Dive Program

The Occidental College dive program is a certified scientific diving program that follows all AAUS scientific diver standards.

All divers must be an AAUS certified scientific diver before they can participate in Occidental's dive program. The Ocean Studies Institute (OSI) AAUS Scientific Diving Certification Program is an intensive 14-day course focused on teaching research diving techniques. During the course divers will learn about diving theory, physics, physiology, dive planning and emergency accident management. In-water training will include numerous dives to practice essential data-gathering methodologies, and further develop general diving skills such as beach, navigation, deep, night, and rescue. The course also includes the DAN Diving First Aid for Professional Divers certification training, suitable for First Responders working in remote locations.

Scientific Diving Courses

June 12-23, 2023

Application Deadline: May 12, 2023

Oxy-affiliated Students/Volunteers: $600

This course is limited to 12 participants - applicants will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

Information for Student and Volunteer Divers

All Occidental dive program participants are expected to provide and maintain their own dive gear. Divers are also expected to log all program dives in Bloop

In order to start diving for the Vantuna Research Group, you must:

 

Diving with Sam Soule ’18

Go on a dive with Sam Soule, undergraduate scientific diver, and the Vantuna Research Group Dive Team in our newest 360° video! 

Sam is collecting invertebrate species that have been identified as targets of emerging fisheries (giant keyhole limpets, red urchins, Kellet's whelks, wavy turban snails) to measure for size frequency esitmates of the populations at Palos Verdes.

Contact Vantuna Research Group
Anderson Center for Environmental Sciences

1600 Campus Road 
Los Angeles, CA 90041