Science Enrichment Academy (SEAS)

SEAS Website Header

 

Participants who complete the SEAS program will receive
2 college credits at no additional cost!

 

The Science Enrichment Academy at Stockton (SEAS) is a two-week, residential, college-level interdisciplinary summer program for talented high-school students entering their senior year.  SEAS introduces students to scientific issues and interdisciplinary techniques for addressing scientific questions. Students make new intellectual and emotional connections as they explore challenges through scientific, social, economic, philosophical, ethical, and political perspectives. Students will be involved in classroom, laboratory, and field experiences as well as an overnight camping trip and will gain experience gathering, measuring and analyzing data through the process of scientific inquiry.

SEAS 2020 will run from July 12 - 25, 2020. Attendance fee for student campers is $1,200, with the opportunity for scholarship to be determined on financial need and academic achievement. Rates include room and board, three meals daily, field trips and instruction by Stockton faculty.

This summer's camp has been cancelled. 


Additional Information:

SEAS-NAMS@stockton.edu

 

 

Image of SEAS students on the field

 

The goal of SEAS is to ignite a spark of interest and curiosity in students.  At SEAS, students spend time around scientists who can give a first-hand account of what real science research is like.  We want to show them the interdependence of the sciences:  Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Environmental, and Marine science. 

We hope not to simply interest our students with fun facts and exciting demos and experiments, but to give them a profound understanding of why and how things work.  We will leave it to them to make observations and rediscover the Laws of Nature, following in the footsteps of scientists from the time of ancient Greece to the present day.

We believe that students need to be immersed in an environment where they are able not only to learn new things from real scientists in the classroom but more importantly be able to communicate with them outside the classroom.  Our goal is to make SEAS an unforgettable experience for everyone – one that might change the way those who participate look at the world around them.  We will teach you to ask the right questions and introduce you to people who can help find the right answers.


IS SEAS RIGHT FOR YOU? IT IS IF YOU…

  • Are passionate about Biology, Chemistry, Math, Environmental science and Marine science
  • Want to earn college credit
  • Tend to view problems and challenges from multiple perspectives
  • Want to connect with like-minded students, college students, and faculty through classroom, laboratory and field work
  • Enjoy exploring natural areas both intellectually and aesthetically
  • Want to explore outdoor environments in ways that are hands-on and intellectually grounded
  • Believe that change is possible and want to better understand how you can contribute

SEAS is unique among STEM studies programs in its focus on the interdisciplinary nature of scientific issues and the complexity of potential solutions.  By connecting students with over 12 college faculty from a myriad of disciplines, the SEAS program empowers students in ways that catalyze real personal growth.  Students find specific topics, sessions and ideas that resonate with them individually, but are also exposed to other ideas and ways of thinking about scientific issues that broaden their framework for thinking about and developing solutions when working with others.

How can we use science to describe and understand our environment?

During SEAS, students conduct research with Stockton University faculty members on the R/V Petrel, Stockton’s newest 36-foot research vessel; in classrooms; laboratories; the Marine Field Station and Coastal Research Center; local streams, rivers and bays; the Pygmy Pines; State forests and wildlife refuges.  In the field and in the classroom, students explore the ways in which data can be used to monitor changes in the environment and discuss how science serves as the backbone for understanding environmental issues.


Sample Curriculum

The list below provides a brief description of typical academic sessions.

Math and Data – Judith Vogel

Session 1:   What is Math?

This session will explore the difference between Math in a K-12 setting and college level mathematical thinking.  It will display the creativity behind the job of a mathematician and will illustrate the role of a mathematician as an explorer.  Students will be given math problems that are non-procedural to think about and solve.  We will illustrate deep mathematical concepts by exploring the “Math” we learned in grade-school.  Pattern recognition and proofs will be tied together through vertical integration of topics.

