2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

As coral reef science is considered an emerging multidisciplinary field (Kayanne, 2016), a summer project was created in 2019 to engage underrepresented minorities and other disadvantaged groups, specifically community college students, in coral reef research. The project included an innovative approach on marine ecosystems and a focus on coral reef preservation. With the Caribbean waters as the research field, this two-week summer research opportunity brought participating students together with highly trained faculty members to learn about the health of the marine environment by collecting water and coral reef samples to perform follow-up analysis stateside.

The project benefitted from the cooperation of faculty and staff at 4-year universities and 2-year colleges to integrate engineering, marine sciences, and education. This undergraduate research effort is an integrated approach that considers five main aspects of the coral reef environment: reef health and disease mechanisms, ion nutrient concentrations, coral mucus and bacteria, phytoplankton biomass, and water quality parameters. Since its inception, the project management team has grown and solidified a research agenda of multidisciplinary directions that intersect to improve the health of coral reefs and educational initiatives in these areas. In total, 15 students participated in the project and presented their work at a regional undergraduate research conference.

Here we discuss the design, development, implementation, and assessment of the student cohorts, and provide a blueprint for faculty mentor-guided undergraduate research opportunities for community college students in a non-traditional learning setting (i.e., the Caribbean Sea). The students who were interested in participating in this summer research experience were challenged with a 10-week summer commitment away from home but agreed to participate if their absence were limited to a two-week site visit followed by on campus research activities. Research sites included Roatan, Honduras and Bonaire.

The SCUBA research program provided students with dynamic and rewarding experiences, but several areas for improvement were identified. Pre-program preparation was helpful, but students felt they were not informed early enough about key aspects, such as the physical demands of the program and specific project details. The technical aspects of the program, including diving, night dives, and marine identification lectures, were highly valued. However, students faced challenges such as rough currents and seasickness, which they felt could be mitigated by better preparation. Research activities fostered strong teamwork, though there were some miscommunications regarding data analysis. Students suggested scheduling more frequent data review sessions to ensure team alignment while in the field. Mentorship was another key component of the program. Students appreciated the proactive and supportive guidance provided by mentors, who met with them weekly and helped with both research and personal advice.

This paper will outline the critical components of a successful program that demonstrates significant promise, particularly for community college students. As a two-week intensive research initiative, the program provides an accessible opportunity for students who may not have the flexibility to commit to longer-term research experiences, thereby broadening participation in STEM fields.