Undergraduate Viewbook

Inspiring Ocean Scholars

Exploring Coastal Futures

OCEAN-FOCUSED undergraduate programs

on shore and at sea

10,000+ SEA alumni since 1971

Largest ocean plastics data set in the world

CAMPUS IN THE OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH COMMUNITY OF WOODS HOLE, MASSACHUSETTS

Institutional and faculty funding from NSF, NOAA, and NASA

SSV Corwith Cramer, Atlantic Ocean

134-foot brigantines

US flagged

US Coast Guard certified and inspected

Complement:

38-40 persons

Scientific lab on board

LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS IN COASTAL COMMUNITIES IN THE PACIFIC AND ATLANTIC

MORE THAN $1 MILLION IN FINANCIAL AID AVAILABLE ANNUALLY TRANSFERABLE CREDIT FROM

Semester and summer programs open to all majors

SSV Robert C. Seamans, Pacific Ocean

COASTAL COMMUNITIES AND RESILIENCE

Ocean plastics | Maritime history

BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION

CHECK OUT OUR UPCOMING PROGRAMS

WWW.SEA.EDU/PROGRAMS/UNDERGRADUATE-PROGRAMS

ON SHORE

WOODS HOLE, MASSACHUSETTS CAMPUS

Gain access to some of the world’s foremost scientists and policymakers in the scientific and oceanographic research community on Cape Cod, home to SEA’s seven-acre residential campus.

COASTAL COMMUNITIES AND PORT STOPS

Engage with stakeholders in coastal communities in New England, throughout remote shore components, and/or during port stops. Benefit from the expertise of SEA’s local partners and collaborators on the realities of ocean issues, the effects of climate change, and the impact of policy approaches.

KEY SEA LOCATIONS:

AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND

DOMINICA

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

FIJI

FRENCH POLYNESIA

GRENADA

GULF OF MAINE

HAWAI‘I

JAMAICA

US VIRGIN ISLANDS

AT SEA

AS YOU SET SAIL, YOU TAKE ON THREE ROLES:

LIFE ON A TALL SHIP

The sea component immediately immerses you in the field, where you apply the skills and knowledge you gained during the shore component.

A DAY AT SEA:

• Attend class and all hands meetings

• Deploy equipment to collect samples and take measurements

• Work in the science lab to analyze data

• Stand watch as part of an around-the-clock schedule

• Assist with navigation, engineering, meal preparation, and ship maintenance

STUDENT

RESEARCHER

CREW MEMBER

ACADEMICS & RESEARCH

SEA’S APPROACH TO OCEAN STUDIES:

• Interdisciplinary

• Experiential

• Classroom learning and fieldwork

• Community engagement

COURSEWORK IN:

• Oceanography

• Marine environmental history

• Science communication

• Social sciences and public policy

SEA FACULTY:

• Full-time faculty in oceanography, social sciences, and humanities

• Visiting faculty with specialized knowledge of program locations

• Experienced ocean researchers with their own ongoing projects

• Committed to small group teaching and individual mentoring

UNDERGRADUATE FIELD RESEARCH:

• Collect and analyze samples for ongoing SEA ocean research

• Work with real-time and archival data from SEA’s longitudinal data sets

• Develop an individual or small group research project of your own

• Take a course in practical, directed, or advanced oceanographic, policy, or social science research

SEA STUDENTS & ALUMNI

NAME Caroline Caton

SEA PROGRAM Caribbean Reef Expedition, 2019

EDUCATION University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign, BA in Integrative Biology, Minor in Anthropology

CURRENT GRAD PROGRAM MS in Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Rhode Island

IMPACT OF SEA “I gained immeasurably more during my time at SEA than just a knowledge of marine science and sailing. SEA also introduced me to some of my best friends, kick-started my personal growth journey, and marked the first time that I felt comfortable stepping outside my comfort zone. Even years later, I continue to feel these impacts from SEA every day.”

NAME Yuyang (Pike) Li

SEA PROGRAM Caribbean Reef Expedition, 2021

EDUCATION Colorado College, BA in Organismal Biology and Ecology

SENIOR THESIS Benthic Community Variation of Shallow Coral Reefs and the Effect of Herbivory on Different Algae in US Virgin Islands

IMPACT OF SEA “On and off the ship, SEA offered me incredible scientific experiences and lifelong community-building skills that I will never forget. I used my SEA data in my senior thesis and am now working with an SEA faculty member to submit it for publication.”

SEA STUDENTS SHARE A PASSION FOR THE OCEAN AND UTILIZE THEIR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE IN SO MANY WAYS—ACADEMICALLY, PROFESSIONALLY, AND PERSONALLY.

NAME: Bethanie Edwards, PhD

SEA PROGRAM Oceans and Climate, 2007: MIT/

WHOI Joint Program sail, 2010

EDUCATION Hendrix College, BA in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

MIT-WHOI Joint Program, PhD in Chemical Oceanography

CURRENT POSITION Assistant Professor, University of California, Berkeley

IMPACT OF SEA “SEA was the perfect supplement to my undergraduate degree and helped me sort out what I wanted to study in graduate school. The experience also prepared me for working on research vessels and collaborating across large teams. I use the skills that I learned through SEA daily.”

NAME George H. Leonard, PhD

SEA PROGRAM Ocean Exploration, 1985

EDUCATION Middlebury College, AB in Biology

Moss Landing Marine Laboratories/San Jose State University, MS in Marine Science

Brown University, PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

CURRENT POSITION Chief Scientist, Ocean Conservancy

IMPACT OF SEA “Being under an evening sky on the bow of the RV Westward helped me appreciate the vastness of the ocean, comprehend the impact that humans were having on its well-being, and clarify the role I wanted to play to connect ocean science to public policy to help secure a healthy ocean for the future.”

OTHER SEA PROGRAMS

• High school: on shore, at sea, and virtual

• Pre-college: on the SEA campus in Woods Hole, MA

• Gap year: credit and non-credit options

• Collaborative/custom programs specially designed with partners

THE SEA VISION

SEA educates and inspires ocean scholars, stewards, and leaders. SEA fosters and enhances knowledge about the state of oceans and coastal communities. It also helps shape public dialogue and policy through long-term environmental research, global partnerships, and the continued impact of our students, faculty, and alumni worldwide.

Sea Education Association

www.sea.edu | admissions@sea.edu

P.O. Box 6 Woods Hole, MA 02543

800-552-3633

Design: Fyfe Design

Photo credits: SEA alumni, faculty, staff, and friends

Sea Education Association admits students of any race, color, gender, orientation, and national or ethnic origin to all programs and activities made available to students at SEA. SEA does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, orientation, or national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational programs, admissions policies, or financial aid.