College of Marine Sciences & Maritime Studies

Sea Aggies Make Waves In Puerto Rico: Hands-On Marine Research Brings Science to Life

The two classes provided experiential learning opportunities to 10 students.

During the summer, marine biology students at Texas A&M University at Galveston traded textbooks for snorkels and dive fins to explore the vibrant waters of La Parguera, Puerto Rico. Through two immersive courses offered by the Department of Marine Biology in the College of Marine Sciences and Maritime Studies, they gained hands-on experience studying the region’s nearshore cayos, which are biodiversity hotspots rich in marine life.

The two classes, Dr. Philip Matich’s Community Ecology in the Tropics and Dr. Jamie Steichen’s Tropical Marine Botany, were designed with immersive learning in mind. The classes take students through the scientific process from start to finish, beginning with initial research and equipment testing, then data collection and analysis, to final presentations where they confirm or refute their initial hypotheses. 

Preparation

During the first week of the four-week course, students gathered in Galveston to brainstorm potential topics and developed their hypotheses and methods. To prepare for fieldwork in the waters off the coast of Puerto Rico, they tested their snorkeling gear and research equipment in the campus pool and marina, ensuring they were ready for the challenges ahead

By week two, the group was en route to La Parguera, proudly sporting custom t-shirts they had designed themselves, energized and ready for the hands-on fieldwork that awaited them. 

La Parguera offers quick access to some of the most biodiverse coastal waters on the globe. For students, this provides a world of opportunities for research. 

“There’s no substitute for being out in the field, and La Parguera is a phenomenal research location for marine biologists,” said Steichen, who serves as an instructional associate professor in the Department of Marine Biology. “This experience gives students a chance to use scientific equipment and study marine life that they’ve only read about.”

In The Field

Students spent most of their mornings in the field studying the biodiverse cayos, featuring mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, coral reefs and macroalgal beds, collecting data for their projects. The projects required students to practice safe and ecologically responsible data collection and research skills and provided them with an opportunity to analyze their data and present their results. 

Throughout the trip, students observed all kinds of flora and fauna, documenting it as part of their research. Students used benthic surveys, seagrass sampling, baited remote underwater video systems and more to answer their research questions. 

“There were a few difficult days out on the water due to rough conditions, but I am so proud of each one of the students,” Steichen said. “They really pushed themselves and made it through – and learned a lot along the way.”

After spending some time on and below the waves, the afternoons featured lectures, research facility tours and networking opportunities. The faculty and graduate students in the Marine Science Department at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez’s Isla Magueyes campus, helped to host the group for the two-week trip. They facilitated several opportunities for Texas A&M students to learn from peers and the campus’ faculty. Leaders from Institute for Socio-Ecological Research (ISER) Caribe, a non-profit dedicated to coral reef restoration, also welcomed the Sea Aggies into their research facilities and shared the work to conserve the reef ecosystems in Puerto Rico. In total, the students learned from 12 different scientists and graduate students during the two-week trip in La Parguera.

“The two classes give students a hands-on opportunity to experience field work, a first for many of them, and a way to connect with professionals in the scientific community that are not their professors or TAs,” said Matich, an instructional associate professor of marine biology. “This program has a very high impact for these students.”

In addition to their research, the class required students to practice communicating about their experience by creating content for the class’ Instagram account and blog. Many of the posts featured notes from individual students, including below from the group’s second day out on the water:

Matthew: Exploring the tangled beauty of mangroves today, where land meets sea and science meets adventure. These forests are not just stunning, they are vital. From carbon storage to coastal protection, mangroves are nature’s quiet defenders.

Emma: All turtle grass and not enough turtles!

Mallory: Day two was tiring but rewarding when we got to the lab with our samples we collected in the field. I just finished my data entry and am excited for more data collection to understand mangroves more deeply. #Gigem

Amelia: We’re getting sediment cores in the middle of the Caribbean

Caitlin: Today we collected seagrass samples by free-diving and driving PVC pipes into the seagrass bed. To retrieve each core, I had to hold my breath and carefully wiggle my hand underneath the pipe to lift it out without losing sediment. It was physically challenging but a great hands-on experience in underwater sampling techniques.

Zoe: I never thought phytoplankton would make me want to eat breakfast again… Time to add chocolate milk to the grocery list!

JJ: Dr. Matich detours = great views and good vibes!

Faryn: Today, we collected data on mangroves. Back in the lab, we analyzed seagrass biomass—a process that challenged me to be both precise and patient. And although benthic surveys were physically demanding, it helped me improve my orientation and confidence while working in the water.

Jenna: Even with rough terrain today, we still preserved! From doing mangrove leaf litter traps to snorkeling in Enrique, and finally finishing up with evaluating sediment cores back in the lab, today was eventful. I’m excited to see what we have in store tomorrow and to be able to put my marine biology skills to use.

Back To Campus

Upon their return to campus, students spent the final week of class preparing for their individual research presentations, which took place in front of a crowd of about 40 family members, friends, faculty and staff. Each student had designated time to present, as well as Q&A session, where the students took questions from the crowd.

During the presentations, students thanked Matich and Steichen, as well as the faculty, students and staff at University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, ISER Caribe and the other professionals they met and worked with in Puerto Rico. Students excitedly recounted their experiences intertwined with their research results and were overwhelmingly positive, with frequent echoes of gratitude for the experience. Several regarded the trip as a push towards a future career in research. 

Matich and Steichen both praised the students for their intellectual curiosity, hard work, dedication and ability to go with the flow. 

Community Ecology in the Tropics and Tropical Marine Botany will be offered again in Summer 2026. Students interested in taking these courses should keep an eye out for informational sessions later this fall, and the application window will open in November.