FHL Marine Biology – ZooBots 2011

A pod of killer whales spotted off of San Juan Island, WA.

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An unidentified mollusc(?) found in lab today. seems to have a shell developing, but looks very nudibrnach-like. Ideas?

Class took a trip to False Bay to look at a soft-sediment ecosystem.

False Bay, WA

Dr. Megan Dethier and students

Dr. Charlie O'Kelly with a blade of Macrocystis kelp

Friday the class took a trip to see the rocky intertidal zone at Cattle Point.

Sea anemone, Anthopleura

Crab hiding in seagrass tidepool

Blood star

Feather Boa Kelp - Egregia

Meghan Rock will give students a short workshop on the ins and outs of scientific drawing. See her portfolio at: http://www.meghanrocktopus.com/home/portfolio

Baby octopus at FHL

A baby octopus from our lab. Very cute, but also very poisonous so no touching. We released this little one back into the ocean yesterday morning.

I really appreciate everyone being so kind to a “non-traditional student.”  (Yes, I will be taking the exams for a grade – and am hoping for a C!  I’m pretty good at learning new things, but don’t know beans about these Salish Sea critters – yet.  Ask me a cell biology or genetics question and it would be a different story.)  It is a blast to be a student again.  A lot easier than being the professor, I can tell you!  And maybe more fun…

In our first bot class, Charley O’Kelly gave the greatest definition of science ever:  “Science is structured imagination!”  Loved it.  Great way to start us off on this intellectual journey.  I’m glad we’re in it together.

The new ZooBot class arrived yesterday as the spring quarter gets rolling. Most of the students are from the University of Washington, but we also have visitors from Minnesota, Arizona and Taiwan. Students will take two courses, Marine Botany and Marine Zoology, in addition to undertaking an original research project as part of the apprenticeship program. The ZooBot quarter provides a combination of lecture, lab and field work for students as they explore the biology surrounding San Juan Island. Importantly, our students will also spend time at local schools sharing what they have learned with younger students in an effort to provide scientific outreach.

So, check back regularly to read updates from the world of these marine biologists.

The new 2010 blog can be found here