Centers and Large Facilities - Education and Outreach

Project Name: C-MORE (Center of Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education)

Location:  University of Hawaii, 1000 Pope Road, Honolulu, HI 96822

Contact information: Barbara Bruno, barb@hawaii.edu; (808) 956-0901

Website: http://cmore.soest.hawaii.edu/education.htm

Main Project description/purpose

C-MORE’s mission is to support interdisciplinary research on four interconnected themes (microbial diversity; microbial metabolism and biogeochemistry; remote and continuous sensing of microbial processes and their links to climate variability; and ecosystem modeling, computer simulation and prediction), and to integrate these studies at multiple time and space scales.

Education and Outreach Mission and Goals

C-MORE’s vision is to provide leadership in the development of educational programs related to microbial oceanography, and in the training of educators and researchers engaged in microbial oceanography. In doing so, we will promote increasing knowledge and awareness of ocean microbes, their key roles in ocean processes, and their essential roles in the habitability and sustainability of life on earth.  C-MORE’s education mission is to educate and train a diverse population of educators and students in microbial oceanography.  C-MORE’s diversity mission to increase the number of students, staff, and faculty from groups underrepresented in science and engineering by fostering increased interest in microbial oceanography. C-MORE pledges to ensure diversity in all aspects of the Center and to encourage and facilitate involvement of students at our partner and minority serving institutions to pursue an undergraduate or graduate education in science or engineering.

Goals of C-MORE Education and Outreach

• Develop, and partner with existing mentoring programs to increase the recruitment and retention of college students and researchers in the field of microbial oceanography.
• Establish professional development programs for educators and opportunities for pre-college students to gain a greater understanding of microbial oceanography.
• Develop/update, classroom-test and disseminate college-level microbial oceanography curricula and educational materials.

Primary Audience(s) served (i.e., high school teachers, college students, etc.)

High School, community college, undergraduate and graduate students, in-service and pre-service teachers, underrepresented students at all levels.