The Rob Walton College of Global Futures to advance Principled Innovation in immersive student expedition in the Sea of Cortez
Susanne Neuer, Founding Director and Professor, School of Ocean Futures in the Rob Walton College of Global Futures, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, is principal investigator, with Alli Cramer, Assistant Professor, School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, and Affiliate Faculty, School of Ocean Futures, as co-investigator on Where Desert Meets Ocean: An Immersive Student Expedition, a new $7,800 grant awarded by Rob Walton College of Global Futures Principled Innovation Research and Teaching Grant.
Says Neuer: This hands-on aquatic experiences will provide students with opportunities for cultural exploration, ecological fieldwork, and firsthand knowledge of marine life in a critical habitat—the intertidal ecosystem—while also practicing Principled Innovation for deepening their understanding of coastal communities that depend on ocean resources. Beyond the field experience itself, students will engage in research projects that foster continued collaboration with the CEDO Marine Science Center, extending the impact of the program well beyond the duration of the trip.
A brief summary follows:
The mission of the CEDO Marine Science Center is to "Foster vibrant communities and resilient ecosystems in the Northern Gulf of California and other ecoregions by integrating people, knowledge and solutions," and aligns with the mission of the School of Ocean Futures of “Shaping thriving ocean futures: Advancing healthy coastal communities and marine systems through knowledge, partnerships and innovation.” Through a unique partnership with the CEDO marine station, this immersive learning expedition to the Sea of Cortez—often described as a “desert ocean” within the Sonoran Desert—offers an exceptional setting for students to engage directly with marine environments. It is especially important that this experience be offered as a short, fully funded field opportunity. Doing so will significantly increase accessibility for students who may not be able to participate in longer or more expensive aquatic field programs or GIEs, such as those in Bermuda or La Paz.
Neuer offers the following acknowledgments:
The Rob Walton College of Global Futures and ASU Office of University Affairs.