OS451-01 The CORE OSER Dataset: A Community Resource for
Assessing Patterns in Ocean Sciences Graduate Education
S. B. Cook, Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education, scook@coreocean.org; J. Farrington, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution,
jfarrington@whoi.edu; R. E. McDuff, University of Washington, mcduff@ocean.washington.edu
OVERVIEW
THE CORE-OSER COMMUNITY
2003-2004 STATUS REPORT
OSER Workshops and the CORE Dataset: Past and Present
Graduate Programs in 2003-2004
In 1980, the education “Deans” from the JOI schools began to meet annually to assess graduate
education in ocean sciences (with ocean engineering added later). Mr. A. L. “Jake” Peirson
(Associate Dean of WHOI - now retired) originally suggested the idea to Dean Charles D. Hollister of
WHOI and Professor Arthur R. M. Nowell, then Director of the School of Oceanography at the
University of Washington. Initially, the schools funded participant travel and in the mid 1980s JOI
and ONR provided funding (Nowell and Hollister, 1988). Sustained leadership for the effort through
the 1980s by Nowell and Hollister led to the assessments we have today.
Graduate Programs at CORE institutions are part of a rich and complex tapestry. In 2003-2004, programs
ranged in size from very small (n=8) to large (n=200). Between 1996 and 2004, applications to 8
programs increased with the number of interested students doubling while 9 programs were less soughtafter with some showing an almost two-fold drop in interest. In 2003, 87% of the student population was
supported by institutional or government sources.
http://www.coreocean.org
CORE Graduate Institutions
CORE Member Institutions
with Graduate
Ocean Science Programs
After CORE was established in 1994, participation expanded to include deans, associate deans,
department chairs and program managers from additional graduate programs. Consortium
membership now stands at 85 with 3? members granting graduate degrees in some aspect of ocean
science. CORE sponsored workshops are now held every other year in the fall at a CORE member
institution and are referred to as Ocean Science Education Retreats (OSER). Nine to ten months prior
to each workshop, CORE staff distribute Graduate Program Surveys, Faculty Workforce Surveys and
Funding and Facilities Surveys to the CORE membership. Dr. Arthur Nowell has continued to play a
leadership role in data analysis and community discussion of trends and patterns (see
www.coreocean.org/education/ for OSER03 data). In 2005, Dr. Russell Mc Duff reviewed survey
data from academic years 2003 and 2004 and summarized patterns and trends for OSER05
participants.
OSER 05, October 27-28 at Woods Hole, Ma.
JOI/CORE Institutions
45 participants from 21 CORE Institutions. Hosted by CORE and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Oregon State University Texas A&M University
University of California San Diego University of Hawaii University of Miami/RSMAS
University of Rhode Island University of Washington
Steering Committee members: Dr. John Farrington (MIT/WHOI) Dr. Arthur Nowell (U.
Washington), Dr. Peter Betzer (University of South Florida), Dr. Gary Griggs (U. California @ Santa
Cruz, and Dr. Nancy Targett (University of Delaware). CORE staff: CORE Education Director Dr. Sue
Cook, CORE President Richard West and staff members Susan Haynes and Henry Hope.
College of Charleston
College of William and Mary/VIMS
East Carolina University
Florida Atlantic University
Florida State University
Louisiana State University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology/WHOI
Moss Landing Marine Laboratories
Naval Postgraduate School
North Carolina State University
Nova Southeastern University
Old Dominion University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Skidaway Institute of Oceanography
Stony Brook University
The University of Southern Mississippi
University of Alaska, Fairbanks
University of California Santa Barbara
University of California Santa Cruz
University of Connecticut
University of Delaware
University of Maine
University of Maryland
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina Wilmington
University of South Carolina
University of South Florida
University of Southern California
SUPPLY SIDE TRENDS
Keynote Address: Ocean Sciences Graduate Education: Status and Trends, Dr. Russ McDuff, U.
Washington.
Mentoring Physical Oceanography Women to Increase Retention (MPOWIR), Drs. Amy Bower and
Robert Beardsley, MIT/WHOI
Group Discussions: Recruitment Strategies, Dr. P. Betzer; Financial support, Dr. G. Griggs;
Retention and career services, Dr. J. Farrington
Funding Opportunities for Research on Ocean Science Graduate Education, Dr. N. Targett
Panel 1: Insights and Recommendations on Diversity
Panel 2: Graduate Student Opportunities to Contribute to K12 Education
USCOP Recommendations 8-7 and 8-10, What can the Community Do Now? Dr. G. Griggs
Discussion of Gaps in Knowledge, Funding sources for gap analysis and Next Steps for the
Community, Drs. Griggs and Farrington
Dr. Ambrose Jearld, NOAA; Dr. Brandon Jones, US EPA; Dr. Letise Houser, U. Delaware,
Ms. Camille Daniels (USF), Ms. Regina Campbell Malone (MIT/WHOI Joint Program)
“Cultural competency is key.
Different
approaches are needed. There must be personal
contact - websites and letters don’t always work.
