University Services, New Curriculum, Creating Student Opportunities
In university service, I have served on, and chaired, a number of committees of the University, the School of Oceanography, the College of the Environment, and the past College of Ocean and Fishery Science. I served six years on the advisory committee of the University of Washington Earth Initiative, and the steering committee of the UW-UIF Puget Sound Regional Integrated Synthesis program. I currently chair the College Coordinated Curriculum Committee in GIS and Remote Sensing, and am Director of the School of Oceanography Information Technology Planning Committee and Internet and Web Development group. In activities that have an impact on our community, I have served for eight years on the Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Science advisory board, and I am also a member of the Washington State Marine Spatial Planning Science Advisory Board which is charged with scientific review of planning practices designed to minimize user conflicts in the use of Washington State waters through legislation and regulations.
I am responsible for the launch of our new Ocean Technology curriculum which provides undergraduates with a foundation in a multidisciplinary field that integrates the complex observational science carried out in the oceans with classical engineering and design disciplines, as well as integrating advances in computer science, data storage and digital presentation. This emerging field of oceanography is taught through a sequence of courses over a student’s full academic program. Innovative learning experiences which immerse students in activities which develop job-readiness skills related to the design, build, operation, and maintenance of technology is used in the exploration and remote instrumentation of aquatic and ocean environments.
I also focus on activities which have expanded our student opportunities for future careers by creating an industry advisory partnership with the regional chapter of the Marine Technology Society and creating a student chapter of that professional society on campus. I am the faculty advisor for the UW_ROV club, an extracurricular student activity engaging students form other academic units, which secures donations from industry and individuals in order to represent the University in the annual international MATE ROV competitions. These and other activities are designed to development an industry partnership on behalf of the Ocean Technology program, the Ocean Technology Center and the ERIS student cabled observatory to insure that our students work with current technology.