Field courses are known to be transformative experiences in undergraduate education but also present unique opportunities for ecological research and discovery. In this talk I present a few of the ways that I have integrated teaching and research at Hopkins Marine Station over the past six years. First, I highlight the value of field courses with anecdotal and qualitative evidence, including a small post-pandemic case study of student perceptions of virtual vs. field activities. Second, I emphasize the role of field stations as sentinels of ecological change by sharing recent empirical results from a 90-year study of our local rocky shore. Third, I describe a new program of underwater video surveys designed to increase familiarity with kelp forests, particularly for students that have spent little or no time in the ocean. These examples demonstrate that with appropriate considerations and a reasonable investment of time, field courses can be designed to produce a win-win for both teaching and research.

Robin Elahi is a marine ecologist and advanced lecturer at Hopkins Marine Station and the Oceans Department, Stanford University. He earned degrees in biology at Northeastern University (B.S., 2003), California State University, Northridge (M.S., 2005), and at the University of Washington (Ph.D., 2012).