Field Trip to SJINML
It was a busy but enriching week for the ENV3101 students. After the guest lecture, they had another field trip to prepare for that weekend. On the morning of the 27th, they hopped onto a ferry to St John’s Island and attended a Half-Day Hands-on Workshop hosted by the St John’s Island National Marine Laboratory (SJINML).
SJINML is Singapore’s only offshore marine research facility. It is deliberately positioned in the proximity of Sisters’ Islands Marine Park, Singapore’s first marine nature reserve, for easy access to high quality seawater for research. The workshop was led by experienced researchers from SJINML, giving the students a sneak peek into their marine science research programme.
- Researcher Talk
This master class session dived deep into one type of research that is tackled at the centre and gave aspiring marine scientists in the audience a glimpse into the day-to-day work at SJINML.
Beyond the glitz and glamour of exploring oceans and swimming with stunning marine creatures, the researcher, Dr Jani Tanzil, emphasised that the bulk of her time is spent in the lab going through sample after sample. Indeed, it is the patience, persistence, and unfaltering belief in the meaning behind their work that make the most exemplary marine science researchers.
- SJI Guided Walk
A slight drizzle set in, but it was not enough to turn our attention away from the sharing by our guide. The sights, seemingly unassuming, told the rich history and biogeography of the island. We caught a glimpse of the marine coastal habitats and native species and learnt about the interactions between the ecosystem services and users of SJI.
A peek into SJI’s dark history: Old quarantine facilities utilised during the British Colonial Period to segregate immigrants in efforts to contain transmittable diseases like cholera and leprosy.
- Hands-on Activity: Coral Restoration
At this station, the students were briefed on the coral rejuvenation project at SJINML (Read more about the project here!). They finally got the opportunity for some hands-on and to get their hands dirty. This is figurative, of course. Protective gear is essential!
After a brief introduction to coral bleaching, the students used the provided Coral Health Chart (right) to check the health of the coral fragments in the tank (left). Image: CoralWatch Coral Health Chart (Source).
After checking the health of the coral fragments, they started mixing the epoxy and picking up the coral fragments to glue them onto- something. Can you guess what that is?
They were epoxying coral fragments on Legos! This seems like an eccentric little set-up, but it is after lots of ideation and trial-and-error that researchers finally found Lego bricks to be provide a flat and stable surface for the corals to rest on and grow.
It was all in all an extremely eye-opening excursion. At the end of the day, the number of aspiring marine research scientists in the class might very well have increased exponentially! Big shout out and thank you to all the staff and researchers at SJINML for hosting our students!