Workshops will provide attendees of the NURDS 2011 conference with a first-hand experience in various fields of life science research.  The limited number of students per workshop will facilitate learning and encourage questions.  All workshops will be filled on a “first come, first serve” basis. To register for the workshop sign up at the bottom of this page.

This year we will offer the following workshops:

Harbor Seal Necropsy, by UNE marine mammal rehabilitation team

Participate in a gross examination of a seal carcass.  We will be looking at gross anatomy, as well as learning various sampling techniques and pathologies.

Remote Sensing for Oceanographic Applications, by Brian Dallas (Flotation Technologies in Biddeford)

Participants will learn about various types of underwater equipment used to study the ocean and about the design aspects that enable the user to configure the equipment to meet their research needs. The workshop will address how the equipment acquires data and general characteristics, including mass, buoyancy, and mechanics that must be considered when conducting research in the ocean environment. Students will also learn about logistics involved in deploying and recovering these moorings. The session focuses largely on current measurement using acoustic doppler profiler technology and guidelines for determining which approach may best meet investigator goals based on available resources, with a minor emphasis on electronics and acoustics technology.

Bird walk in local salt marsh, by Pat Mahoney (Audubon Society) and Peggy Fryer (UNE)

Participants will have the opportunity to watch for birds in the salt marsh of Biddeford Pool, a prime bird watching area. Some binoculars will be provided, but bringing your own binocular is encouraged. The walk will be led by a member of the Audubon Society. This is an opportunity to witness the beautiful birds of New England and will be a wonderful experience. Students interested must dress appropriately, wearing warm clothes and boots for the field.

Atomic Force Microscopy, by James Vesenka, UNE

Demonstration of a technique to image isolated cells, DNA, and individual atoms.

Seasons of the Sea , by Ru Morrison, Director of NERACOOS, the Northeast Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems

Can you look at the ocean and tell what season it is?  The answer is no, or at least not as easily as you can on land.  In New England, a bright sunny day will shine on the greens of the leaves in the summer, the fall tree colors, white snow in the winter, and brown mud in the spring.  Seasonal changes in the ocean are much harder to discern because the sun shines on blue(ish) ocean until the horizon all year.  During this workshop, we will explore seasonal changes in our coastal ocean through information from the regional observing systems and how this information is used by those who manage and depend on these oceans for their lives and livelihoods.

Astronomy, by Berny Reim, University of Southern Maine

Study and decipher actual photographs from the Palomar Sky Survey. Discover clusters of galaxies and the myriad shapes they can take. See stars before they are born and after they die. Learn about the dynamic, powerful, and ever-changing nature of our universe.

Faculty meeting (Faculty only)

Informal gathering to discuss issues of undergraduate research. Dr. Jeffrey Osborn, past president of the Council for Undergraduate Research, CUR, will attend.

Tour of the UNE Marine Science and Mammal Rehabilitation Center

Students can tour UNE’s Marine Science and Marine Mammal Rehabilitation Center which houses seals and sea turtles.