Scientific Diving Techniques Fall 2018 Course Syllabus MSCI 380/L (43130/43131) Lecture: Tues 0700-11:50 PM Location: CSUMB Aquatic Center Classroom Instructor: Dr. James Lindholm (Chair, Research Diving Program) Office: Science Research Annex (Bldg. 13), Room 129 Office Hours: Mon 11 12 & Th/Fr 1-1:50, or by appointment Office Phone: 831-582-4662 E-mail: jlindholm@csumb.edu Teaching Assistant: Paulina Salinas Ruiz Office: Institute for Applied Marine Ecology, Bldg. 53, Room S126 Office Hours: Mon/Wed 12 1pm and by appointment E-mail: psalinas-ruiz@csumb.edu Diving-Related Support: Frank Degnan (Diving Safety Officer) Office: Aquatic Center Office Hours: By appointment E-mail: fdegnan@csumb.edu Ali Fremont (Coordinator, Research Diving Program) Office: Institute for Applied Marine Ecology, Bldg. 53, Room S126 Office Hours: Mon 12:30-5:30, Tues 12:30 4, every other Weds 12:30-5:30, and by appointment Office Phone: 831-582-4595 E-Mail: afremont@csumb.edu CSUMB Research Diving Website: https://csumb.edu/diving Course Description: This course will contribute to the 100 hours of required training for scientific divers as prescribed by the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS). This training is required to participate in scientific diving activities at many universities and at all AAUS member organizations throughout the United States and in selected countries around the world. Enrollment in this course requires successful completion of the skills contained in KIN 282/L Advance SCUBA Rescue and KIN 283/L NAUI Master Diver (or their equivalents). In select cases it is possible to simultaneously enroll in one of those two classes while completing MSCI 380.
Students will be instructed in scientific diving techniques (including the use of transect tapes, PVC quadrats, underwater gear assembly, photography) and relevant aspects of the marine environment (including temperate reef fishes, invertebrates and algae). Following successful completion of course objectives, students will be eligible to participate in diving research projects either as a scientific diver or a scientific diver-intraining. A scientific diver in good standing at CSUMB has the following attributes: Completion of 100 hours of training, including a grade of B- or better in MSCI 380. Completion of all elements of swim test (note: every semester). Current certifications in First Aid, CPR, AED, field neurological exam, and Oxygen Administration. Current SCUBA dive physical. Maintains current on-line dive log of all scientific diving activities. Completes appropriate dive planning documents prior to any diving. Demonstrates general diving competency. Successfully completes open-water SCUBA rescue once annually. Demonstrates appropriate level of leadership. Qualifies for a Letter of Reciprocity for diving with any AAUS organizational member. A scientific diver-in-training (DiT) is a diver who is working towards, but has not yet completed, all of the attributes of a scientific diver. A DiT qualifies to dive on selected CSUMB-related projects, but is not yet qualified to dive with any other organization. ****Note: Successful completion of the course does not guarantee full scientific diver status. It may be necessary to complete additional training and/or demonstrate additional skills prior to achieving full scientific diver status. Recommended Readings (some on reserve in library): Heine,J. 1999. Scientific Diving Techniques: A Practical Guide for the Research Diver. NOAA. 2006. NOAA Diving Manual: Diving for Science and Technology. Fourth Edition There will also be additional readings handed out/mailed to you electronically over the course of the semester. Lecture Learning Outcomes: Learning Outcome 1 (Scientific Diving Techniques): Students will be able to explain and employ standard scientific diving techniques, including the proper use of transect tapes, PVC quadrats, cave reels, and organism observation.
Learning Outcome 2 (Basics of Marine Environment): Students will be able to identify and describe common fishes, invertebrates, and alga along the coast of Central California. Learning Outcome 3 (Experimental Design): Students will be able to design and implement a field study using SCUBA and some combination of underwater sampling equipment based on skills and protocols learned in this course. Course Assessments: Swim Test Pass/Fail Quizzes 25 Dives 25 RCCA Dives & Quizzes 25 Project 25 Swim Test: All divers should be comfortable in the water even without scuba equipment. Therefore, as a prerequisite for this course, you must perform the following skills with no undue stress or discomfort: 1. Swim 400 yards (16 pool lengths) non-stop in 12 minutes without swimming aids. 2. Tread water, float or survival swim for 15 minutes, or 3 minutes without the use of hands, and without swimming aids. 3. Without the use of swim aids, transport another person of equal size a distance of 50 yards ( 2 pool lengths) in the water, keeping the person s mouth and nose above the water 4. Without the use of swim aids, recover a 10 lb weight from at least 10 feet of water. 5. Snorkel swim 825 (33 pool lengths) meters within 20 minutes You will not be eligible for ocean training or certification until you perform all required skills with no undue stress or discomfort. NOTE: Failure to complete all of the above skills by the second class meeting will result in potential removal from the class. Weekly Quizzes on Peer-reviewed Journal Articles: During the initial portion of the semester there will be a take home quiz due promptly at 7:00am. The quiz will focus on diving-related portions of peer reviewed journal articles. Dives: Participation in diving activities is obviously mandatory for completion of this course. For the purposes of this course a dive will be defined as including entry and exit, a minimum of 20 minutes bottom time, and successful completion of the skill identified for that dive. The total number of dives completed by the class will depend on weather and other factors (including excused absences). You will receive credit proportional to the percentage of the total dives in which you participate. For instance, if we only do 10 official dives, and you participate in 8 of those dives, you will get 80% for
