The DIVAMAR class in Banyuls

by Ilan Rhur and Rachael Heuer, on January 23, 2014

I think the course did a very good and comprehensive job with its practical work activities. It allowed us to put the theory we learned previously and during the course into practice. Additionally, it was great getting to know a little piece of France, getting to know some of the culture of the region, and the beautiful scenery all around. It was also great to get to know new people and make friends with them — Ilan

Visiting the Banyuls Marine Station for the DIVAMAR course was a good way to expand my current knowledge of physiology to species and topics beyond my normal study area of acid-base balance in marine fish. In DIVAMAR, we were able to examine how various species including marine bacteria, phytoplankton, and fish respond to changes in light conditions. In addition to lectures on photoacclimation and photoadaptation, we were also able to practice new laboratory techniques. For my PhD research, I don’t often do a lot of field work so it was interesting to take a short research cruise to learn how water samples are taken for various analyses (and also to get a great view of the Banyuls bay area!). Right downstairs from our classroom, we were also able to visit a historic aquarium and take a look at some of the local marine species — Rachael