August 25, 2000
Sedro-Woolley, Kelso, Steilacoom, Bellingham teachers join UW expedition
Teachers Beverly Mowrer of Sedro-Woolley High School, Cynthia Maldonado of Kelso’s Cornerstone Christian Community School, Robert Mize of Steilacoom Historical School and Misty Nikula-Ohlsen of Bellingham’s Whatcom Day Academy will sail Sept. 1 to 19 with scientists who are seeking information about the rugged, volcanically active areas on the seafloor 200 miles off the Washington coast.
The teachers are part of the REVEL (Research and Education: Volcanoes, Exploration and Life) program originated at the University of Washington to give seventh- to 12th-grade science teachers chances to participate in oceanographic research and cutting-edge science.
“The expedition coincides with the start of school, which gives teachers and students in the region a chance to join this sea adventure on the Web,” says Veronique Robigou, UW oceanographer and co-director of the REVEL program. People can follow the activities through the daily logbook at http://www.ocean.washington.edu/outreach/revel. Questions can be submitted to revel@ocean.washington.edu.
The expedition will be led by John Delaney, UW professor of oceanography and co-director of the REVEL project, and Margaret Tivey of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. They will sail on the research vessel Atlantis, which is operated by Woods Hole, and will use the manned submersible Alvin and other instruments to study the seafloor at a segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge off the Washington and Canadian coast.
The Juan de Fuca Ridge is a volcanic ridge a mile below the ocean surface and the site of numerous hydrothermal vents. The vents ooze and spew water that has percolated deep in the Earth’s crust, picking up minerals and becoming superheated to as much as 600 degrees F. These minerals form craggy peaks, spires and huge mounds on the seafloor and become home to unusual microorganisms, colorful tubeworms and other life.
The scientists and teachers will study the correlation between ocean tides and the temperature, chemical composition and microbial life in fluids from hydrothermal vents.
REVEL teachers will have the opportunity to work closely with the scientists from the UW, Woods Hole, University of Miami and England’s Cambridge University on this expedition. Supporting the seagoing experience, REVEL helps teachers transfer what they’ve learned to the classroom, share what they’ve learned with other teachers at their schools and collaborate with a national network of researchers and educational professionals, Robigou says.
Thirty teachers from Washington state have participated since the REVEL program was launched in 1996. Seventeen teachers from Pennsylvania, New York and California have also participated. Funding the program is the National Science Foundation-Ocean Sciences and the University of Washington.
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For more information:
Veronique Robigou, (206) 543-9282, vero@ocean.washington.edu
Beverly Mowrer
Sedro-Woolley High School
Sedro-Woolley, Wash., 9-12th grade
(360) 766-6587
Cynthia Maldonado
Cornerstone Christian Community
School
Kelso, Wash., 8-12th grade
(360) 577-0704
Robert Mize
Steilacoom Historical School
Steilacoom, Wash., 10-12th grade
(253) 589-1229
Misty Nikula-Ohlsen
Whatcom Day Academy
Bellingham, Wash., 5-9th grade
(360) 428-3568
