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Twenty students from across Australia will gain hands-on experience at sea aboard CSIRO research vessel (RV) Investigator, as part of a national sea-training program preparing the next generation of marine experts.<\/p>\n
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Students will be\u00a0departing\u00a0from Fremantle on a 13-day voyage to Hobart, receiving training in the vessel\u2019s scientific systems and conducting real-world science including seafloor mapping, sediment\u00a0sampling\u00a0and oceanographic surveys.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The voyage\u00a0is part of CAPSTAN \u2013\u00a0the Collaborative Australian Postgraduate Sea-Training Alliance Network\u00a0\u2013 a national tertiary sea-training initiative of Australia\u2019s national science agency, CSIRO, the\u00a0University of Tasmania\u2019s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), and the Australian and New Zealand International Scientific Drilling Consortium (ANZIC).\u00a0<\/p>\n
CAPSTAN Director, Dr Pier van der Merwe from IMAS, said the sea-going experience was invaluable for developing Australia\u2019s next generation of marine experts.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can teach the theory in a classroom, but it\u2019s when students are out on the water that the pieces start to fall into place,\u201d Dr van der Merwe said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey see the conditions scientists work in, the technology used to collect data, and how teams collaborate to solve research questions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFor many students, being part of the CAPSTAN program is a life-changing experience that often shapes the direction of their careers.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Now in its second year following the program relaunch in 2024, CAPSTAN brings together marine science students and trainers from 18 Australian universities\u00a0involved in diverse studies including Earth sciences, oceanography, marine ecology, Antarctic studies, and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dr\u00a0van der Merwe\u00a0said the voyage will give students the chance to contribute to real-world research while learning how science is conducted at sea.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDuring the voyage, we\u2019ll visit the Bremer Canyon Region to repeat sampling and surveys first carried out during\u00a0a previous\u00a0CAPSTAN voyage in 2017,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cStudents, in collaboration with the CSIRO technical team onboard, will also plan and carry out a survey of an historic shipwreck along the route on behalf of the Australian Government\u2019s Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water\u2019s Underwater Cultural Heritage team.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIn addition, students will contribute to the investigation of a significant environmental issue, collecting ocean data\u00a0offshore of the persistent harmful algal bloom near Kangaroo Island in South Australia\u00a0to support ongoing research by the South Australian Research and Development Institute.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
CAPSTAN Voyage Manager, Dr Ben Arthur from\u00a0the\u00a0CSIRO\u00a0Marine National Facility, said students will be familiarised with multidisciplinary scientific systems, equipment\u00a0and operations\u00a0on\u00a0RV Investigator\u00a0over the course of the voyage.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCAPSTAN offers an incredible learning opportunity for students, and they\u2019ll be involved in a\u00a0diverse\u00a0range of operations to collect data and samples to support research that addresses\u00a0real-world challenges,\u201d\u00a0Dr Arthur\u00a0said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cImportantly, through CSIRO\u2019s Indigenous Science Engagement Program, students and trainers will learn from Indigenous knowledge holders as part of a pre-voyage workshop to increase understanding of Indigenous knowledge systems.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe training program is designed to be like the multidisciplinary research we deliver during each of our science voyages,\u00a0so that students get a wide exposure to science operations at sea.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The CAPSTAN voyage\u00a0departs\u00a0Fremantle on Thursday 23 April, and will complete a 13-day transit through the Great Australian Bight via continental shelf waters of southern Australia,\u00a0before arriving in Hobart on Tuesday 5 May.\u00a0<\/p>\n