ESL Education and Outreach
The Eastern Shore Laboratory (ESL) supports a wide variety of educational activities ranging from single-day fieldtrips to multi-week classes for students from a diversity of institutions. Instructors and students from VIMS, William & Mary, and numerous other colleges and universities in Virginia, other states, and other countries use the field station for classes. ESL staff also host a variety of public-education activities throughout the year.
VIMS and College of William & Mary Courses
Two undergraduate field courses are currently offered through the School of Marine Science at VIMS, with cross-listings in other departments.
Field Studies in Coastal Marine Environments
MSCI 331, GEOL 407, ENST 404, BIOL 404
- Instructors: Drs. M. Luckenbach, J. Brubaker, J. Perry and W. Smith.
- Credit Hours: 3
- Location: VIMS Eastern Shore Laboratory. Students will be in residence at the field station.
- Contact: Dr. Mark Luckenbach, luck@vims.edu
This course focuses on fundamental processes in marine science through the examination of the near shore, barrier island, coastal lagoon, and salt marsh environments along Virginia’s outer coast. Through a series of field trips, lectures, laboratory exercises and independent projects, students will examine the fauna and flora of the region and learn how natural and anthropogenic factors shape these coastal ecosystems. Housing is provided at the VIMS Eastern Shore Laboratory. Meals are included. Lab fee required.
Coastal Marine Habitats in North Wales
MSCI 332
- Instructors: Drs. M. Luckenbach and J. Perry
- Credit Hours: 3
- Location: School of Ocean Sciences, Menai Bridge, Anglesy, Wales, U.K.
- Contact: Dr. Mark Luckenbach, luck@vims.edu or Dr. Jim Perry, jperry@vims.edu
This is an intensive 16-day, field-based course conducted in north Wales, U.K. in association with the School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University. This course emphasizes field-based instruction and student-led data collection in coastal marine environments in northern Wales, the Isle of Anglesey, and the eastern Irish Sea. Topics include the ecology of rocky shores, biological and physical processes affecting species distribution and ecology in high energy macrotidal coastal environments, paleoceanography, and geological history of the region.
