During the 2025 IRES Australia Transdisciplinary Coral Reef Science course US based graduate students will interact with Australian coral reef scientists while immersed in the ecosystems they study. Students will visit the Daintree Rainforest, Lizard Island Research Station, and Australia Institute for Marine Science and James Cook University in Townsville. Two-weeks of online coursework will take place before the 3-week international portion of the trip. Students will conduct a research project while in the field.
Benefits
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Network and interact with global experts in coral reef science.
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Engage in cutting edge coral reef research in a remote field setting.
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Professional development activities.
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All travel expenses covered.
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Learning Objectives
​The Advanced Studies Institutes will help to address the current shortage in transdisciplinary researchers equipped to deal with the problems facing coral reefs and other marine ecosystems.
Through participation in this course, students will:
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Understand the role of social-ecological factors in coral reef conservation.
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Acquire modern scientific communication skills by writing a series of blogs and through readings and lectures.
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Obtain practical scientific skills and expand their scientific network through the implementation of independent projects.
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Develop an inter- and transdisciplinary understanding of coral reef science through field based training and lectures in a range of disciplines, including biogeochemistry, behavioral ecology, ecophysiology, molecular biology, environmental social science, population & community ecology, virology, climate change ecology, and chemical sensor technology.
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Gain scientific presentation skills in a range of modalities by writing a report summarizing their research findings and presenting their project during a presentation at the end of each ASI during a student symposium.