“Classroom Under the Sea” host Bruce Cantrell surveys a reef, one of many ways recreational divers can contribute to conservation. The November 20 episode of “Classroom Under the Sea” will address how recreational divers can help preserve ocean ecosystems.
Highly trained marine scientists are not the only people who can help conserve the oceans.
Recreational divers play an important role in protecting underwater resources. Learn how to become a certified diver and contribute to ocean conservation during the next episode of “Classroom Under the Sea,†an online lecture series hosted by two educators living underwater for 73 days.
The live program starts at 1 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, November 20. Viewers can watch at roanestate.edu/classroomunderthesea and on youtube.com/classroomunderthesea.
Biology professor Bruce Cantrell and adjunct professor Jessica Fain from Roane State Community College in East Tennessee are living and working in an underwater habitat—Jules’ Undersea Lodge on Key Largo in the Florida Keys—for 73 days. While in the habitat, Fain and Cantrell are hosting “Classroom Under the Sea,†presented by Roane State and the Marine Resources Development Foundation on Key Largo.
Guests visiting the habitat for the November 20 episode are Lisa Rollins from popular The Weather Channel show “Catching Hell,†and Judy Halas, owner of Environmental Mooring International Inc.
Viewers are invited to tweet questions for Cantrell, Fain, or the guests to @ClassUnderSea or by using #ClassroomUndertheSea.
Laboratory lesson plans for each episode of Classroom Under the Sea can be downloaded free from roanestate.edu/classroomunderthesea. Teachers and parents are encouraged to download the lesson plans and conduct experiments with students.
Classroom Under the Sea episodes continue each Thursday—excluding Thanksgiving—through December 11. Upcoming episodes include:
- Thursday, December 4, 1 p.m. EST: Coral Restoration
- Thursday, Dec. 11, 1 p.m. EST: The Future of Ocean Preservation
Recordings of each Classroom Under the Sea episode are available on youtube.com/classroomunderthesea.
All Classroom Under the Sea episodes have been made possible through the generous support of Diversity in Aquatics, the project’s official sponsor. To learn more about Diversity in Aquatics, please visit www.diversityinaquatics.com.
The Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) is sponsoring the recreational diving episode. For more information about PADI, visit www.padi.com.
In addition to hosting the weekly programs, Cantrell is teaching an online college-credit course—BIOL 2600: Living and Working Under the Sea—for Roane State students.
During their stay, which ends December 15, Cantrell and Fain will also set a world record for the longest time spent living underwater.
For more information about the Classroom Under the Sea, visit roanestate.edu/classroomunderthesea.
Roane State is a two-year, 6200-student college with nine campuses in East Tennessee. For more information, visit roanestate.edu.
Located on Key Largo in the Florida Keys, the Marine Resources Development Foundation is a nonprofit organization with the goal of developing a better understanding of Earth’s marine resources. For more information, visit www.mrdf.org.
Jules’ Undersea Lodge was the undersea research habitat called “La Chalupa,†which Marine Resources Development Foundation operated from 1971-1976. Several missions were conducted in the habitat, including two at a depth of 100 feet. In 1986, the habitat started a new life as Jules’ Undersea Lodge, which is the only underwater hotel in the world and accessible to any recreational diver. Learn more at www.jul.com.
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