this section. NOTE: if we do 10 dives, you complete 8 of those, and have 2 excused absences, you will receive 100%. Reef Check California: We will be completing a multi-week RCCA module in the middle of the semester. The grade for this portion of the class will be based on successful completion of in-class ID quizzes as well as multiple dives and the associated field ID calibration. We will discuss the field calibration in class. Project: You will select a buddy and develop a field project during the last 2 weeks of class. The project will involve at least two of the scientific diving skills that were covered earlier in the semester. You will submit a proposal that includes a dive plan that meets all the requirements of the CSUMB Diving Manual, as well as daily dive plans for every day. You will present the results of your project to the class in a short presentation during the last class meeting during assessment week. The grade for this portion of the class will include the proposal (30%), the dives (30%), and the presentation (30%). Field Trips: As a CSUMB Scientific diver, you must be prepared to deal with: Kelp Surf Surge Current Equipment Problems Transporting appropriate scientific equipment for long distances Therefore, as a CSUMB Scientific diver, you will be expected to demonstrate a higher level of fitness and skill than an entry-level recreational diver. It is your responsibility to develop and maintain an appropriate level of physical fitness. We recommend a program that incorporates both strength training and cardiovascular conditioning. Whenever possible your fitness program should include surface swimming/kicking with mask, snorkel and fins. Participation in the course will require physically strenuous activities that will be conducted in uncontrolled, open water environments. Weekly diving activities will occur from Monastery Beach in Carmel to Del Monte Beach in Monterey, and will include rocky reefs, kelp forests, and sedimentary environments, each of which will include some or all of the following hazards: surf entries with strong waves, strong bottom and surface currents, low visibility, and potentially dangerous organisms. ******Absence/Late Policies and Make-ups****** There will be NO make-ups for missed quizzes, tests or dives except for documented serious and compelling reasons, including sickness (see below), death or illness in the family, or an official CSUMB academic-related activity. Note: work is not a serious or compelling excuse.
It is your responsibility to contact James and/or Frank during office hours to discuss any situations that arise. It is best to do so prior to the activity in question. An email alone will not be considered sufficient documentation of serious and compelling reasons. If this is not practical you should contact James and/or Frank as soon as possible after the event. Health issues in general When referencing this policy to a decision about whether or not to attend an activity, you are expected to use good judgment. Please do not attend an activity if you are, or there is even a reasonable chance you might be contagious. Please do not attend an activity if you have a health issue such as sneezing, coughing or something similar which will be a major distraction to your classmates. If you miss an activity due to health issues, you must have a note from the Campus Health Center or other medical authority excusing you from that activity. Health issues and aquatic activities There are 2 categories of health issues as they relate to aquatic activities. 1. Healthy enough to attend the activity but unable to get in the water 2. Not healthy enough to attend the activity Able to attend but unable to dive Examples of this situation are o Unable to equalize o Respiratory condition that prevents you from diving, but is not contagious or serious enough to render you inactive In this situation, to be eligible to make up the missed activity, you are expected to attend the activity and help with tasks such as working the Dive Master board, keeping track of equipment or other administrative tasks. o Prior to resuming diving activities you must have medical clearance from the Campus Health Center or other medical authority. Unable to attend In this situation there is no need to show up to notify the instructor you are too ill to attend. Again, please use good judgment! To be eligible to make up the activity you must have documentation from the Campus Health Center or other medical authority excusing you from class for that day. Prior to resuming diving activities you must have medical clearance from the Campus Health Center or other medical authority.
Accommodation: Students with disabilities who may need accommodation during laboratory activities, on exams, in class, or with readings, please see me in the first two weeks of class or during office hours or make an appointment by calling (582-4662) or by email (jlindholm@csumb.edu or fdegnan@csumb.edu). ALSO, contact: Student_Disability_Resources@csumb.edu, Phone: 831/582-3672 voice, or 582-4024 fax/tty, http://www.csumb.edu/student/sdr/ Statement on Academic Honesty: Within the SMART College, plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty are not tolerated. Students who are found by faculty to have committed plagiarism in an assignment will, at minimum, upon the first offense fail that assignment. Upon the second offense, a student will, at minimum, fail the class. Each incident and the student's name will be reported to the college administration. (SMART Academic Honesty Website address). Anticipated Workload: It has been estimated that a full semester course load will require 25 35 hours of studying per week. This course will require a significant effort outside of lectures. If you have any questions about your ability to maintain the workload please come see me during office hours. If our office hours conflict with your class or work schedules, please talk with us after class or send us an e-mail to find additional times that one of us can meet with you.
Course Schedule (subject to weather conditions and visibility): Date Activity Skills Quiz Articles (take home) Aug 28a AAUS Lecture; swim test; paperwork; Swimming CSUMB Dive Manual Sep 04t Dive log lecture; OW Dives (1) Navigation exercises Adreani et al. (2004) PAPERWORK DUE 11a Dive proposal/plan lecture; OW Dives (2) Laying transects Lobel (2005) 18t OW Dives (2) Quadrats Auster & Lindholm (2002) 25a OW Dives (2) Manual dexterity/photography Pelletier et al. (2011) Oct 02t OW Dives (2) (Possible boat dive) TBD Grober-Dunsmore et al. (2007) 09a RCCA Lectures & quizzes in class Organism IDs RCCA Protocol Quiz 16t OW Dives (2) RCCA No quiz 23a OW Dives (2) RCCA No quiz 30t OW Dives (2) RCCA No quiz Nov 06a OW Dives (2) RCCA No quiz 13t OW Dives (2) RCCA No quiz PROJECT PROPOSALS AND DIVE PLANS DUE 20a THANKSGIVING BREAK 27t Proposal & Dive plan Reviews in class Response to suggestions No quiz Dec 04a OW Dives (2) Class project No quiz 11t OW Dives (2) Class project No quiz 18a Project Presentations (Room TBD) --------------------------------- No quiz