Roane State professor Bruce Cantrell, right, interviews astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Mike Gernhardt during a live episode of Classroom Under the Sea. Cantrell and Roane State adjunct professor Jessica Fain, who are living underwater for 73 days, will be available to speak live with community members on Tuesday, Dec. 2, at the college’s Oak Ridge campus. (Photo courtesy RSCC)
Two Roane State Community College educators living underwater for 73 days will share their experiences and answer questions during a live video chat session on Tuesday, December 2, at the college’s Oak Ridge campus.
The session will begin at 1:30 p.m. in Room 107 in the Goff Health Sciences and Technology Building at 701 Briarcliff Avenue.
The public is invited to talk with biology professor Bruce Cantrell and adjunct professor Jessica Fain, who will be chatting from the underwater habitat where they have lived since October 3.
Cantrell and Fain are staying in Jules’ Undersea Lodge on Key Largo in the Florida Keys. They have faced the psychological challenge of living 25 feet underwater in a space that’s 300 square feet and the physical challenge of living without sunlight. They will resurface December 15.
Despite the challenges, they continue to focus on education by hosting Classroom Under the Sea, an online lecture series presented by Roane State and the Marine Resources Development Foundation on Key Largo. Classroom Under the Sea episodes are streamed live on YouTube. Fain and Cantrell have hosted seven episodes, and two more are scheduled (December 4 and 11).
Episodes have covered topics such as ocean exploration, the connection between underwater training and space exploration, and marine archaeology. Guests have included astronaut Buzz Aldrin, renowned artist Wyland, and marine archaeologist Timmy Gambin.
As of November 25, viewers had watched more than 60,000 minutes of Classroom Under the Sea content on YouTube.
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.
“Bruce and Jessica’s mission has been fascinating to watch,” said Diane Ward, Roane State vice president of student learning. “We want to share their mission with the community and invite everyone to come to our live video chat with Bruce and Jessica on December 2.”
For more information about the Classroom Under the Sea, visit roanestate.edu/classroomunderthesea.
