[Coral-List] Marine Conservation Science course at Friday Harbor Laboratories this summer - Applications due February 1

[Dan Brumbaugh]

Please feel free to forward on to others, and forgive the cross-postings.


      Summer Course to be offered at University of Washington's Friday
      Harbor Laboratories on San Juan Island


      MARINE AND COASTAL CONSERVATION SCIENCE: Concepts and Practice

Session B July 16 - August 18, 2007

5 weeks: M-F 8-5; S 8-12
*Biology 533B* (9 credits)

*Instructors: Dr. Dan Brumbaugh, Dr. Marjorie Wonham, and Dr. Carrie 
Kappel *

Students in this course will examine the conceptual underpinnings and 
practice the empirical tools of conservation science in marine and 
coastal environments. We will explore which terrestrial conservation 
lessons may be imported to the oceans and where novel approaches are 
needed for successful marine conservation and management. We will 
examine the theoretical and empirical effects of species removals, 
species additions, and changes in population age and size structure on 
population- and community-level processes in nearshore ecosystems. We 
will also look at higher order alterations of marine systems (e.g., food 
web alteration, habitat degradation) and examine approaches to 
addressing these changes such as active restoration, marine protected 
areas, and ecosystem based management. Though the primary focus of the 
course will be ecological, we will also explore the intersection of 
natural and social sciences in conservation science and problem-solving 
through guest lectures and case examples. Emphasis will be placed on 
both the /conceptual foundations/ of marine conservation science and the 
/practical application/ of these principles to conservation planning.

This course will be structured as an engaging mix of field and classroom 
activities, aimed at giving students hands-on experience in marine 
conservation science and set within a broader context. Activities will 
include

    * Daily lectures, including guest lectures by natural and social
      scientists engaged in marine conservation research and practice
    * Discussions of the primary literature
    * Hands on computer exercises to explore population modeling, marine
      reserve design, and basic and advanced statistical analyses
    * Lab and field based research, including an introduction to the
      flora and fauna of local nearshore habitats and methods for
      censusing biodiversity
    * Mock participatory conservation planning or policy process on a
      relevant regional issue
    * Student-designed independent projects

Students will leave this course with a greater familiarity with the 
natural history and species composition of nearshore habitats of the San 
Juan Islands and surrounding region. They will gain hands on experience 
designing an independent research project, applying univariate and 
multivariate statistical analyses to real data, and interpreting and 
presenting results. Students with existing research diving experience 
may choose to incorporate a subtidal component to their project; 
otherwise fieldwork will take place in intertidal habitats around the 
San Juan Islands.

Graduate students are encouraged to apply. Enrollment limited to 12 
students.

For additional information contact: brumba at amnh.org 
<mailto:brumba at amnh.org> or mwonham at ualberta.ca 
<mailto:mwonham at ualberta.ca> or kappel at nceas.ucsb.edu 
<mailto:kappel at nceas.ucsb.edu>

Application instructions >> 
<http://depts.washington.edu/fhl/studentApplicationInfo.html>

Friday Harbor Laboratories (FHL), part of the University of Washington, 
offers coursework for undergraduates, post-baccalaureates and graduate 
students. Spring and autumn sessions run a full academic quarter (10-11 
weeks) with courses and research apprenticeships targeted to 
undergraduates and post-baccalaureates. In summer we offer 7 
graduate-level courses plus 1 undergraduate-level course. Summer courses 
generally run 5 weeks in one of two summer sessions.

Courses and research apprenticeships at Friday Harbor Laboratories 
require a full-time commitment, normally all day Monday-Friday plus 
Saturday mornings. Students in all courses earn credits through the 
University of Washington.

Students live in dormitories on the FHL campus and are provided meals in 
the FHL Dining Hall. The FHL campus is sited on a 484-acre biological 
preserve on San Juan Island (75 miles NW of Seattle) accessible by 
scheduled ferry service, float plane and commuter aircraft. Accepted 
students should plan to arrive at FHL on the Sunday afternoon or evening 
the day before class begins, and may depart on the final Saturday of the 
session following lab clean up, normally completed by about noon.

Admission decisions are usually made within four weeks following the 
application deadline, and applicants will be notified via email.

See the FHL Student Cost webpage 
<http://depts.washington.edu/fhl/studentCosts.html> for information 
about costs.


-- 

Dan Brumbaugh, Ph.D.
Senior Conservation Scientist
Center for Biodiversity and Conservation
American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York, NY  10024-5192
tel: (212) 496-3494; fax: (212) 769-5277
email: brumba at amnh.org
Skype: dan.brumbaugh

CURRENTLY:
Visiting Scientist
National Marine Protected Areas Center, Science Institute
NOAA Fisheries Lab
110 Shaffer Road
Santa Cruz, CA 95060-5730
tel: (831) 420-3963; fax: (831) 420-3979

http://bbp.amnh.org/
http://cbc.amnh.org/symposia/archives/seascapes/index.html