NEW: Citizen Scientist Aquanaut™ Course

To protect the world’s ocean by teaching and inspiring a new generation of ocean environmental stewards…Citizen Scientist  Aquanauts™.

Blending citizen science, marine science and diving science principles to provide a novel “education through exploration” learning program focused on inspiring a new generation of ocean and environmental stewards.

Citizen Scientist Aquanaut™ participants will experience first-hand what life is like under the sea. After all, you can’t earn the title of “Aquanaut” without living at least 24 hours underwater. In addition to a 24-hour undersea habitat experience, participants will learn about diving physics and physiology, citizen science opportunities in oceanography and marine sciences, utilize dive tools to perform safe underwater cleanup of coral reefs, conduct fish identification, as well as experience what it’s like to work on the Moon or Mars while performing tasks on seafloor excursions from the habitat.

Part I: contact Ventures Beyond LLC at [email protected] to pay the course fee and obtain code for online REEF Tropical Western Atlantic training

Your goals for this course are:

• Learn how to identify a number of fish, echinoderms and sea turtles found in Tropical Western Atlantic. You will do this by viewing a series of recorded webinars at your own pace, studying quizlets, participating in online course discussions and reviewing powerpoint presentations.
• Contact your instructor to take your in-person exam and obtain a score of 80% or higher.

Part II: Enroll in the Ocean Sanctuaries course here:
Citizen Scientist Certification, Level 01

This course introduces students to the basic skills needed to conduct citizen science activities in the field. It emphasizes techniques for measurement and observations of wildlife and other natural phenomena and how to accurately record them along with necessary contextual data.

Because most of the anticipated field work will take place in a marine environment, the course emphasizes identifying marine organisms.

Any questions for the Ocean Sanctuaries’ courses can be sent to [email protected]

Part III: Schedule with Ventures Beyond and participate in a “ground school” in Key Largo Florida. The SEA STAR™’s Citizen Scientist Aquanaut™ Program is very similar to a hybrid continuing education and/or personal development program, combining multiple methods of instructional delivery, including online, home study, and “ground school” (in-person, hands-on instruction). The training flow is designed to provide Participants with an opportunity to apply the academic knowledge gained from the online coursework to hands-on practical application in multiple diving, citizen science, and undersea habitat systems during the undersea habitat mission and training in Key Largo, Florida. Upon successful completion of all program elements, participants receive a certificate of completion from the SEA STAR™ program, and earn the following Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) diving credentials: 

• PADI Aquanaut
• PADI Inner Space Diver
• PADI Underwater Maintenance

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Photo credits:
Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay
Photo by Cristian Palmer on Unsplash