MSSEP NEWS

Cadets Jessica Rotondo and Lucas Pender were recently volunteer scientists aboard NOAA's Spring Ecosystem Monitoring (EcoMon) cruise on the Henry B. Bigelow. EcoMon surveys are carried out at 120 randomly chosen stations and 35 fixed stations throughout the continental shelf and slope of the northeastern United States, from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, to Cape Sable, Nova Scotia, and encompassing the entirety of Georges Bank and the Gulf of Maine. Jessica and Lucas were on opposite 12-hour shifts. Their responsibilities at each station included washing down bongo nets and preserving the plankton, larval fish, and eggs, which were used to calculate estimates of overall fish biodiversity and spawning stock biomass. They also measured and preserved chlorophyll and nutrients captured at different depths using a CTD Rosette.

Please see video to the right! 

Bigelow

3 June 2024: Grace Jensen (MSSEP ‘2021, Summa Cum Laude) recently passed her Master’s Thesis defense “A Census of Cyclonic Eddies South of the Gulf Stream and an Analysis of their Formation Types” at UMass Dartmouth. Grace will continue on to a PhD program with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) Joint Program to conduct physical oceanography research.

Grace Jensen

27 September 2023: Marine Invertebrate Zoology students are preparing for the Benthic Underwater Community Survey (BUCS) project "cube" deployment to monitor for marine invasive species at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Organisms will grow on plexiglass surfaces called settlement plates that are attached to the PVC cube frame. These settlement plates allow students to observe weekly changes in relative species abundance over the course of the semester. This project is intended to add quantitative value to the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management's citizen-science Marine Invader Monitoring and Information Collaborative (MIMIC) program, which MSSEP has participated in for several years. 

Marine Invertebrate Zoology

 

10 August 2023: Alongside Dr. Kristin Osborne, MSSEP students Jessica Rotondo and Aidan Webb participated in the MA Coastal Zone Management rapid assessment survey for marine invasive species. They traveled along the northeast coast sampling for invaders at marinas. A group of 30 scientists from around the country came to Mass Maritime to process the marine samples. 
For more on this program visit https://www.mass.gov/service-details/rapid-assessment-surveys-of-marine-invasive-species

3 August 2023: On August 1, a delegation from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) came to the Wareham Middle School to view the stormwater investigative work being conducted by the Buzzards Bay Stormwater Collaborative.  The Buzzards Bay Stormwater Collaborative is a partnership between the Buzzards Bay NEP, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, and eight Buzzards Bay towns (Bourne, Wareham, Marion, Mattapoisett, Acushnet, Fairhaven, Dartmouth, and Westport).   The Stormwater Collaborative is an excellent example of how NEPs can promote efficient partnerships to meet our collective goals to protect and restore water quality and living resources. The EPA delegation was most impressed with the work of the Maritime students and how this program helps advance the completion of their degrees.

Read the full article: 

EPA site visit to Stormwater Collaborative Investigations in Wareham

 

 

Marine Science, Safety, and Environmental Protection

Undergraduate Degree

 

The Marine Science, Safety, and Environmental Protection (MSSEP) program focuses on environmental safety, marine science, and public health issues. Graduates are prepared for careers that tackle global challenges such as climate change, diminishing natural resources, environmental degradation, ever-increasing safety and environmental regulations, green and sustainable development, and increasing energy demands.

First-year cadets participate in a tropical ecology field course in Bermuda. Cadets study the complexity of the ecosystems while basking in the natural environment. They also have an opportunity to enjoy snorkeling and hikes through mangroves and tropical dry forests.

This program requires a six-week co-op/internship and a three-credit co-op, with opportunities in industries such as cruise lines, environmental compliance, consumer and industrial goods, federal agencies, and research institutions. 

 

As an MSSEP major, you will:

  • Engage in coastal and offshore field work
  • Explore scientific concepts using hands-on methods
  • Utilize technology critical for environmental and marine science
  • Apply practices in marine and industrial safety
  • Assess environmental and human health risks
  • Analyze coastal zones and associated management strategies 
  • Deliver presentations on complex topics within the marine science and the marine safety fields
  • Develop skills in technical and scientific writing

View Curriculum

Careers as environmental and safety officers at sea (on cruise ships, drilling ships, oil rigs, NOAA Corps, Coast Guard,) and on land with numerous companies and institutions; environmental consultants and remediation specialists, environmental managers, scientific research technicians, law enforcement, GIS professionals, and educators. Some of the careers of our graduates include:

  • US Environmental Protection Agency or State Department of Environmental Protection Department scientists and safety specialists.
  • NOAA Fisheries or State Division of Marine Fisheries scientists and safety specialists.
  • Environmental managers
  • Scientific research technicians
  • Law enforcement
  • GIS professionals
  • Educators

The experiential field course trains incoming MSSEP cadets in field methods and integrative problem solving related to ecological and environmental sciences at the world-class Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS). Students gain an understanding of the scientific method and apply modern scientific techniques in the field from hands-on experience in observing, collecting, and analyzing data through guided scientific excursions and laboratory work.

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The Aquaculture and Marine Sciences Laboratory, along with several research vessels, provides onshore and at sea marine research project opportunities for all students. Underwater video mapping of eelgrass and shell beds, marine species culture and studies, or coastal stormwater outflows, are all being conducted to support regional environmental decisions.

1. Students should monitor aquatic systems to produce and evaluate data regarding chemical, biological, physical and/or geologic properties of such systems.
2. Students should apply practices in marine and industrial safety.
3. Students should assess environmental and human health risks.
4. Students should analyze coastal zones and associated management strategies.
5. Students should develop and deliver purposeful presentations on complex topics within the marine science and the marine safety fields.
6. Students should evaluate the primary scientific literature and apply their analysis by composing effective scientific research papers.
7. Students should apply marine science, safety and/or environmental protection knowledge and skills to cooperative experiences.