Sixteen SUNY Oneonta students traveled to the coast of Maine in October to get hands-on experience studying invertebrate animals and marine biology. They visited the Darling Marine Center, a field station of the University of Maine, where they spent three intensive days sampling from a variety of marine habitats.
During the trip, which happened over the college's October fall break, the students were immersed in the marine environment with the goal of observing as many marine animals as possible. Activities included a ride on a research vessel, upon which students collected open-water samples, a visit to a tidal mud flat and a visit to an intertidal zone. Students learned about the importance of fisheries in Maine firsthand and were also introduced to the delights of cooking and eating seafood.