High School: Marine Microbiology

Introduction to marine microbiology and explore career paths in this field

A single drop of seawater can hold millions of microbes. In this class students will get an introduction to the diversity of marine microbes and explore how they survive in different ecosystems like polar oceans, the deep sea and shipwrecks. Students will learn lab techniques that marine scientists and microbiologists use and how they apply this realm of study to biotechnology and industry. We will look at a variety of weird metabolisms, symbioses and microbial interactions that affect the environment and even human health. We will also look at career paths in this fascinating field.

What You Will Learn

Students in High School: Marine Microbiology will:

• Identify the major categories of microbial life
• Describe the role of various microbes in ocean ecosystems
• Understand the basics of microbial cell functions/metabolisms
• Understand and interpret microbial community shifts as indicators of environmental change
• Formulate scientific questions and hypotheses and understand how to begin investigating the microbial world