Dr. Todd Gruninger '98

Here are a few action shots from our classroom portion of the 2012 Marine Biology Program! Great shot of some of our "Seniors" Working together on Invertebrate Evolution The World at their Fingertips... Exploring the Starfish Starfish Dissection Squid Dissection

We did it! What an awesome course and experience. This morning the guys helped out the local volunteer life rescue team with a little manual labor in the sun on this beautiful island. The guys then had some down time to swim/hang out on the beach or just relax. In the evening we then went to mass, which was...

Another great day today! Mr.Kirby and I were able to acquire student volunteers from the esteemed Guavaberry Villa (Dave, Brody, and Hayden) to wake all the other students up on time this morning. I really appreciated them doing that out of the goodness of their heart... Needless to say, I was able to have a relaxing morning enjoying coffee and...

Our first two days on the island have been incredible. Although I would love to give the credit and thanks for this amazing time we are having to myself, the real credit goes to the Dive BVI staff, Casey, Sam, Andrew, and Jeff. They have done an incredible job in planning our activities and meals. The guys are really...

Today the guys are dissecting two well-known species of fish. Today's dissections have been injected with latex, allowing them detailed investigation of the anatomy of the circulatory systems. The guys are doing a good job staying on task and resisting the temptation of their juvenile instincts to mutilate the fish that were sacrificed for the good of science and...

Today we discussed alternative strategies to protect and conserve coral reefs, ranging from managing coral grazers to using grouper fish to control expanding lion fish populations. The guys then broke up into groups to research the best method to reintroduce an endangered species into the ocean. They are competing with each of the other groups to see who can...

We are halfway through the classroom portion of the course here at Jesuit. Today, the students practiced reading and using topographic maps and marine charts to calculate bearings and nautical miles, so we don't get lost in the Virgin Islands....We have also been reading and critiquing recent research articles pertaining to marine science. See the pictures below showing the guys...

All students are required to be PADI Open Water certified.  A portion of the course will be spent 40-60ft. beneath the ocean, thus it is imperative that all students be qualified to safely enjoy the experience.  Students will also be obtaining certificates for the following PADI endorsements: Peak Performance Buoyancy, Project AWARE Specialty, and AWARE Fish Identification.  While underwater,...