A weeklong marine science course designed for K-12 teachers will be offered June 22-27 at Kasitsna Bay Laboratory near Seldovia, Alaska. The course, titled “Climate Change in Alaskan Estuaries,” includes an introduction to climate change influences on estuarine environments along with field studies and laboratory experiences. This professional development opportunity is offered jointly by the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Field studies will include demonstrating the processes and ecosystem components undergoing climate-related changes, and designing community-based monitoring programs. In lab components students will look at historical climate data and use models to compare expected change with recently observed changes. They will be encouraged to design either a regional field or model project that could be applied to where the student teaches or lives.

Tuition will include university registration, fees and materials, and room, board, and insurance fees totaling about $500. Students will pay approximately $75 for transportation between Homer, Alaska, and the Kasitsna Bay Laboratory. Modest financial support may be available to help a small number of students.

Participants are required to register through University of Alaska Fairbanks Summer Sessions or contact Susan Sugai.

Kasitsna Bay Laboratory is a unique marine research and teaching laboratory located across Kachemak Bay from Homer, Alaska. It is owned by National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, a program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and operated in partnership with the School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.