Open call for ScienceDiver Training Courses

The ScienceDiver training course is developed in the frame of the ScienceDiver EU Project and it is offered to master students and young researchers (e.g. biologists, ecologists, geologists, archaeologists, environmental engineering) that want to improve their skills in the field of scientific diving. Scientific diving is a relevant asset of

Start

June 13, 2022

End

June 24, 2022

Address

1. Santa Caterina Village, Scalea (CS), Italy
2. University Camp, Kalandra, Posidi, Greece
3. Monitoring Station, Institute of Oceanology, Maslen Nos, Black Sea
4. STARESO, Calvi, Corse, France
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The ScienceDiver training course is developed in the frame of the ScienceDiver EU Project and it is offered to master students and young researchers (e.g. biologists, ecologists, geologists, archaeologists, environmental engineering) that want to improve their skills in the field of scientific diving. Scientific diving is a relevant asset of activities performed by scientists all over the world to study, preserve and promote the sea and the sea culture. Several public and private institutions are involved in these activities that cover biological, archaeological, engineering, and medical aspect of the research.

TIME COMMITMENT

2 Weeks – 10 Days

8 hours per day x 10 days = 80 hours

COURSE LOCATIONS AND DATES

Four different courses will be organized as listed in the table below. Applicants may express their interest to attend the course by specifying their preference for the location and date.

 

APPLICATION Reference
WHERE
WHEN
ORGANISING INSTITUTION
A Santa Caterina Village, Scalea (CS), Italy
13th – 24th June 2022
University of Calabria, Italy
B University Camp, Kalandra, Posidi, Greece
16th – 26th June 2022
Aristotle University 

of Thessaloniki, Greece
C Monitoring Station, Institute of Oceanology, Maslen Nos, Black Sea
8th – 17th July 2022
Marine Cluster Bulgaria, Bulgaria
D STARESO, Calvi, Corse, France

 

3rd – 16th September 2022
University of Stuttgart, Germany

 

COURSE MODULES

The course is organized in 4 MODULES listed below. Each module includes theoretical lessons and diving and safety practice.

  • Module 1: General Diving Skills (8h Theory + 12 Practice)

General: how to fill scuba cylinders, including appropriate safety procedures; requirements on safe handling, storage and transportation of scuba cylinders; requirements for recurring cylinder testing; testing breathing gas quality; different types of scuba equipment configurations used in scientific diving operations and recognize the key features of each; basics of equipment maintenance.

Risk-assessment: identifying site and task specific hazards; undertaking site and task-specific risk assessment; select appropriate measures to mitigate and/or control the risk              

  • Module 2: Diving Safety (8h Theory + 12 Practice)

Diver rescue: recognition of and response to emergency situations (e.g. loss of breathing gas supply, unresponsive diver, missing diver); controlled casualty recovery from depth; effective emergency surface actions; casualty recovery from the water; communication with emergency services; documentation of the incident.

First aid: training in first-aid and basic life support (BLSD) (e.g. cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillation (AED))

Emergency oxygen administration: theoretical instruction of the medical principles involved and practical tuition on the use of an emergency oxygen unit.

  • Module 3: Scientific Diving Techniques (10h Theory + 14h Practice)

General (with focus on biology): ethics of science; sustainable practices in scientific diving in accordance with e.g. CBD, ABS guidelines, SDGs, Nagoya-protocol, EN ISO 21416 & 21417; underwater tasks conducted by scientific divers; core roles involved in the administration of an organizations scientific Diving Safety Program.

Methods: marking and measuring; line intercept transects; underwater photo and video camera use; airlifts and lift bags; mapping, sketching, drafting a map; visual and video census; quadrat/planning frame; offset measurements; sampling methods and devices; establishing a grid; measuring and characterization of abiotic variables, tethered diving techniques; site marking and assessment; experimental design; collection, processing and evaluation and archiving data; creating a site report; aquatic life identification and biomonitoring, different cartography methods e.g. CARLIT.

Review of basic navigation skills: line work (knots, reels and spools), line survey, establishing transects and baselines, monitoring.

  • Module 4: Survey Techniques (8h Theory + 8h Practice)

Underwater survey techniques: Survey methods for accurate model scaling, photography and videography fundamentals, image editing and color correction for underwater images, photogrammetric survey planning, underwater photogrammetry techniques, photogrammetry pipeline, post-processing techniques for 3D models, 3D models analysis and measurements, 3D documentation and mapping, fundamentals of acoustic surveys, optoacoustic reconstructions, and data-merging.

GENERAL AND MEDICAL PREREQUISITES, REQUIRED DIVING LICENSES

  • Applicants should be students or graduate in a relevant field, e.g. biology, geology, archaeology, engineering.
  • The Second Level Scuba Diving Certification (30m depth) is requested to apply
  • A recent medical certificate specific to scuba diving has to be presented at least one week before the course starts. Scuba diving requires a minimum level of health and fitness.

TRAINEES SELECTION PROCESS
Each course is open to a maximum of 10 students, equally balanced between men and women.

Applicants have to submit the attached application form and their CV specifying their age, education, experience in related scientific fields, participation in scientific diving projects, scuba diving certificates and experience and whatever they consider relevant to scientific diving.

The selection process will be based on applicant’s CVs in the attempt to create a balanced class with students with different scientific backgrounds, varied experiences, covering different countries and respecting as much as possible the gender balance.

CERTIFICATION

  • DAN will provide to students the certifications for BLSD (Primary and Secondary Care) and Advanced Oxygen Provider.
  • At the end of the course, the student will receive a Certificate of attendance that they can use to apply for obtaining an Advanced or Basic ESD certification (or any other certification) according to the diver level and other required certifications.

COSTS

The course is provided for free thanks to the financial support of the SCIENCEDIVER Project funded by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund of the European Union. (Project id: 863674 – EMFF Blue Economy 2018 – Blue Careers).

Students have to cover the costs for travel, subsistence, accommodation and they should have their own diving gear. Only ballast and tanks will be provided by the course organizers. On-site renting for diving equipment should be possible, but the cost will be charged to the students directly by the diving center.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, fill in the form provided here and send it to sciencediver.course@gmail.com attaching the updated CV.

Applicants have to express an order of preference, from 1 (the highest) to 4 (the lower), in relation to the course location they prefer to attend.

Deadline for submitting the application April 24 (24/04/22)

 

MORE DETAIL

Email

sciencediver.course@gmail.com