Acadia Institute of Oceanography

The Florida Exploration program in November is offered exclusively to students who have attended AIO and receive the recommendation of the Director. The program will take students to the northwest coast of Florida, which is one of the only areas in the country where you can swim in the wild with manatees. We will study their habitat up close, meet with State Park Rangers about their work in the field, explore the unique Intercoastal waterway and include a sleepover at SeaWorld and a day at Discovery Cove.

Every other winter for over 30 years, AIO has offered a special 9-day program in tropical marine ecology for alumni of our Advanced sessions. Students are housed at the facilities of the Tropical Research and Education Center (TREC) in San Pedro on Ambergis Caye. Through daily snorkels and lectures led by our staff and TREC directors, students will compare tropical waters to the temperate waters of the Gulf of Maine.

The Advanced Sessions are pre-college courses offered to students age 15-19 who have completed at least one year of high school and one year of high school science, preferably biology or chemistry (though these are not required). These two-week sessions are of a more analytical nature, and students are expected to prepare laboratory reports and analysis of their field work. We offer students the chance to explore their collegiate options during the advanced sessions with college tours and discussions about internships for high school and college age students.

The Intermediate sessions are designed for students age 12-14 who are in upper elementary school/middle school. These two-week courses present a solid natural history approach to oceanography and introduce students to basic marine concepts and laboratory procedures. Many students who attend an Intermediate session will return another year for an Advanced session once they have completed at least one year of high school.

The Introductory session is a one-week program designed to emphasize environmental discovery and exploration. The session is offered at the beginning of the summer exclusively to 10-12 year old students who are curious about the ocean and the world around them. This hands-on program seeks to raise awareness about marine environments and stimulate an interest in the sciences through a variety of fun and engaging activities like tidal pool discovery, salt marsh exploration, beach & island ecology, boat trips with lobster fishermen, seal and seabird watches, geology hikes, astronomy lessons, night walks, and visits to local museums.