Skagit Valley Herald – “Underwater Observatory To Share Data With Those On Land”

Crews prepare to deploy an Endurance coastal glider off of Gray’s Harbor in October 2014. The glider is one of many components to the National Science Foundation’s underwater observatory. (Photo courtesy of OOI Endurance Array program and Oregon State University)

OOI Arrays in the U.S. Pacific Northwest were featured in last weekends edition of the Skagit Valley Herald.

The article can be found online here and highlights the unique opportunity that the OOI provides to integrate near-real time oceanographic data into the class room:

“Researchers and educators who have helped develop the observatory agree: Teaching oceanography from a textbook leaves much to be desired. The goal of the observatory is to fill the gap between textbook-only learning and the less common opportunity of first-hand experiences at sea.

‘That’s a real gap in science education: How do we provide research experience? … We know research experience really gets undergraduates excited about (their career path),’ Glenn said. ‘Not everyone gets to go to sea; it’s expensive, they might live in Kansas, but here’s this nice opportunity where everything is on this network,’ he said. [Scott Glenn, Principal Investigator, OOI Education and Public Engagement.]

Local educators share his excitement.”