Co-sponsored by the Partnership for Environmental Education and Rural Health, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; and Texas A&M University Chapter of Sigma Xi.

This contest is in association with Professor William R. Bryant’s lecture titled “In Search of the Sea Floor” that will be presented on April 14, 2009 at the Bush Presidential Library. This lecture is part of the Texas A&M University Distinguished Lecture Series sponsored by the Office of the President and Provost (http://www.tamu.edu/provost/tamudls/lectures/2008/bryant.html). Students are invited to submit entries in either or both competitions.

Drawing Directions:  One reason why deep ocean exploration is so difficult is the high pressure exerted by the seawater at such great depths. Using the websites listed below for ideas, design a vessel to overcome this challenge. In your drawing, be sure to depict the features of your vessel that make it suitable for deep ocean exploration.

Rules:   Paper must be no larger than 8 1/2 x 11 in., with no glitter or materials that might become detached. Create a drawing using colored pencils, markers, paint, or ink. No computer-drawn posters will be accepted. The front of the poster should have the student’s name, age and grade and the teacher’s name and school. Contact information (name and phone number) should be on the back. Extra points will be awarded for creativity and originality of thought process.

Essay Description:  Little is known about the geology of the ocean floor. You are a member of the first deep sea exploration crew to reach the ocean floor. Using the websites listed below for ideas, describe what you and your crew members see. Be sure to include any creatures you encounter and the geologic features of the ocean floor. 

Essay Rules:   The essay should be 250 to a maximum of 300 words, either typed or hand written. It should be marked with the name of the student, grade level and age, and the name of the teacher and school on the front. Contact information (name and phone number) should be on the back of the essay. The student can enter the writing contest or the poster contest or both. Extra points will be awarded for creativity and originality of thought process.
 

The contests are for 6th-8th grade students.  They may enter the writing contest or the poster contest or both. Only one entry in each category per student will be accepted. All entries are due in the office of Dr. Larry Johnson no later than 5pm March 6, 2009.  Entries will be judged by a panel of Texas A&M University students coordinated by Hannah Fox and Rebecca Rowntree. Teachers of winners will be notified April 1, 2009 and recognized on April 14, 2009, before the TAMU Distinguished Lecture program, featuring Professor William Bryant and his lecture “In Search of the Sea Floor.”

Five (5) winners will be chosen for the essay contest, and five (5) will be chosen for the poster contest. Each will receive $75, a certificate and an invitation to the pre-lecture dinner. Parents and teachers of winners are invited to the pre-lecture dinner and lecture.  All posters and essays will be displayed in the foyer, before the lecture.

http://peer.tamu.edu/collaboration.shtml
http://www.tamu.edu/provost/tamudls/lectures/2008/bryant.html

For further information, email Dr. Johnson at Ljohnson@cvm.tamu.edu.

http://www.divediscover.whoi.edu/robotics/index.html

http://www.divediscover.whoi.edu/ridge/index.html

http://www.ocean.udel.edu/deepsea/level-1/geology/geology.html

http://videos.howstuffworks.com/hsw/23893-charting-the-vast-oceans-ocean-floor-geology-video.htm

http://www.ocean.udel.edu/deepsea/level-2/tools/history.html

http://marinebio.org/Oceans/TheDeep/

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/exploring.html

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/abyss/frontier/deepsea.html

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/abyss/life/bestiary.html

http://geology.uprm.edu/Morelock/seafl.htm