This is a picture of a Hawksbill turtle feeding on a sponge. Click image for larger view and image credit.
This is a picture of a hermit crab found at the steps of the Little Cayman Research Center. Click image for larger view and image credit.
Scientific Collaboration
May 30, 2007
Beth Hines,
Marine Science teacher
Mountain Brook High School
Birmingham, Alabama
See how histology helps scientist conclude what kind of sponge they have discovered.
(Quicktime, 3.8 Mb.)
This expedition has been an enlightening look into the very definition of scientific collaboration. As a high school teacher with a research background, I was included on this adventure for several reasons. First, to provide an ocean field experience to broaden my scientific horizons and transfer my enthusiasm for scientific research to students. Next, to allow me to meet and work with some of the foremost researchers in marine science, learning new techniques and refining old ones. Finally, to inspire me to create lessons and activities for teachers and classrooms everywhere, sharing knowledge and information gained on this expedition.
All of this brings me back to my original statement about scientific collaboration. The greatest lesson that I will take away from this expedition is that scientists do not work in a vacuum. They discuss ideas over breakfast, on the boat en route to dive sites, and while hauling someone else’s gear from one place to another. They stimulate and inspire each other through discussion, debate and spirited discussion. They share resources, information, data, and opinions freely in a spirit of academic community. But best of all, they allow a schoolteacher into their midst and patiently teach her to understand their work and their world… scientific collaboration at its best.
Marc Slattery’s passion for connectivity of environments is most evident when he is discussing a project to teach high school students about biodiversity and ocean zonation. His research on differences in distribution and abundance of shallow reef vs. deep reef corals and sponges will provide an outstanding basis for a collaborative student project.
This image shows a sharpnosed puffer fish in one of the 20 tanks in the wetlab where Deb Gochfeld conducted her bioassays. The bioassays consisted on feeding pureed squid to the fish and feeding pureed squid with chemical compounds to see how the fish reacted to the various chemicals. Click image for larger view and image credit.
This image shows Team TZ members Deb and Julie conducting a site survey at a depth of 40 feet. You can clearly see the tape measure on the left of the image and see Deb and Julie take notes of what they see along the tape in increments of 10 cm along the tape and 50 cm on either side of the measuring tape. They record all the sponges, and corals they see and provide information on location and abundance. Click image for larger view and image credit.
Deborah Gochfeld’s feeding deterrence assays with puffer fish will be an engaging experiment to recreate in the classroom. While learning about chemical defenses among sessile sponges and corals, students will strengthen experimental design skills by creating their own puffer fish feeding assay.
Julie Olsen’s search for the causes of problems in corals will allow students to examine the differences between a disease and a syndrome and how these definitions apply to the marine environment. A literature review and opinion paper by Mike Lesser will fuel the debate, while teaching students about scientific communication and interaction between scientists.
Learning to make sponge spicule and specimen slides with Cristina Diaz, one of the world’s leading sponge taxonomists, was an unforgettable experience. Cristina’s training in sponge reaggregation experiments and sponge identification through spicule preparation will be an asset for classroom labs.
I am very grateful to NOAA-OE as well as to Marc Slattery, principal investigator, for the opportunity to participate in this expedition. It was the opportunity of a lifetime for a marine science schoolteacher and I will remember this experience for years to come as future students benefit from my interaction with this outstanding group of researchers who gave of their time, talent, expertise and dedication to excellence in science education. I leave Little Cayman Research Center energized and invigorated to share this incredible experience with students and colleagues. And I leave with a renewed appreciation for the spirit of scientific collaboration.
