Marshall Islands Exploration Seminar

Pre-trip Meeting #2 Agenda

Wed. 5/20/09, 5:00-7:00 PM

  1. Intro (5 mins: Julian)
  2. Just over 1 month away! Excited to get to RMI with group!
  3. We are 22 students and 4 staff
  4. Tonight’s agenda:

A few housekeeping issues

 Academic aspects of the course:

Syllabus

Assignments

Grading and evaluation

Daily schedule of activities

Brief presentations by me, Dan & Alyssa on

Coral disease

Crown of Thorns Starfish problem

Tridacna

Climate issues facing the RMI

  1. Housekeeping (10 mins: Michelle)

Medical forms to Michelle

Travel info to Michelle

Emergency information sheet (and show card they will get)

Code of conduct form (sign and turn in)

Changes to Code of Conduct:

After much thought we are changing the following to Recommendations from Requirements:

  1. Curfew (we recommend midnight, esp since morning mtgs are at 8 am and there can be issues with rowdy locals and drunk drivers)
  2. Buddy system
  3. Evening sign-in (e.g., let a Staff member know if someone has not returned to CMI dorms by some very late hour)

Not changed:

  1. Prohibition of guests in CMI dorms (you risk losing your housing)
  2. Cultural sensitivity, esp. regarding dress & behavior (as discussed at last mtg.)
  1. Academics (15 min: JS)
  2. Hand out syllabus
  3. Assignments

Oral presentationto Marshallese officials & citizens

Four teams of 5 to discuss following Climate Change topics: Greenhouse gas emissions, Temperature projections (21st century), sea level projections (21st century), ocean acidification & coral mortality, regional / local impacts.

Prof. Sachs will put together the Powerpoint slides and distribute hardcopies to each student. Teams of students need to meet and come up with the narrative, then divide up the topics to be orally presented amongst team members.

Term Paperon the climate threat to the Marshall Islands and the Marshallese people.

The expected impacts on the land, the sea and the coral reefs.

Also address what the Marshallese might be able to do to adapt to these changes.

Incorporate the observations and experiences you had while in the RMI

10 pages

Due 9/1/09

Course evaluation

What you learned, liked & disliked

What would have made your experience better?

What detracted from it?

3-5 pages

Due 7/20/09

  • Credits Offered

This program will offer a total of 6 credits

Five (5) credits of one of the following

  1. OCEAN 494, Field Experience (NW)
  2. OCEAN 496, Study Abroad (NW)
  3. OCEAN 497, Advanced Special Topics (NW)

Plus one (1) credit of

  1. GEN ST 392
  • Grading

Numeric (0-4 scale)

Oral Presentation(s) in Majuro 30%

Term Paper 30%

Participation in Class & Activities 40%

  • Encourage all to read articles and papers we post on course websitewill enhance your learning experience and prepare you for your presentation to RMI officials and your term paper

The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the Republic of the Marshall Islands

IPCC 2007 Summary for Policymakers (WG1)

Initial Communication Under The United Nations FrameworkConvention On Climate Change, Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands

  1. Schedule of Activities (15 min: JS, Alyssa)
  2. Logistics (5 min, Julian)

Morning mtg in CMI classroom at 8:00 AM

3-5 min oral summary from each team about what they did / found / learned previous day

Plan for the day

Many days: short lecture (15-30 mins) on climate, coral or culture

Afternoon mtg (usually in CMI classroom) at 5:00 pm

Group discussion about what is working and not working, things we might want to change, schedule or re-schedule, etc.

This is the time to check in with one another and give and take feedback so we can maximize the learning experience for everyone

  • Daily Schedule of Activities (10 min: Alyssa)
  1. The Diving Program / In-Water Activities 15 min: Alyssa, Dan, JS)

COTS (5 min, Alyssa)

Coral Disease (5 min Dan)

Tridacna (5 min, Julian)

No SCUBA (not enough interested students to make a team of 5. Can arrange to do with commercial outfit on your own time and NOT as a UW diver in Majuro on day off, July 5th, or before / after course)

  1. Climate Change in the 21st century & what it means for the RMI (15 min, Julian)
  1. Wrapup (2 mins: JS)
  2. e-mail, phone or drop in to see any of us
  3. See you at Majuro airport on Sunday June 21st!

1