Sampling on the RV Savanna: photo by Julie Spivey Undergraduate Research All of our Ocean Science Majors, as well as those considering the major, are encouraged to pursue hands-on research experiences mentored by faculty members in the Marine Sciences Department or elsewhere. Undergraduate research gives students an understanding of the "real world" practice of Ocean Science and insight into a potential career as a research scientist. Interested? Fill out the form by clicking the link below! THE UNDERGRAD RESEARCH FORM Research in the Marine Sciences Department Faculty in the Department of Marine Science undertake research in a almost all aspects of modern ocean science; connecting processes from physical mixing in the ocean to chemical cycles to marine productivity and microbiology, all critical to understanding both local and global cycling of elements and biological distributions. Faculty individually accept students into their lab for research and opportunities vary depending on many factors. Research opportunities may be available during the school year or over the summer, and students can do research for academic credit (e.g. MARS4960R), as part of the CURO program (https://curo.uga.edu), as a job, or purely on a voluntary basis. Expect to spend at least 10 hours per week doing research during the semester, typically in 3-4 hour blocks. You don’t have to be a senior to get into research – many faculty prefer students to start in their sophomore or junior years hoping they will learn and continue working with their research group. Survival Suit Demo at Sea: photo by Bill Miller 2025 Students should fill out the departmental research form and it will be reviewed by the Department. Faculty identified on the form that have a research opportunity available will typically arrange a meeting to discuss options and expectations of you as a researcher in their lab group. You may be able to do an independent project, contribute to an ongoing project in the lab, work with graduate students, or help in other ways. Research opportunities usually start at the beginning of the semester or summer so plan accordingly. Other Opportunities A number of universities have summer research programs for students, often as part of a Research Opportunities for Undergraduate (REU) program. The programs change year to year, but those funded by the National Science Foundation are listed online (https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.jsp).
