2008 Woodie Awards
Marine Biology
Stephanie Hanisak
Issue date: 1/29/07 Section: News
Starting next fall, Rollins College will be offering a long awaited Marine Biology major. Historically, the Rollins biology program has attracted students predominately interested in pursuing a career in medicine or dentistry. While there has been a marine biology course offered for numerous years, Rollins has never offered an in-depth path of study in this field. Numerous students, both current and prospective, have expressed their interest in marine biology, which led the faculty to seriously consider adding a marine biology major.
"The marine biology major was a long time coming at Rollins because of where we are located," said Dr. Sutherland, who along with Dr. Harper were hired in the fall of 2005 into Rollins' biology department with the hopes of developing a marine biology program. Dr. Sutherland continued by explaining that it was a much needed and in demand area of study due to the close proximity of Rollins, being located in Central Florida, to the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico.
The marine biology major is comprised of eight core marine biology courses, three core chemistry courses, one biology elective course, and one approved field experience in marine biology. Students may choose between the following biology electives: Biology of Fishes, Marine Botany, Animal Physiology, Microbiology, Biostatistics, and/or the Independent Study in Biological Research. Students will be able to fulfill the field requirement by either participating in a field study trip or spending a semester at an approved marine station.
Over Winter Break, students travelled to Hawaii where they spent approximately three weeks studying various marine ecosystems, plants, and animals. Field experience is an important part of Marine Research. "While we were in Hawaii we were reading papers regarding the green sea turtles, and the students were able to see what they were reading about," said Dr. Harper. "That is the best thing about field experience."
Besides Hawaii, the Rollins Biology department has offered trips in previous years to Barbados and is currently looking into developing marine research trips to Panama and Maine. Current approved marine stations are the Duke University Marine Lab or the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. By choosing to spend a semester at one of these approved marine stations, students have the opportunity to conduct independent research, attend more specific courses not offered in the Rollins program, or to fulfill the physics requirement that most graduate level biology programs have.
According to their website, the marine biology major at Rollins College will offer students "a broad understanding of basic biological and ecological principles and processes; exposes them to the discovery nature of science; and educates them in their roles as global citizens in preserving the health of the marine environment."
"The marine biology major was a long time coming at Rollins because of where we are located," said Dr. Sutherland, who along with Dr. Harper were hired in the fall of 2005 into Rollins' biology department with the hopes of developing a marine biology program. Dr. Sutherland continued by explaining that it was a much needed and in demand area of study due to the close proximity of Rollins, being located in Central Florida, to the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico.
The marine biology major is comprised of eight core marine biology courses, three core chemistry courses, one biology elective course, and one approved field experience in marine biology. Students may choose between the following biology electives: Biology of Fishes, Marine Botany, Animal Physiology, Microbiology, Biostatistics, and/or the Independent Study in Biological Research. Students will be able to fulfill the field requirement by either participating in a field study trip or spending a semester at an approved marine station.
Over Winter Break, students travelled to Hawaii where they spent approximately three weeks studying various marine ecosystems, plants, and animals. Field experience is an important part of Marine Research. "While we were in Hawaii we were reading papers regarding the green sea turtles, and the students were able to see what they were reading about," said Dr. Harper. "That is the best thing about field experience."
Besides Hawaii, the Rollins Biology department has offered trips in previous years to Barbados and is currently looking into developing marine research trips to Panama and Maine. Current approved marine stations are the Duke University Marine Lab or the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. By choosing to spend a semester at one of these approved marine stations, students have the opportunity to conduct independent research, attend more specific courses not offered in the Rollins program, or to fulfill the physics requirement that most graduate level biology programs have.
According to their website, the marine biology major at Rollins College will offer students "a broad understanding of basic biological and ecological principles and processes; exposes them to the discovery nature of science; and educates them in their roles as global citizens in preserving the health of the marine environment."
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Nick Mascari
posted 1/31/07 @ 2:11 PM EST
Jeez, all I got to do was go to Pigeon Key with Dr. Dave Richards.
Nick Mascari '67
Alexis
posted 2/09/07 @ 9:31 AM EST
wow thats alot of writing good for you a my self could never write like that
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