STARS

Service Description

STaRS (Students Training as Research Scientists) is a year-long marine science field research program that culminates in an in-person presentation of the students' research projects. Throughout the year, students will participate in fieldwork with a small group and, if necessary, engage in virtual meetings with the project leader to prepare for their final project. Important: Students are required to attend the final poster presentation, which will be held in person in Anacortes on a weekend in January 2026. There are only three sessions listed below as the final 12 month schedule will be released in January to try to accommodate all student's schedules, however, refer to the draft schedule posted online. What Will Students Do? Students will collaborate with The Salish Sea School staff, Olivia Fross, to develop and implement shore- or boat-based surveys for the endangered marbled murrelet or another marine bird of their choosing. Throughout the year, Olivia will guide students through the scientific research process, including data collection, analysis, and presentation. Through a mix of in-person shore-based and boat-based surveys, along with virtual meetings, students will learn about the thought processes and considerations involved in taking a scientific project from the initial question to fieldwork, analysis, and final presentation. Note: The schedule will depend on weather and water conditions, and a minimum of four students must be enrolled for the program to proceed. Timeframe: January 2025-January 2026. Schedule thus far: March 18th or 20th (6-7 PM): Virtual Meeting (Zoom) April 12th (12-3 PM): Boat Survey (Discovery Center) April 14th (10 AM-1 PM): Boat Survey (Discovery Center) April 20th (9-11 AM): Land Survey (Washington Park) May 7th (6-8 PM): Virtual Meeting (Zoom) May 18th (3-6 PM): Land Survey (Washington Park) This could be changed to a Boat Survey if both research questions are boat-based June 22nd (7-10 AM OR 5-8 PM): Boat Survey (Discovery Center) Schedule will be finalized after communicating with students enrolled. ​