Courses
Offered on Summer 2022 Session 1, Northern Exploration, June 1- June17, 2022
3 credits
Offered through Colorado State University's Department of Atmospheric Science
The three S’s of climate change are: Simple (how it works), Serious (why it’s bad), and Solvable (what we’re going to do about it). We will learn about all three S’s while exploring Scandinavia and the North Atlantic. We’ll discover the invisible infrared heat rays that control Earth’s heat loss to space and the role of the air in setting our temperatures. We’ll understand what it is about carbon dioxide and other gases that give them the ability to absorb all that heat. We’ll learn about rising seas, melting glaciers, and changes in the patterns of wind and weather while sailing through some of the most spectacular ocean and landscapes on the planet. We’ll spend time on deck learning about ocean currents and the role of huge glaciers in shaping fjords and coastlines. We’ll visit cities in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland to learn about their unique climate challenges and the amazing innovations they are developing to provide clean power and prosperity for their peoples. This course is not about doom and gloom. Crossing the Arctic Circle during the time of the midnight Sun, we will find hope for our world and our future together.
Offered on Summer 2022 Session 2, Southern Exploration, June 25 - July 10, 2022
3 credits
Offered through Colorado State University's Warner College of Natural Resources
Studying the ocean while voyaging on the ocean is a dream come true. We will study in the classroom the fundamentals of the four major disciplines in oceanography, 1.) Geological Oceanography (GO), Chemical Oceanography (CO), Physical Oceanography (PO), and Biological Oceanography (BO), and how together they shape our environment. The exciting part is that we will see the interaction of these four disciplines coming to life throughout the voyage. We will spend time together on the deck, observing the ocean and hopefully seeing wildlife. We will also discuss the changing ocean environments, including ocean warming, acidification, sea level rise. We will also discuss the pressures humans exert on the marine environments, including pollution, overfishing, destroying coastal habitats. Field programs in our ports will give us a chance to explore the health of our marine environment. In Panama, Costa Rica, and Mexico we will gain first-hand experience on the status quo of coral reefs. We will assess the health of coral reefs and talk to local experts on conservation efforts. Another big theme of on our voyage will be plastic pollution. We will have a component built into our field programs to learn more about plastic pollution in our port countries, do a beach cleanup project and assess the various kinds of plastics we will find. We will allow ample time to share our experiences with one another and most importantly the shipboard community will add to our experience by sharing their observations throughout their voyage. This voyage allows the unique opportunity to see the big picture on how our ocean provides essential services to us. The overarching goal of studying the ocean on our voyage is to become aware that the ocean is our lifeline, and we must protect our ocean if we want to live on a healthy planet.