ASRA :: Marine Biology Module

Marine Biology is a remote module with additional cost. Total cost is $1250.
Preference will be given in this module to mature students in higher grades.
Students entering junior and senior years are encouraged to apply.

Ever wonder what a sea cucumber does when the tide is out? Or how a salmon avoids being caught by a bear? Come join Marine Biology as we discover first-hand the answers to these and many other fascinating questions!

This experience will enlighten or broaden each student’s knowledge of marine coastal areas in Alaska through hands-on field experiences in some of the state's most diverse, productive, and accessible waters. As a group we will travel to the south shores of Kachemak Bay, an extension of Cook Inlet that boasts some of the most beautiful and accessible beaches in the state! Numerous varieties of seastars, snails, sea cucumbers, clams, and worms thrive in the nutrient-rich waters and often grow larger than in other geographic regions.

Using UAF’s Kasitsna Bay Laboratory as our base camp, we will explore nearby beaches to gain an understanding of the diverse nature of the living organisms in the area. We will focus our studies on the biological component of the coastal marine environment, but will also investigate the connections between the physical environment and the organisms. During our stay we will experience the lowest tides of the month and be able to scamper about on beaches that are more often covered by water than not.

In the tradition of Jacques Cousteau and Sylvia Earle, we will explore the marine environment with eyes wide open, taking in all that can be seen and touched! The group project will likely be an investigation of species feeding efficiencies of selected intertidal invertebrates.

• Dr. Ann Knowlton got her PhD at UAF in Marine Biology. She has been leading the ASRA Marine Biology module since 2003.
• Amy Tippery is a MS Marine Biology candidate in her second year at UAF, investigating the effects of climate change on seagrass ecosystems at extreme northern latitudes. After receiving her BS in Environmental Sciences from the Evergreen State College in 1997, she went on to work for positive progress in her backyard of the Puget Sound. Collaborating with state and non-profit agencies, Amy has been helping farmers, school groups, and neighborhoods to restore streams and wetlands, mentoring girls to take on outdoor leadership through rock climbing with Passages Northwest, and exploring the outdoors in her home state of Washington. Her newfound hobby of SCUBA joins the favorites list beside botany, rock climbing, hiking and exploring. Raised on an island, Amy has always loved tide pool gazing and could put Indiana Jones out of a job with her Bull Kelp whips: discovering the mysteries of ocean and shore has been a life priority. Her favorite quote is the wise passage by Margaret Mead, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

• Vicki Stegall has a Masters degree in Marine Biology from UAF. She wants to make a difference in the world, and one of her passions is education and outreach.