Underwater studies aids student marine research

IU’s Underwater Studies department is one of the oldest college underwater science programs in the country.

Divers from around the nation, including students from coastal states such as Florida, come to the Department of Kinesiology to benefit from the acclaimed program.

One of the founding fathers of the program, Professor Charles Beeker, took what was originally a simple SCUBA diving certification course through the HPER and transformed it into a full-fledged major in 1984.

Beeker is known for his work in many countries, including the Dominican Republic, where he made the discovery of the Quedagh Merchant ship owned by the  pirate Capt. William Kidd.

Students on this path can join Beeker and his crew on expeditions in the Caribbean, practicing their diving skills as well as learning about nautical history and anthropological research.

Graduate student Anna Rogers used her work at the Capt. Kidd site to research a cannon recovered off of the ship.

With the skills she learned through the underwater archeology major, she could tell what materials the cannon was made from, how old it was and what effects marine life had on it.

Students in this major gain a varied academic experience by mixing science studies with social and historic studies.

Some students take Geology 341, which focuses on the history of coral reefs and how humanity has affected their environments.

Graduate student Jessica Keller is thankful for her experience.

“IUUS’s program has shaped my academic college career and has let me do things I’m really passionate about,” Keller said.

IUUS is also involved with the Individualized Major Program, and one of the newest additions is a major in marine biology.

Like the underwater archeology major, marine biology majors take an underwater focus in marine life. They work toward ecologic conservation of marine animals by understanding current conditions in open waters and how they might be affected.

The first graduate of the program, Josh Stewart, was awarded the title of Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society’s 2010 North American Rolex Scholar.   

The scholarship allows him to travel around the world to do research on marine life.

“Our program is growing each year to the point that we have many students on the waitlist,” said diving safety officer and graduate professor Nicole Weigand.

Weigand is happy to see students getting involved with IUUS and believes that anyone who is interested in seeing what SCUBA is like, no matter their major, should get involved some time during their college career.