By admin 
Let’s get the obvious question out of the way: why does landlocked Utah State University (elevation above sea level: 4,500 feet) now offer a minor in marine science?
“Yes, it is a question we are often asked,” he says USU professor Trisha Atwood, professor of watershed scienceslaughing. “It’s part of the prejudice that you have to be close to the ocean to study it.”
Decades ago, marine researchers actually had to get their feet wet to study oceans and other large waterways. But today the oceans are managed and studied on a large national scale, often far from the nearest beach.
For example, Atwood is working with National Geographic to design new marine protected areas.
“I never go into the ocean for work,” she said. “I do computer modeling; working with large data sets collected by thousands of researchers around the world. To study marine sciences, you don’t necessarily have to be there.”
So yes, Logan’s USU, with its renowned bachelor’s degree program in watershed sciences, is actually a logical choice for a Utah student to claim a degree. minor in marine sciences.
Starting this academic year, USU students pursuing a degree in watershed sciences can take the new minor, which introduces them to marine ecosystems, marine biota, the chemical and physical properties of the ocean and the seabed – along with the conservation and management of marine resources.
The curriculum for the new marine science minor is designed to ensure that participating USU students “receive a rigorous program of study with a variety of opportunities for experimental learning.”
It’s no surprise that the new minor is proving popular at Logan.
“Students love the idea of marine science,” Atwood says. “That’s nothing new. If you look on YouTube or Google for ‘How to become a marine biologist’, you will find countless videos in which you, for example, talk to your children about the life of a marine biologist.”
Expect USU to become even more involved in marine science research in the future. Plans are in the works to offer a bachelor’s degree in freshwater and marine ecology. “And then we can open up the minor to all other majors,” Atwood said.
Even before the school offered a minor in marine science, USU students enjoyed study abroad opportunities to the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland in Australia. “And we are also looking into organizing a similar trip to Laredo, Mexico, which would be a much cheaper option.”
Administrators, faculty and divers from Utah State University and Loveland Living Planet Aquarium will celebrate a new partnership between the two educational organizations on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Draper. | Levi Sim, Utah State University
Collaboration with the Living Planet Aquarium
Most Utahns already know that they can observe various species of sharks, rays, clownfish, sea turtles and other ocean wildlife without leaving the Beehive State at Draper’s. Loveland Living Planet Aquarium.
Fueled by their shared interest in all things water, the popular aquarium and USU recently signed a partnership that will allow students to enrich their marine studies just inches away from living ocean creatures.
“We will work together to collaborate on education, research and community events,” Atwood said. “The aquarium is building a new learning center and Utah State University has been given laboratory space.
“We will have the opportunity to teach some of our courses at the aquarium and integrate our courses with the aquarium.”
Brent Anderson, the aquarium’s founder and CEO, said the facility’s mission goes beyond just showcasing marine life.
“This collaboration with USU is a testament to our commitment to advancing a deeper understanding of the intricate connections between our world’s ecosystems,” Anderson said in a university news release. “By partnering with USU to provide students with hands-on learning opportunities, we are not only enriching their education, but also empowering them to become the next leaders in marine science and conservation – right here in Utah.”
Atwood said USU students already conduct research at the aquarium on topics such as shark behavior and veterinary care for marine animals.
Educators at Utah State are confident that marine science research will only grow in one of the driest states in the country. There is already widespread interest in the oceans in arid Utah.
Several local high schools and counties are exploring becoming a feeder school for the program, Atwood said.
“And there are already a lot of students who are contacting us and want to know when the bachelor’s degree will be available… they say they want to come right now.”