In order to improve the internationalization level of the scientific research conducted by postgraduate students, from July 14 to 28, 2014, the postgraduate students from the College of Fisheries and Life Science of our university, led by instructor Cheng Qianqian, went to America for a two-week short scientific research study tour program.

Participation in Scientific Investigation

During the study tour, these students went to California State University - Dominguez Hills, and, led by the Dean of Dominguez Hills International Education College, California State University and Professor Kou Bosi from California State University - Long Beach, studied the International Convention on the Law of the Sea and American regulations on the protection of marine organisms and environment as well as a series of courses at California State University on the education and characteristics of marine organisms. Through this program, the students gained a preliminary understanding of the current international protection of marine resources and the protection and education of marine organisms in America.

Over the course of several days, these postgraduate students visited the Institute of Marine Science located in Data Point in Los Angeles and went to sea on a scientific research ship of the Institute of Marine Science. They used observation devices to observe the seabirds and sonar devices to track the blue whales in this area. Assisted by students and researchers from the Department of Marine Organisms of the University of Hawaii, all students participated in the sampling of marine sediment, separated and identified the molluscs in the marine sediment, collected water samples in the area, and observed, classified and took photos of the zooplankton and phytoplankton in the laboratory on board.

Course Learning

In Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific, guided by the aquarium’s researchers, these students carried out a histological anatomy experiment of fish and molluscs and listened to the scientific researchers' introduction of the recirculating aquaculture system and marine organism breeding pool of the aquarium.

Academic Exchange

In the activity, all these students took a boat to Wrigley Institute of Oceanology of the University of Southern California located in Catalina Island, participated in the research report and exchange on shark positioning and oyster genomics of the institute and visited the laboratory and holding pond of marine organisms. During the exchange, these students discussed subjects such as environmental toxicology of algae, underwater robots and signal detection and carried out extensive academic interaction in the form of academic reports with Chinese students who study for a doctor's degree of marine organism at the University of Southern California.

During the study tour, these students also went to the fish market in America to see the main types of fisheries and their sales prices and collected specimens of crustacea and molluscs in the intertidal zone. Through communication with local residents, the students came to understand the importance attached by America and the common people in America to marine organisms and the protection of their resources. This study tour widened the postgraduate students' view of scientific research and strengthened academic exchange between the postgraduate students of our university and foreign scientific research institutions. Meanwhile, the marine universities and research institutions in America also got to know the scientific research level of our university in the relevant fields of marine research, thus expanding the influence of our university in the field of marine science.