Student Opportunities Aboard Research Vessels
CMWS Projects Provide Real Life Experiences

Each year, students that are associated with Coastal’s Center for Marine & Wetland Studies have the opportunity to participate in “cruises” and other on-site work experiences.  These can vary from day trips working on the local beaches of the Grand Strand to week long cruises in the Gulf of Mexico.

CCU undergrads work on vibracores with CMWS,
USGS and NC Geological Survey Staff onboard
the NOAA ship Nancy Foster

During the FY 2004-05 there were three cruises on which the CMWS conducted research.  On October 19-29, 2004 a group of faculty, staff and students lead by CMWS Director Dr. Paul Gayes boarded the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s ship, Nancy Foster, in Charleston, SC.  The cruise focused on vibra-coring off of the outer banks of North Carolina during the day and conducting geophysical surveys in the evening in concert with the US Geological Survey.  USGS staff and colleagues from the NC Cooperative Study also participated.  Priority was given to CCU students actively interested/working in this area of study, students from Dr. Gayes’ classes that would be impacted and then to all other students who might benefit from the experience.

CCU undergrad helping conduct detailed bathymetric and
side san sonar survey for National Park Service in
Fort George Inlet, Florida.

On March 28-April 4, 2005 another cruise took place on the NOAA ship Nancy Foster.  This trip was to index reef site assessment and sediment remobilization adjacent to the Charleston ODMDS (Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site).  The ship was boarded at the Coast Guard Station in Charleston.  Several Coastal students participated.

(L-R) Braden Reynolds, Nate Mullins and
Neil Gielstra of the CMWS take core samples
in the Gulf of Mexico.

A two part venture took place in the Spring and Summer of 2005.  This was a joint project with Texas A&M.  The destination was the Gulf of Mexico just off of the coast of Galveston, Texas.  Basically, CCU participated as a model for Texas A&M who is in the process of setting up a similar program like the one at CCU.  Procedures for shallow geophysics, coring and ultimately beach profiling were shared by CCU’s CMWS. On the first trip a high resolution geophysical survey was conducted and on a second trip coring on selected targets was performed.  Graduate student Braden Reynolds participated along with staff from the CMWS.