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Explore Shark Ecology and Conservation in a Maymester First-Year Seminar

Interested in studying sharks in the field while fulfilling your First-Year Seminar requirement? Do you need to complete your High-Impact Experience General Education requirement? Join a small group of students for a unique First-Year Seminar at UNC’s Institute of Marine Sciences in Morehead City, NC, next summer. Guided by Professor Joel Fodrie, you’ll have the opportunity to deepen your knowledge of shark biology, conduct individual-based research on shark ecology, and gain hands-on experience in techniques for sampling and studying sharks.

 

Researchers tag a shark from a boat

 

EMES 89-001: Shark Ecology and Conservation

Maymester 2025 (May 14-30 2025)

Location

UNC’s Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS). Located on the central North Carolina coast in Morehead City; the mission of UNC’s Institute of Marine Sciences is to conduct cutting-edge research, train young scientists, provide expertise to governmental agencies and industry, and to promote new knowledge to inform public policy.

About the Course

This course will provide a foundational introduction regarding the biology, ecology, and conservation science of sharks. Leveraging the local environment near UNC’s Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS), the class will also focus heavily on field-based experiences demonstrating shark research methodologies and concepts related to the natural history of sharks, as well as the ‘ecosystem roles’ of sharks within coastal marine habitats such as salt marshes, oyster reefs, seagrass meadows, and beaches. Although focused on sharks, this seminar will highlight interdisciplinary links among marine life sciences, coastal ocean processes, and management.

About the Instructor

F. Joel Fodrie holds a shark on a boatJoel Fodrie is an ecologist who studies the population dynamics of fishes and shellfishes, as well as the community ecology of estuarine systems. Since 2010, Dr. Fodrie has helped lead UNC’s long-term coastal shark survey (1972-present). Dr. Fodrie earned his PhD from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (2006), and his BA in Biology (Highest Honors) and History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1999). He has contributed 100+ peer-reviewed papers that explore mechanisms of population and community variability within coastal ecosystems. These articles appear in journals such as Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Ecology, and BioScience. Over the last decade, he has become increasingly engaged in coastal resource management in North Carolina.

Important Details for Prospective Students

  • Enrollment Limitation: This course has no prerequisites, but students are permitted to take only one First-Year Seminar or First-Year Launch during their time at UNC. If you’re interested in this Maymester course, do not register for a Seminar or Launch in Fall 2024 or Spring 2025. This course is limited to 15 first year students.
  • Costs: This course is 3 credit hours. Students must pay Maymester tuition for the cost, which is $292.46 + $75.00 student fee per credit hour for in-state students (=$1,102.38 total) and $1634.54 + $75.00 student fee per credit hour for out-of-state students (=$5,128.62 total). The First-Year Seminar program will cover several additional expenses, including housing, all required field excursions (including boat trips), travel to and from excursions, meals during excursions, and necessary gear for the course. In addition to tuition and fees, students are responsible for covering their meals outside of field excursions and travel to and from the campus at the beginning and end of the Maymester. For information on how financial aid works for the summer click here.
  • Apply Now: If you would like to enroll in this course, please click here to apply to hold your place. Once your application is approved, you will be registered for this Maymester course when Maymester registration opens in March 2025.
  • Please note: students who are not registered for a First-Year Seminar or Launch will receive reminders to take a class to satisfy this requirement. If you are approved to enroll in this Maymester experience, you can ignore the reminder about Seminars/Launches and let your advisor know your plans.
  • Questions: For further questions about the content of the course, please email the instructor Dr. Joel Fodrie (jfodrie@unc.edu).
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