CSUB students explore the deep sea of California

Students discover STEM career opportunities

By California State University, Bakersfield

September 10^th, 2019

CSUB students explore the deep sea of California

You need an ocean handy in order to be a marine biologist, right? Not necessarily, as students from CSU Bakersfield learned over the summer during a four-day expedition off the coast of San Diego. In fact, CSUB students have many opportunities to participate in marine geoscience, even on dry land.

During their marine exploration, students were trained to use high-tech equipment to sample water, rocks and seafloor sediment from depths as great as 6,824 feet. Their samples will increase the understanding of ocean and climate changes over time. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the expedition is part of a larger effort to pique student interest in geoscience, including at CSUB and high schools throughout Kern County.

Chris Chavez, an expedition participant and CSUB geology student, had never been on a boat before. Marine research wasn’t on his radar. “Now I'm seriously considering a marine science-related field for graduate school,” he said.

The research expedition, the fourth of nine planned, took place from July 19-22 aboard the R/V Oceanus, a 177- foot research vessel operated by Oregon State University. Students were mentored by CSUB professor Dr. Anthony Rathburn as well as a team of professors and scientists from CSUB, the University of San Diego, Oklahoma State University, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UCSD.

Student scientists will be busy this school year. At CSUB, they will continue their work in the lab studying foraminifera, a tiny marine organism found on and in the marine sediment. Using this organism as a proxy, they can track biological and geochemical responses to oxygen stress in the deep ocean.

By working alongside a diverse team of scientists at sea and in the lab, students are being exposed to a variety of career paths in marine science, paleontology and geochemistry.

“You don’t need to live next to the ocean to participate in marine geoscience,” said Rathburn, chair of the Department of Geological Sciences at CSUB.

Rathburn is expanding CSUB’s geology program to expose students to areas within geoscience. “These research expeditions are about learning what it’s like to be a geoscientist and exploring career opportunities that aren’t as well known in the Central Valley. Going on a research expedition is transformative. Most student participants come back with a different perspective of scientific research and the career possibilities in geoscience, and some adopt a new career path.”

The next research expedition is scheduled for later this month. Dr. Rathburn is recruiting for expedition participants, including CSUB students and high school science teachers who will bring cutting-edge geoscience curriculum, and deep-sea samples, back to classrooms across Kern County.