July 31, 2003
A: FROM MENTOR LAUREN BATTE IN MD
Hey Alexis- I am unaware of any programs that have taken students
projects into Aquarius during a mission. The reason is probably two
fold: 1) the space in the lab is extremely limited and 2) the Aquanauts
are working on their own projects in a very short period of time (i.e.
10 days per mission). Certainly the same arguements could be made for
the space program but I honestly don't know that anyone has tried to
begin a program to bring projects of high school or younger students to
the lab.

There are several opportunities available to high school students to
visit Aquarius. You are aware of one of these through the Girl Scouts
in cooperation with the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration
(www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov). The other is an annual essay contest
sponsored by the NOAA National Undersea Research Program and the
National Undersea Research Center at U. of North Carolina- Wilminton
(http://www.uncw.edu/aquarius/education/writing_contest.html). Two
winners are selected annually based on an essay, application, and
recommendations to learn to SCUBA dive and visit the lab.