The Marine Institute welcomes the Strategic Marine Alliance for Research and Training (SMART) which opened its 2011 application call last week (August 26th) for Science@Sea research vessel-based training courses aimed at undergraduate and postgraduate students of marine-related sciences.
The two-day training courses will be held between November 23rd and December 3rd 2011 in waters off Cork and will offer students the opportunity to gain practical, hands-on experience onboard the national research vessel RV Celtic Voyager.
“Science@Sea is unique in that it gives students of marine related sciences a complete guide to working at sea,” said Dr. Paula McGrane, national coordinator of SMART. “This not only increases national capacity in carrying out research survey operations but provides graduates with a competitive edge on the national and international jobs market.”
Science@Sea introduces students to the concept of a multidisciplinary ecosystem approach through key disciplines. Teaching focuses on practical, cross-disciplinary skills such as sample collection and processing, operation of equipment and instrumentation and data acquisition and processing. “Other areas we look at, which are essential to working at sea, include survey design and planning, safety at sea, and post-survey analysis and assessment,” said Dr. McGrane. “To date students who have participated in Science@Sea have been enormously appreciative of the course”.
Science@Sea courses have been running since 2008 and are recognised by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) as a means of contributing towards a student’s professional development and career.
Course dates are as follows:
- Postgraduate Science@Sea : November 23-24
- Undergraduate Science@Sea 1: November 25-26
- Undergraduate Science@Sea 2: November 27-28
- Undergraduate Science@Sea 3: November 30-December 1
- Undergraduate Science@Sea 4: December 2-3
Application forms can be downloaded by clicking on the relevant course as follows:
Postgraduate application form
Undergraduate application form
or by mailing smart@gmit.ie.
Completed applications should be received no later than Friday 14th October 2011. Please note a €50 course fee applies.
Copies of the SMART Poster can be downloaded by clicking HERE
Science@Sea is provided by SMART, a marine science partnership programme that provides high quality offshore training for students of marine science, technology and engineering.
Key partners include the National University of Ireland, Galway, University College Cork, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Cork Institute of Technology, the National Maritime College and the Marine Institute, with additional funding by the Higher Education Authority.
Shiptime for Science@Sea is funded by the Marine Institute, through the National development Plan, under the Sea Change strategy.
ENDS
Contact Details for the SMART Programme are:
Dr Pauhla McGrane
Ph:+353 91 742 517 Mobile: +353 (0)87 950 0911
E-mail: pauhla.mcgrane@gmit.ie
Strategic Marine Alliance for Research and Training (SMART) Background
The Strategic Marine Alliance for Research and Training (SMART) is an inter-institutional marine science partnership programme designed to further develop capacity in carrying out offshore research operations onboard research vessels for third level students of marine-related science and technologies. Key academic and research partners within the alliance include the National University of Ireland, Galway, University College Cork, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Cork Institute of Technology, the National Maritime College and the Marine Institute, with additional funding by the Higher Education Authority of Ireland.
The key objectives of the SMART consortium are to:
- Support and further develop practical ship-based training in offshore operations for students of marine-related science and technologies nationally.
- Develop and deliver innovative world-class research vessel based training programmes for European and international students.
- Coordinate the development and delivery of an inter-institutional blended learning module with opportunities for student mobility.
- Support and augment ship-based marine research capacity and activities.
- Act as a framework for further collaborative arrangements in research and training.