A lecture with a difference: Students dive into ocean science from the South Atlantic Ridge
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Ocean science students at the University of Liverpool experienced an online lecture with a difference - one that took them straight to the heart of cutting-edge research expedition in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean.
Professor Jonathan Sharples, who is currently leading a seven-week research expedition aboard the RRS James Cook, brought the ocean to life for his students with a live-streamed lecture straight from the South Atlantic ridge.
The expedition is investigating how tidal flows over the mid-Atlantic ridge generate turbulence, mixing deep-sea nutrients and fueling biological productivity at the surface.
Thanks to advances in oceanic internet connectivity, Professor Sharples was able to teach oceanography directly from the field (so to speak).
He delivered an interactive session that gave students an exclusive, real-time look at oceanographic techniques and shipboard research facilities they had been studying for years.
A virtual voyage aboard the RRS James Cook
Year 2 students were treated to a Zoom tour of the ship during their laboratory session in Liverpool. Professor Sharples guided them through the onboard labs, demonstrating how the techniques they had been learning about in class were being applied in a real-world research setting.
The virtual tour even took students to the ship’s bridge, where they observed the 3rd mate controlling the vessel’s position while turbulence measurements were being conducted off the stern. They also got a behind-the-scenes look at life at sea, exploring the mess room, cabins, and the ship’s lounge, offering a glimpse into the day-to-day reality of oceanic research.
For Year 3 students, the experience was even more immersive. As part of their module on current research questions in oceanography, they typically attend seminars by university staff discussing ongoing projects.
This time, they got their seminar live from the RRS James Cook. Professor Sharples discussed key concepts from their studies and demonstrated how they were being applied in the context of the mid-Atlantic ridge research. He guided students through the ship’s labs, showing how different data collection methods were coming together to address the expedition’s scientific hypotheses.
Bringing cutting-edge ocean science to life
Both student groups eagerly engaged with their lectures asking questions about life aboard the research vessel and the expedition’s findings so far.
Professor Sharples said: “Communication with research ships has improved enormously over the past decade. Now, we can reliably deliver a seminar online and hold live discussions with students back in Liverpool. This was a fantastic opportunity to connect their studies with cutting-edge real-world research in one of the most remote regions of the ocean.”
The expedition, funded by UKRI through NERC Pushing the Frontiers programme, involves scientists and engineers from the University of Liverpool, the National Oceanography Centre in Liverpool, and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography USA.
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An acoustic current meter about to go into the water.[/caption]