The site of research operations will be in open ocean about 200 miles off the Washington-Oregon Coast on the northern Juan de Fuca Ridge a submarine spreading center where new sea floor is continuously being created. The focus of the studies will be the physical, chemical and biological processes associated with active volcanic and hydrothermal systems. These systems are located more than a mile below the ocean surface. The scientific party on board the University of Washington's state-of-the-art research vessel, R/V Thomas G. Thompson, will use a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) on a fiber-optic tether to photograph and sample the rich biologic communities on the sea floor which are supported primarily by chemosynthesis in this deep-sea volcanic environment.
Up to ten junior high, high school and community college teachers will be selected for this pilot program. This year's effort is being designed to explore the benefits of integrating science teachers into an oceanographic research expedition. Participating teachers will be given hands-on experiences with maps, still photography, chemical analyses, videos, geological and biological samples. Materials collected and analyzed on the cruise will be made available for use in the classroom. It is hoped that by bringing material not available in textbooks into the classrooms of Washington State schools it will be possible to help teachers convey to students the sense of the excitement associated with science and cutting-edge research.
I want to emphasize that this is the first of what we hope will be many projects in the REVEL program, and we wish to involve teachers interested in participating in the research program and who are also able to provide us with feedback on their experience to help us shape the REVEL program. Necessarily the number of teacher slots is limited on any single cruise, but depending on the results of this pilot cruise, we plan to seek funding to set up a five year program to provide future opportunities to become involved with REVEL. We welcome suggestions and ideas about how the REVEL program can reach the maximum number of interested teachers and students.
A invitation to participate, including application instructions is available. Note that applications are due at the University of Washington by . Please circulate this information to teachers within your Science Department and others as appropriate. Thank you for your help.