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Now Accepting Applications for 2010 Field Season
Application Deadline: December 31, 2009

For more information visit our website at http://teacheratsea.noaa.gov

Are you an educator interested in gaining first-hand research experience on an ocean research ship?
If so, we encourage you to explore the opportunities offered by the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Teacher at Sea program, now accepting applications until December 31, 2009.

About NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program
The mission of NOAA’s Teacher at Sea program is to give teachers a clearer insight into our ocean planet, a greater understanding of maritime work and studies, and to increase their level of environmental literacy by fostering an interdisciplinary research experience.

Since 1990, NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program has enabled more than 550 teachers to gain first-hand experience of science and life at sea by working on research ships.  Teachers have enriched their classroom curricula with a depth of understanding made possible by living and working side-by-side, day and night, with those who contribute to the world’s body of scientific knowledge.  No matter which type of cruise you embark on, you are bound to learn an array of new things!

Who May Apply
NOAA’s Teacher at Sea program accepts applications from currently employed, full-time educators in these categories: K-12 teachers and administrators; community college, college, and university teachers; museum and aquaria educators; and adult education teachers. We regret that we cannot accept applications from part-time, substitute, or pre-service teachers.

Types of Cruises
Participants are assigned a cruise aboard one of NOAA’s 17 ships (or a chartered partner ship). NOAA conducts three main types of cruises.  Fisheries research ships perform biological and physical science studies in support of fisheries research.  Oceanographic and coastal research ships perform physical science studies in support of physical oceanography, atmospheric studies, and bathymetric mapping.  Hydrographic survey ships scan the coastal sea floor with side-scan sonar and sophisticated bottom sounding systems to locate submerged obstructions and navigational hazards for the creation or update of the nation’s nautical charts.

Time Commitment
Participants can expect to be at sea anywhere from one week to one month, with the average cruise lasting 12-14 days.  Most of our participants try to sail on cruises offered during the summer vacation, but cruises take place throughout most of the year on a space-available basis.

Costs
All necessary travel costs are paid for by NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program.  While airfare is paid for up front by the government, all other costs are reimbursed, including transportation costs, hotel costs, and per diem allowance.

For more information please visit our Web site at http://teacheratsea.noaa.gov