Session 2: Modeling:  Answering Questions that have no answers

This session will focus on one of the most important aspects of Mathematics:  Modeling.  Models are used in all of the sciences and social sciences to answer questions relevant to the world around us.  However, models can never give perfect answers.  As mathematicians, our goal is to create good models that supply reasonable and reliable data.  The math is in the model creation as well as the model analysis.  We will use this session to discuss models in general and also models specific to the projects that students will conduct during the SEAS program.

Session 3: The Math behind the Data

This session will investigate the mathematics involved in data collection and data analysis.

Topics will include…

  • Flaws in data collection; when it is unreliable; what strategies can we use to increase its reliability.
  • The mathematics behind the measures of data, e.g. mean, median, quartile, etc. Why what you’ve been taught is wrong!
  • Difficulties in organizing and analyzing large data sets.
  • Difficulties in organizing and analyzing small data sets.
  • When are outliers irrelevant and when are they the most important piece of information given.
  • How to address “problem’ data points in data analysis. g. outliers, unreliability, etc.
  • data processing; Human vs. Machine and how we communicate with each other.
Session 4:  Excel/Projects

This session will give students the opportunity to work on organizing and analyzing their own data for their group projects.  A short lesson will be given on using Excel to produce visual aids for data collected.

The Chemistry of Scent and Fragrance – GorDan "Tyson" Reeves

Smells are all around us, and from the production of food and medicine to how we understand flavor and taste, the sense of smell has played a significant role in human development. Chemistry, and a fair bit of biology, is integral to nature of smell and essential to modern perfumery.  My module for SEAS will consist of a lecture and lab component briefly discussing the chemistry of scent and fragrance.  The lecture will cover several topics including scents of natural origin and how they are obtained (extraction & distillation) and synthetic scents and musk derived from terpenes, benzene, phenol and several aliphatic materials.  We will also cover the use of these synthetics scents in production of soaps and shampoo. The lecture will conclude with a discussion of esters, which will segue into the lab component.

Marine Species Collection and Identification, Environmental Resource Protection and Sustainability, Wilderness Guide – Dr. Adam Aguiar

Session 1:   Angling Experience at Sandy Hook Gateway National Park

Students learn to be safe, responsible, and efficient anglers on the beaches of Sandy Hook Gateway National Park.  This hands-on fishing experience educates students about beach dangers.  This includes identification and avoidance strategies for rip-currents and potentially harmful species (sting rays, jellyfish, biting fish, etc.).  They will learn specific types of:

  • Angling Techniques
    • safe casting
    • cutting/hooking bait
    • how to properly handle and release a fish
    • potentially how to fillet a fish (pending luck provides one to be kept)
  • The components/functions of fishing gear
    • engineering aspects of rod and reel parts
    • various line material applications
    • knot tying
    • terminal tackle uses
    • hook types and sizes
  • Fishing strategies
    • enhancing catch efficiency by understanding/exploiting a specific specie’s behavioral patterns
  • Species Identification
    • Species caught and/or observed are discussed in terms of their potential uses to humans, methods for handling, regulations in place to sustain their populations

Learning such skills in this way will undoubtedly foster an appreciation for marine environments, and an interest in biology.

Session 2: Species Collection and Identification Through Seining the Bay

Students learn how to collect and identify various marine organisms via the method of seining.  This also familiarizes them with data acquisition as they record their findings.  These data can potentially be used for students’ final SEAS projects, or even toward further research projects in the future.  These seining activities will be done in various bay locations in NJ (pending on weather conditions).  Additionally, the group nature of this collection technique will help to develop peer relationships and communication/leadership skills.

Session 3: Fossil Hunting at Big Brook Park
Session 4: Camping and Outdoor Safety
Session 5: Fishing Simulation of Environmental Resource Sustainability

Directors, Staff and Faculty

Each year, SEAS has over 20 highly dedicated directors, staff and faculty involved who reflect a variety of backgrounds and perspectives regarding the sciences.

Directors and Administration

The program directors and administrative staff have backgrounds in science, science education, and leadership.

