Acadia Institute of Oceanography

Marine Science Program
Mount Desert Island, Maine


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For More Information, Contact
Sheryl Christy Gilmore, Executive Director
Acadia Institute of Oceanography
P.O. Box 2220
St. Augustine, Florida 32085
800-375-0058 (toll-free)
207-276-9825 (June 10–September 1 only)
http://www.acadiainstitute.com

Type of Program: Educational camping program in marine science and oceanography
Participants: Coeducational, ages 10–18
Enrollment: 45 students per session
Program Dates: Five sessions per summer, mid-June to mid-August
Head of Program: Sheryl Christy Gilmore, Executive Director

Location

The Acadia Institute of Oceanography (AIO) is based in the picturesque village of Seal Harbor on the southern end of Mount Desert Island, Maine, approximately 5 hours north of Boston along one of the most beautiful coastlines in the United States. Located adjacent to Acadia National Park, the program is housed three blocks from the harbor in a vintage schoolhouse that serves as the base of operations for this field-oriented program.

Background and Philosophy

The Acadia Institute of Oceanography is a one-of-a-kind educational experience for students ages 10 to 18. Since 1975, AIO has introduced young people to the world of marine science through a curriculum that combines the basic elements of biological, physical, and chemical oceanography with field, classroom, offshore, and laboratory work.
AIO seeks highly motivated students for participation in the program. All are expected to arrive with a curious mind and a commitment to learn. A science teacher’s recommendation is required for admission.

Program Offerings

Mount Desert Island is the perfect location to study marine ecology. Waters are rich in plankton, and there are many species of fish. Rocky tidal pools shelter invertebrates, rivers and estuaries serve as ocean nurseries, and offshore dredges yield sediments full of benthic life. The AIO program makes full use of the natural environment. Sample activities include tidal pool study; beach profiles; coastal transects; geologic profiles; algal study; seabirds, seals, and cetacean observations; chemical study of a fjord (Somes Sound); island ecology; plankton collection and study; dissections; developmental biology; fishing; navigation; and whale watching.
    Over the course of a summer, AIO offers a one-week introductory session and four 2-week sessions. Two of these are basic sessions and two are advanced.
    The introductory session is for students (ages 10 to 12) who have a strong interest in ocean life and wish to begin their lifelong study of marine concepts. The basic sessions are designed for students, ages 12 to 15. These courses present a solid natural-history approach to oceanography and introduce students to marine concepts and laboratory procedures. Many students who attend a basic session return another year for an advanced session.
    The advanced sessions are precollege courses offered to students, ages 15 to 18, who have completed a minimum of high school–level biology or chemistry. These students are expected to prepare laboratory reports and do analysis of their field work.

Enrollment

Each summer, students come to AIO from all over North America and around the world. Individual sessions are limited to 45 students.

Daily Schedule

The edge of the sea is AIO’s classroom, and academic activities follow the tides. While one group of student oceanographers might finish a transect of the beach, another group collects specimens for the cold water tanks in the wet lab. Others may have focused their binoculars on the seabirds and cetaceans that swim offshore.
Mini-seminars are offered before dinner for those students interested in pursuing more specialized topics. For early risers, AIO offers optional morning laboratory activities. Evenings are devoted to more traditional classroom academics. Each night, students attend a lecture to provide background information and prepare them for upcoming field activities. All students design and maintain a saltwater aquarium.
Despite the busy academic schedule, AIO leaves a block of time each day for recreational activities, such as hiking, swimming, group games, and visits to local laboratories and museums. There is plenty of free time for students to read, write letters, and relax.

Extra Opportunities and Activities

Graduates of advanced sessions are eligible to apply for one of the programs offered by AIO during school vacations. A Marine Biology Career Seminar is scheduled to take place in Florida for nine days in November 2006. Students go behind the scenes to meet and work with rangers, scientists, and marine mammal trainers to explore potential careers in the field. AIO’s ninth Tropical program is scheduled to take place at the Belize Marine Tropical Research and Education Center during Thanksgiving week of 2007. Students are chosen for these programs based on the quality of their past work and social maturity. Information is available during summer orientation meetings.

Facilities

The program is housed in the vintage Dunham Schoolhouse, built in 1931 by John D. Rockefeller. The building was acquired by AIO in 1976 and has been carefully restored. Accommodations are clean and comfortable. Three of the large classrooms have been converted into dormitories, and students sleep on bunk beds. The facility includes a lecture hall, a recreation room, a research wet laboratory, a library, a nurse’s office, a dining room, bathrooms, and showers.

Staff

At the heart of the program is an experienced and qualified core of educators trained in the field of oceanography. These are classroom teachers, practicing scientists, and researchers, many with advanced graduate degrees. Each faculty member brings his or her own unique background to the program. The student-instructor ratio is approximately 4:1.
Other staff members include a nurse, a professional chef, and interns. Internships are offered to college students who have attended AIO previously and are seriously considering a career in marine studies and education.

Medical Care

A full-time registered nurse is on staff. There is a fully equipped hospital 8 miles away in Bar Harbor, and Eastern Maine Medical Center, a regional state-of-the-art medical facility, is located 1 hour away in the city of Bangor.
All students must have a health form completed by a physician before final acceptance into the program.

Costs

For 2007, the cost was $1995 per two-week session and $995 for the one-week session. The price includes tuition, room, board, and all program costs except for transportation to the site.
A small amount of spending money ($60–$70) is recommended for trips into Bar Harbor.

Financial Aid

A limited number of partial scholarships are available at the discretion of the executive director. Students are asked for additional references and to provide written material in support of their application.

Transportation

Transportation is available from the Bar Harbor-Hancock County Regional Airport or the Vermont/Greyhound terminal in Bar Harbor. Students can also be picked up at the Bangor International Airport for an additional fee.

Application Timetable

Student registration begins in the fall and continues until all available slots are filled. Sessions typically begin filling by March, and most slots are filled by Memorial Day.
A $300 deposit and completed registration form are required at the time of application. Health and teacher recommendation forms are sent upon receipt of deposit. Notification of acceptance is given upon the return of a satisfactory recommendation.