Science in action
Students spend time with scientists on board Nuliajuk
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
CHESTERFIELD INLET
A small group of students and teachers from Victor Sammurtok School (VSS) received a rare treat in Chesterfield Inlet this past month.
A group of Victor Sammurtok Students line their kayaks in front of the Nunavut science vessel, the Nuliajuk, during the ship's visit to Chesterfield Inlet in August of 2016. - photo courtesy of Glen Brocklebank |
The students were afforded the opportunity to board the Nunavut science vessel, Nuliajuk, for a tour of the ship and an introduction to the activities being conducted on-board the vessel, including a benthic ecology project being done in tandem with a Kivalliq marine baseline study.
VSS teacher Glen Brocklebank said when the opportunity first presented itself, VSS was told the ship could accommodate five students.
He said a number of students expressed interest in the seafloor mapping being conducted on the ship -- as well as seeing some of the various creatures on the bottom -- so VSS asked if more students could be accommodated for the educational visit.
"They had five or six different scientists doing various research projects on the ship, plus the crew, of course" said Brocklebank.
"The scientists had actually contacted the school earlier in the year, because they wanted to run some programs with the students here if they had the time.
"Unfortunately, they had a number of various delays with flights, fog and other issues, so it didn't work out with them being here in July and August when school wasn't in session.
"So, they really went to the wall for us in accommodating more students than they had originally planned for when this opportunity presented itself this past month."
Brocklebank quickly offered the opportunity to every student in Grade 9 through to Grade 12, including providing them with the Government of Nunavut's liability form in addition to their own waver forms provided through the school.
A total of 16 students expressed their desire to take part in the visit to the ship, prompting Brocklebank to ask if the additional 11 students, three teachers and the school principal could be accommodated.
Brocklebank said the request for a group of 20 was quickly agreed to, so they headed out to the vessel on-board a Zodiac and, when all was said and done, spent more than two hours on-board the Nuliajuk.
He said the group was given a full tour of the ship before the scientists brought out some of their research projects to discuss with the students.
"They did a seafloor sample for us, and allowed us to look at the bottom with an underwater camera so we could see what the terrain looked like down there.
"Then they gave us a brief explanation of exactly what they were doing, and how they were conducting the sampling during all their research.
"They found some creatures on the floor, brought them up to the surface for the group to see, and then returned them to the seafloor.
"It was great for the students to be able to make the connection, and understand that being involved with science can lead to these kinds of opportunities, maybe even as a career choice."
Brocklebank said the VSS students almost always enjoy any form of hands-on learning.
He said that, coupled with the first-person exchange with the scientists, made the visit an exceptional educational learning experience for the students.
"All the students seemed to find the experience pretty cool, especially the one-on-one aspect of it.
"There was a geologist, biologist, chemist, and a few other different types of scientists the students had a chance to talk with, and, through that, they found out how all these people got interested in science to begin with, in addition to what they were doing on the ship right now.
"So it was a nice progression for our kids to see with some of the scientists; from when they were in school themselves and got interested in science, to their eventual career choice and where they find themselves now.
"One of them is a PhD candidate and was trying to get a baseline on what life forms are in the ocean in our area, so it was really quite interesting for the kids and they seemed to respond very positively to the whole experience."