University Student Staff

Stockton University students who work intensively to provide each student with a high-quality, engaging and rewarding experience.

Teaching Faculty

Full-time members of the Stockton University faculty serve as the instructional staff of SEAS.  The wide variety of faculty expertise makes SEAS a unique experience.

 

Accepted Student Payment 

The cost of the camp is $1,000 with scholarship opportunity based on need and academics. 

Non-refundable acceptance fee of $200 is due upon acceptance to the program. This fee will be applied to the student's registration balance.

Students who applied for the scholarship program will be notified by June 15 of their award. 

All campers balance of registration must be made in full for the entire amount by July 1, 2020. Paid amounts less than the registration price will be automatically refunded and campers will not be registered. Fee includes all meals, room and board, classes, and field trips.

 

 

 

 

I have questions about...

 

Beyond the excellent instruction from a well-trained and highly qualified staff, we also provide each scholar with:

  • TWO college credits!
  • Three full meals daily in the Stockton University' Dining Hall.
  • Linen for the beds (including a pillow, blanket, sheets), wash cloth and bath towel refreshed weekly.
  • A dormitory room (2 scholars per room) equipped with a refrigerator, freezer, and microwave.
  • Free use of washer and dryer. Soap is not provided.

All scholars attending the SEAS program will attend the opening at 11 am on July 12. Check-in will follow the opening.

All scholars attending SEAS should bring:

  • Clothing to wear during the two duration of the camp (washer and dryer available).
  • Toiletries 
  • Sunscreen
  • Insect repellent
  • Laundry detergent for washing clothes
  • Old sneakers or water shoes (for seining in the river or bay)
  • A separate set of clothes and shoes that they will wear in the field (forest, bog, hiking in the Pine Barrens). This set of clothes will be sprayed with Permethrin and allowed to dry for one day. Permethrin is used to repel ticks when scholars are in the field or hiking in the woods. Using Permethrin is optional.
  • Snacks and drinks.

No scholar at SEAS is permitted to leave a car on campus. 

Visit the University's Map and Directions webpage for driving instructions, interactive campus map, public transportation information, parking and transportation.

We strongly discourage scholars from bringing their own cell phones, computers, and other electronic equipment in hopes of avoiding situations where the phone/equipment is lost or stolen. We recommend that scholars put their name on everything they will be bringing prior to arriving at Stockton University.

8:00 am

Breakfast

9:00 – 12:00 pm

AM Session

12:00 - 1:00 pm

Lunch

1:00 – 4:00 pm

PM Session

5:30 pm

Dinner

6:30 – 9:00 pm

Evening Session

9:00 – 11:00 pm

Dormitory-free time/work on assignments

From 6:30 – 9:00 each night there will be guest speakers, group activities and discussions.

Breakfast is at 8:00 am and scholars will not be allowed to leave their dorm floor after 11:00 pm. 

Stockton will be providing a day pack, water source, the three main meals, tent and sleeping bag, and a head lamp. No additional supplies are needed.

All scholars attending the SEAS program will not be allowed to leave campus. The only times a scholar will leave the campus is when the class leaves on a field trip or related activity.

Yes, during the day and in the evenings until 9 p.m., scholars will be on campus attending classes, listening to speakers and working on their projects. After 9 pm, the scholars will have RA's that will be on each dorm floor.

RA's are Stockton's residential assistant. The residential assistants have been trained to oversee the students that live in the dormitories. They reside in each of the floors and assist the student's that are living on each floor.

Stockton University has a police department on campus. Each scholar will be issued a swipe card that will allow them access to their dormitory room. There will be RA's housed on each floor as mentioned earlier. 

There is a hospital with an emergency room next to Stockton University. Each professor and all staff will have parent's contact information. They will contact parents immediately if there is an emergency.

If a scholar has a special accommodation, please indicate what will be needed and we will make every effort to provide accommodations.