Expedition 102: Oceanography Camp Especially for Girls

R/V ANGARI and her crew welcomed aboard, for an 8th year, eager and excited young scientists along with their mentors for the University of South Florida (USF) College of Marine Science’s Oceanography Camp Especially for Girls (OCG). OCG annually delivers a hands-on three-week summer camp for high school girls in Pinellas County interested in exploring careers in oceanography and marine science. This program is led by USF science mentors and allows participants an opportunity to gain real-world experience in oceanography while learning and developing problem solving, communication, teamwork and leadership skills.

This expedition consisted of three individual days onboard R/V ANGARI, where campers, scientists and peer mentors collected oceanographic samples and environmental data from three stations located inside and outside of Tampa Bay. At each station the campers collected data and samples using oceanography tools, like a YSI probe (CTD), Secchi disk (turbidity), anemometers (wind), plankton nets (for plankton sampling), Ponar grab samplers (for sediment sampling) and Niskin bottles (for water sampling). Water samples were analyzed in R/V ANGARI’s wet lab where campers used chemistry to measure several nutrient concentrations at each site. Campers used onboard microscopes to observe and identify small marine organisms collected during plankton tows, and at the end of each day, the crew deployed and recovered an otter trawl to look at larger marine organisms living in the area. All of the data and samples collected during this expedition contribute to the campers’ final projects, which they present at the end of the three-week camp.

Thank you to the Florida Institute of Oceanography and the University of South Florida College of Marine Science for supporting this expedition by providing scientific gear and dockage for R/V ANGARI.