GALLERY: First-Year College Station Students Get Practical Experience On The Water    

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On November 6, oceanography professor Chrissy Wiederwohl brought first-year students from College Station to Texas A&M University at Galveston as part of their Hullabaloo U course. During the four-hour trip through the Houston Ship Channel on the R/V Trident, students tested the water's oxygen, salinity and pH, practicing their data collection skills. The class, all oceanography students, also trawled, pulling a large net behind the Trident, to collect marine life that they then released back into the channel. 

Wiederwohl, who travels to Galveston with students from different courses several times a semester, says that her Hullabaloo U students especially benefit from collecting data in the low-stakes environment, an opportunity made possible by vessel operations at the Galveston campus. 

"One of the things I enjoy most about my job is the opportunity to bring students out on the water to experience how we collect data at sea," said Wiederwohl. "I love watching them connect classroom knowledge to problem solving in the field."

Participation in Hullabaloo U equips first-year students to achieve academic and personal goals, take advantage of campus resources, develop community and a sense of belonging, and contribute to our Aggie community. Hullabaloo U sections are made up of no more than 30 students, often making it one of the smallest classes during a student's first semester.