CSP Student Cruise

We request one day of ship time on the R/V Sproul to provide student instruction at sea for students in the Masters of Advanced Studies Climate Science and Policy (MAS CSP) Program. CSP seeks to train the next generation of leaders in climate change mitigation and adaptation. The one-year program provides a comprehensive overview of the scientific basis for climate change, including a detailed description of the ocean's role in the climate system. A one-day cruise in April/May 2023 would provide an invaluable opportunity to learn firsthand how oceanographic measurements are made, and to connect concepts learned in the classroom with the fieldwork that drives scientific advances. A cruise is proposed in local waters to demonstrate how hydrographic measurements are made. The CTD casts will include a PAR, fluorometer, and O2 sensor. Trawls will be conducted using a small-mesh plankton net for phytoplankton and other protists, a large-mesh net for zooplankton, and an otter trawl for an assortment of organisms. CSP students receive training in the basics of physical, chemical, geological, and biological oceanography during an intensive summer program and two quarters of coursework. In the Spring quarter, they will be focusing on Capstone research projects that bring together science and policy with practical applications. They all will be enrolled in the CSP Capstone course during Spring quarter. Relevant to that course are activities that enhance their classroom experience and that bring together the broad range of topics covered in this ambitious one-year program. A training cruise as part of the CSP Capstone and professional development during Spring quarter would be an amazing, and impactful, culmination to their time at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.