Gathered in the Wilkins Meeting House as the culmination of their term-long off-campus program, Ocean Classroom students returned to campus this week to share nine weeks of intensive academic work and lived experience at sea. For the third consecutive year, the Ocean Classroom Symposium allowed students to present their academic work and begin articulating experiences that resist easy translation – the power of life at sea to teach lessons through proximate learning and create an adventure that fundamentally shifts perspective.
Twenty-two students spent the fall trimester immersed in oceanography, maritime history, and hands-on research while sailing from Woods Hole to the Caribbean aboard the Sea Education Association (SEA) vessel, the SSV Corwith Cramer. Their return brought an energy that filled both floors of the Wilkins Meeting House – families listening intently to poster presentations on marine plastics and leptocephali, students explaining their findings on Sargassum ecosystems and charismatic megafauna, faculty asking questions about methodology and data collection.
The excitement visible in students who persevere through challenging experiences was contagious. Each Ocean Classroom participant has navigated their own learning journey, a path that led them to Proctor and the particular combination of support and rigor that characterizes both campus life and Off-Campus Programs. For SEA educators working with this cohort, they witnessed what Proctor's model consistently demonstrates – when students receive appropriate support structures alongside high expectations in immersive learning environments, they navigate complex academic and practical challenges with confidence and curiosity.
Jeff Schell, Chief Scientist and Professor of Oceanography with SEA, opened the formal program by noting that this marks the third year of Proctor's partnership with the organization. "Sometimes people would say, third time's the charm," he remarked, "but for any of the previous classroom students I've worked with, every trip is special, for sure." He emphasized the most important number from the voyage: 38, representing every person aboard the Corwith Cramer whose presence made the research possible.
"When you look in the eyes of the folks who have just returned from sea, you might ask them, how was it?" she said. "They can look you squarely in the eye and say, I have seen the fury of the ocean. I've been at the rail to the fury of the ocean. I've seen the grace and peacefulness of the ocean, the stars above, and the beautiful creatures from beneath."
~ Captain Pamela Coughlin
Craig Marin, Associate Professor of History at SEA, who served as Atlantic historian for his first Ocean Classroom voyage, described the daily rhythm of historical conversations with watch groups. "Listening to them work through these things that we talked about on shore, and then having them sort of see and experience the things that we talked about was just a remarkable thing," he noted.
The poster presentations demonstrated the depth of student research across marine science disciplines. Projects ranged from examining ichthyology and fish adaptations in the mesopelagic zone, to studying zooplankton abundance and diversity, to investigating the role of Halobates insects as bioindicators of ocean plastic pollution. Students collected data, analyzed findings, and drew conclusions about everything from phytoplankton abundance patterns to eel larvae size variations in the Sargasso Sea.
After poster presentations, the community watched two student-created videos – a tour of the SSV Corwith Cramer and a montage from their Ocean Classroom voyage. Students then performed "Our Sea Story," recreating shipboard life for the audience – wake-up calls at 0600, quarterdeck turnover briefings, sail handling, and emergency drills. The piece blended technical maritime language with more playful elements, including a ships meeting report about aliens in the Sargasso Sea.
John Bouton, Ocean Classroom Co-Director with Heidi Thoma, acknowledged the SEA staff present: Captain Coughlin, Dr. Craig Marin, Dr. Jeff Schell, and the Program Associates whose mentorship proved essential throughout the voyage and at-shore components: Rebecca Dowd, Lila Olsen, Ben Porter, and Tessa Ury. Erin Bryant, Interim Academic Dean at SEA, whose reflection on teaching and learning at sea resonated with the audience:
"It's like holding a group of burning sparklers in your hand. It's finite, exciting, it's up close, and it's unforgettable."
~ Erin Bryant, Interim Academic Dean at SEA
What struck parents and members of our professional community throughout the symposium was the students' confidence in presenting complex scientific findings and simply talking about their experience. Many of these students had never set sail before September, yet nine weeks later they had become confident mariners and budding research scientists. When students are immersed in authentic learning environments, provided with appropriate support structures, and held to high expectations, they rise to meet those challenges. Students return to campus with data sets and research findings, but also with nine weeks of standing watch, conducting research, and living in a community that depends on every member. The 22 students who participated in Ocean Classroom 2025 continue a Proctor tradition that stretches back more than 30 years.
Read More from Ocean Classroom 2025!
- Academics
- Ocean Classroom
- Off-Campus Program