Marine Science Training Program for Alaska Native Students.

• Main Authors: Kelley, John, Schall, Dennis, Alexander, Vera
• Other Authors: ALASKA UNIV FAIRBANKS
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1994
• Subjects: Personnel Management and Labor Relations; Physical and Dynamic Oceanography; Marine Engineering; Humanities and History; *EDUCATION; *STUDENTS; *MARINE ENGINEERING; *AMERICAN INDIANS; COASTAL REGIONS; LEADERSHIP; DEMOGRAPHY; ALASKA; CAREERS; OCEANOGRAPHIC DATA; MARINE BIOLOGY; RESEARCH MANAGEMENT; FISHERIES; OCEAN ENVIRONMENTS; TRAINING MANAGEMENT; OCEANOGRAPHY; INTERNS; ARCTIC OCEAN; FAIRBANKS(ALASKA); Arctic; Arctic Ocean; Fairbanks; Kachemak; Alaska
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA298863; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA298863

The purpose of the Marine Science Training for Alaska Native Students was to involve Alaskan Native students in scientific activities in order to encourage them to enhance their understanding of science, to increase their retention and success at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and to encourage at least some of them to pursue scientific careers. A very small proportion of the Native students at the University of Alaska Fairbanks have scientific majors at present. Marine science can serve as an attractive way to introduce science to these students because it involves multiple disciplines and allows a broad understanding of the interrelationships among the various scientific fields, and also because the marine environment is very central to the cultural background of many of the students. In the few years since this program was initiated, several of the students have become involved in scientific areas, and others have become Native leaders. The program has made a difference in their future in some cases, and in others it has clearly improved their scientific literacy. The approach was to involve students in research activities in the laboratory and field in a close relationship with a faculty mentor. In addition, students have the opportunity to work at coastal field stations and facilities, or take part in oceanographic work at sea during the summer months. A summer short course in marine science was provided for the interns at the Kasitsna Bay Laboratory on Kachemak Bay, near Homer, Alaska. (SEE PG 1. AN)