Career fairs and visits to HBCUs do work”.
-(B. Jones, EPA)
The most recent CORE survey data show that
the graduate student pool in the ocean sciences is
still dominated by Caucasians. In 2003, of the
79% US citizens in residence, 90% were white,
2.9% were Asian American, 1.5% were African
American, 3.2% were Hispanic, 0.4% were
Native American and 2.3% classified themselves
as other.
Total Students % Discipline % Male % Female
Marine Bio/Bio Ocean
851
36.4%
44.5%
55.5%
Marine Chem/Chem Ocean
285
12.2%
51.9%
45.1%
Marine Geol and Geophysics
290
12.4%
51.9%
52.1%
Physical Ocean
285
12.2%
59.3%
40.7%
Ocean Engineering
100
4.2%
79.0%
21.0%
Marine Affairs
167
7.1%
41.3%
58.7%
Fish & Aquatic Science
258
11.0%
54.3%
45.7%
Coastal and Estuary
Other
TOTAL
33
68
2337
1.4%
2.9%
99.8%
51.5%
60.7%
48.5%
39.3%
In 2003, males made up 50.5 % of the ocean science student body at CORE institutions (Table 2).
Gender ratios were approximately equal in chemical oceanography, marine geology and geophysics and
coastal and estuarine science. Women were somewhat better represented in marine biology/biological
oceanography and marine affairs. Men predominated in ocean engineering, physical oceanography, the
‘other’ category and to a lesser extent Fisheries and Aquatic Science.
Take Home Message:
Involving graduate students in the K12 classroom
benefits students in multiple ways from self-organization and priority setting to effective and clear
communication of the value of their science.
Ms. Teresa Greely (USF), Ms. Shay Saleem (USF), Ms. Desiree Plata (MIT/WHOI), Ms.Liz Tyner (USF),
Dr. Robert Chen (U. Mass.Boston), Ms. Julie Callahan (UMB) , Discussion Lead, Dr. P. Betzer (USF)
WHAT DID WE LEARN FROM OSER05?
Applications (the supply side of the graduate school equation) are cyclic. In the 1980s, data collected by
JOI show a decline in applications to member institutions with numbers peaking in the mid 1990s and
dropping again in 1998-2000. Since CORE has been surveying its members, application numbers were
highest in 1996 and 1997 with a drop in 1998-2000 and a rebound in 2001-2004. When data from a
subset of 17 schools are compared, the same ‘up-down-up’ pattern occurs: 2247 in 1996, a minimum of
1780 in 2000 and a rise to 2073 in 2003. In 2003 and 2004, cohort selectivity (from applications to offers
to acceptances) was similar between biological, chemical, physical and geological subdisciplines.
Table 1. Selectivity in four ocean science subdisciplines for 2003 and 2004 graduate student cohorts.
Discipline
MB/BO
Third grade after school enrichment in science class from
Maynard Academy in Cambridge, MA brought to WHOI
for a tour and a visit to a nearby beach by MIT/WHOI
Joint Program Graduate Students Desiree Plata and Ari
Shapiro - enrichment class volunteer instructors.
Discipline
GK12 Panel
Diversity Panel
At OSER05, a five member panel provided a candid, personal look at the realities of recruiting and retaining
individuals from underrepresented groups.
Table 2.
2003-2004
Total Applications
2003-2004
Total Offers
% Selectivity
2390
396
17%
MC/CO
MGG
561
682
99
103
18%
15%
PO
712
130
18%
Sub Total
4345
728
17%
The Ocean Sciences community is already responding to the
U.S Oceans Commissions and the Pew Ocean Commission
reports with respect to all levels of education. As examples,
the involvement of graduate students in K-12 activities has
been launched and the sharing of best practices is in progress
for these activities and for increasing diversity in ocean
sciences. Attention to evaluation of success of programs is
important and is being incorporated into more programs.
“(The program…) challenged my own way of
learning…” “I enjoyed helping students
understand and discover the world around
them…”
-(Quotes from GK12 Fellows)
WHERE DO WE GO NEXT?
•Sharing of OSER05 proceedings and energy with the
community via CORE website
•Need an inventory of current graduate and undergraduate
education curriculum and practices and evaluations to share
best practices and to assess ocean sciences graduate and
undergraduate education needs for the future.
•Focus on new challenges in education– how to adapt to an
interdisciplinary world where students will follow multiple
career pathways; draw on best in educational practice.
•Increase attendance at next OSER by talking up value and
linking workshop to a Board Meeting.
•Continue the demographic data and graduate program and
postdoc related data in two year increments to provide a
much needed basis for assessing trends that need attention.
“Our scientist has opened up my eyes to
more of the real world and scientific studies
…It was unfathomable how much fun it was
learning like this”
-(GK-12 Participant, 2005)
References:
Farrington, J. W., 2001. Oceanography, Volume 14: 34-39.
Nowell, A.R.M. and C.D. Hollister, 1988. EOS 69: 834-835;
840-843.
USCOP, 2004. Final Report. Chapter 8, pages ; Appendix
IV.