Overview of Course

Can you imagine a more meaningful way to study oceanography and appreciate the ocean’s importance to survival than while sailing on the MV World Odyssey? Our shipboard classroom will allow us to discover the interconnected nature of the world’s ocean and humanity while making our own daily observations! First-hand lab and field experiences, and classroom discussions will be key to discovering the interdisciplinary nature of oceanography. As we dive into the physical (waves, tides, currents), chemical (salinity, ocean acidification, nutrients), geological (sediments, bathymetry, plate tectonics) and biological components (habitats, organisms) of the ocean realm we will be lucky to apply all we are learning during port country exploration, and to the sights and sounds surrounding the ship. Understanding these oceanographic principles is at the heart of deciphering the ocean’s critical role in climate regulation, pollution impacts on the marine system, species declines and invasions, sustainable fisheries, resource protection and more. Our port experiences and class discussions will ultimately help us make connections between how different cultures value and utilize the oceans. Informed by our collective experiences, we will emerge from this course and voyage as better stewards of the sea.