Exploring a warmer, saltier sea during a study abroad program
Hundreds of thousands of US students take part in study abroad programs each year, earning credits towards their degrees while immersing themselves in different cultures around the globe. For Isabella Robinson, a third year student majoring in Marine Biology and French with a QSCI minor, a study abroad program took her to a much warmer and saltier sea than the Puget Sound which neighbors the University of Washington. Any guesses where?
The Mediterranean Sea. Taking part in the Biology Rome: Ecology of the Mediterranean Sea study abroad program, Isabella spent 10 weeks over Autumn 2024 diving into the ecology and oceanography of the Mediterranean. “It was very interesting to see how it is both similar and different to the Puget Sound and the PNW,” Isabella shared. “I found out about the program while researching Marine Biology programs on the UW Study Abroad page, and it was perfect because it included one of the core classes – OCEAN 330: Marine Biogeochemical Cycles – and an upper division ecology class – MARBIO/BIOL 433: Marine Ecology.”
Fun Fact: The Med is considered one of the saltiest large bodies of water in the world – at 38 parts per thousand (ppt) – due to high evaporation in a warm climate. In contrast, the Puget Sound has a lower salinity at 28.5 ppt, as it receives freshwater inflow from rivers and is influenced by the Pacific Ocean.
Gaining 15 credits from two Marine Biology classes and an Introduction to Italian class, Isabella learned from both UW Professors and Italian marine biologists during the program. “Dr. Ken Sebens and Dr. James Murray were incredible Professors with so much knowledge to share on Mediterranean marine biology! They created a fantastic program for us!”
Highlighting one of her favorite experiences, Isabella described a fieldtrip to a volcanic island in the Gulf of Naples. “All the field trips were incredible, and we got to visit several marine stations and labs to learn about the work done in the Mediterranean,” Isabella said. “My favorite field trip was to the island of Ischia, a volcanic island with CO₂ vents that we got to see for ourselves while snorkeling. It was amazing to learn about the changes to the ecosystem around the vents due to the higher acidity environment, and then get to see that environment in real life.”
