Interdisciplinary Week #2: Marine Populations

January 22, 2020

Ava-Rose Beech, Kenyon College

Class S290
Class-S-290_2BlogPostPhoto

Last Friday brought a close to our second full week of classes at the Woods Hole Campus. The theme for last week--marine populations-- led us to a wide range of topics and discussions. Whether it was leafing through the pages of whaling logbooks filled with intricate illustrations of whales, flying fish, and porpoises at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, or discussing the complexities of the policy that regulates fishery management, our studies gave us a deeper understanding of the integral role marine populations play in our lives.

At the end of the week, last Friday, we had the second of our weekly interdisciplinary discussions. The aim of these conversations is to integrate and reflect on all we have learned and thought about relating to the week’s theme. The group conversation quickly progressed to large scale questions, asking what our role as individuals is in protecting marine populations. We discussed whether change is catalyzed from a bottom up or top down approach, and asked how it is possible for us to actually make a difference in mitigating the vast environmental challenges we face.

For the second week in a row, the conversation was paused half way through, to redirect our attention to the topic of discussion: marine populations. It seems to be a trend within our class to become so engrossed in understanding what our role is as environmentalists, and the ways that we can catalyze change, that we quickly lose track of the specific topic of discussion. We brought our focus back to marine populations by considering the interconnectedness of ocean populations to global ecosystems. Our conversation speaks to the ways we, as a group, are considering the importance of our individual actions. Throughout our time in Woods Hole, we have spent a lot of time reflecting on the ways in which we are intrinsically connected to, and reliant upon our environments. In the same way, we will be connected to each other, and deeply reliant upon one another other at sea. I am looking forward to continuing to form new connections both with my fellow shipmates, and the environments we will be engaging with, as we prepare to set sail in less than a month!

- Ava-Rose Beech, Kenyon College

Share This Blog

Leave A Comment

Time to go sailing!

2023-10-04T15:46:08-05:00October 4, 2023|0 Comments

Author: Jeff Schell, Chief Scientist Ship's Log Noon Position Tuesday, 03 October 2023 Noon Position: (Lat and Long):  41 deg 27.0’ N x 070deg 11.8’W Ship Heading [...]

Scurvy/Food

2023-10-04T16:26:01-05:00October 3, 2023|0 Comments

Author: Prue Criscuolo, Eckerd College Ship's Log Date: October 2, 2023 Time: 1400 Location: 17°40.499’S x 178°50.236’E, anchored off Levuka, Fiji Weather: Wind out of the SE, [...]

  • Proctor Academy, Ocean Classroom students are welcomed aboard the SSV Corwith Cramer, their new home for the next 33 days!

Welcome Aboard!

2023-10-04T15:21:02-05:00October 3, 2023|0 Comments

Author: Jeff Schell, Chief Scientist Ship's Log Monday, 02 October 2023 Noon Position: (Lat and Long):  41 deg 31.4’ N x 070deg 40.3’W Ship Heading (degrees):  NA [...]

Seasickness

2023-10-04T16:29:09-05:00September 29, 2023|0 Comments

Author: Sophie Strock Ship's Log Date: September 29th, 2023 Time: 1700 Location: 17°40.502’ S   178°50.358’ E Weather: Winds coming from the southeast, calm seas, 23° Celsius, and Altocumulus clouds.  [...]