," as well as marine-science programs for school teachers who refused to nap through their summer vacations. New this summer at Shoals Marine Laboratory is a special, one-week session of Cornell's Institute for Biology Teachers (CIBT).

This teacher-training program, originally funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, has become a national model for university-based curriculum development in the public schools. The 2004 CIBT session at Shoals Marine Laboratory is fully subscribed. However openings are still available in other 2004 noncredit programs:

Island Bird Study, May 21-23; ornithological adventure for beginning and experienced birders on the island stop-over for more than 100 migrating species, with field trips aboard the R/V Kingsbury to surrounding islands; $300.

A Garden Is a Sea of Flowers, July 30-Aug. 1; explorations in and around the recreated Celia Thaxter Garden that inspired 19th century artists, writers and musicians when Appledore Island was a summer resort; $300.

Seascapes and Landscapes: The Isles of Shoals in Watercolor, Aug. 19-22; or The Isles of Shoals in Pastels and Other Media, Aug. 28-31; art instruction on the island depicted by Impressionist Childe Hassam and other 19th century painters; $450 for either session.

Kids Ahoy! Discovering Marine Science for the Whole Family, Aug. 18-20; a treasure chest of field trips, creative crafts, snorkeling, interactive workshops, stargazing and tidepooling for children, ages 5-18; $300.

Marine Mammals of the Gulf of Maine, Aug. 26-29; search for humpback whales, grey seals and harbor porpoises aboard a working research vessel while learning marine mammal natural history, ecology and conservation; $450.

Paddle to the Sea, Aug. 26-29; sea kayak instruction and excursions along the rocky coastlines of off-shore islands to experience Gulf of Maine flora and fauna at water level; $650 includes all gear and supplies.

Birds of the Isles: Natural History and an Introduction to Bird Banding Techniques, Sept. 2-5; late-summer walking tours, informal lectures, field trips to other islands and hands-on instruction by licensed banders; $450.

Nature Photography, Sept. 2-5; weekend program on Appledore Island and neighboring islands in search of birds, seals and scenic vistas for beginners and experts alike; $450.

Appledore House Weekend: Mysteries and Legends of the Isles of Shoals, Sept 3-5; excellent food, relaxation and story-telling by historians about shipwrecks, early settlers, Blackbeard's treasure, island folk tales and strange-but-true events; $300 for two nights, $180 for one night Sept. 4-5.

Shoals Marine Laboratory alumni and their children and spouses are eligible for a 15 per cent discount on fees, which include meals, lodging and instruction. For more information, visit http://www.sml.cornell.edu/, e-mail shoals-lab@cornell.edu or phone 255-3717.

In addition, two-, four- and six-credit summer college courses are offered at Shoals Marine Laboratory, beginning May 24, at fees ranging from $1,060 to $3,530. Among the introductory-level courses are Field Marine Science, Field Marine Biology and Ecology, and Introduction to Marine Science. Another summertime introductory course,Tropical Marine Science, is given at Akumal, Mexico. Process and experimental courses include Research in Marine Biology, Ecology of Animal Behavior and Underwater Research. Course descriptions and registration details are at http://www.sml.cornell.edu/.

May 6, 2004