Occidental College’s Marine Science Experience (MSE) is part of the Teachers + Occidental = Partnership in Science (TOPS) program. MSE was funded by an Improving Teacher Quality State Grant from the California Postsecondary Education Commission. With guidance by resource professionals, MSE offered an opportunity for science teachers and their students to formulate research investigations and use modern instruments and data collection techniques on board an oceanographic research vessel. Upon returning to the classroom, students analyzed their data and shared it with other MSE school sites via the Internet. Participants were invited to attend a celebratory research conference at Occidental College for project presentations.

MSE ended regular activities in July 2005, but the website developed for this program is maintained by the TOPS Program at Occidental. Additional data collected on board any of the local educational vessels can be added to the tables by emailing it to tops@oxy.edu. 

 

Students in the participating classes are designing research projects for which they can collect data during their cruise. For some of the ideas which Ms. Elliott's students at Sacred Heart High School in Lincoln Heights are considering for 1999-2000, click here. For 2001 projects, click here. For 2002 projects, click here.

 

Ms. Uchida's students at San Pedro High School were given the assignment to design the Fish of the Future exploring the modifications that might occur in response to current environmental conditions. To view some of their models, click here.