Project Goal & Overview: The purpose of the COBRA Master Class is to train early career COBRA Fellows in deep-sea expedition leadership. One of the tools we use to equip Fellows with the skills and tools to successfully design, propose, and execute deep-sea oceanographic field research, is the ”Dream Cruise” capstone project, where Fellows will apply what they learn over the course to the development of an expedition concept that can later be leveraged into a proposal, paper, or related activity. 

A tentative schedule of Dream Cruise activities can be found here: 

Below is the project overview template, with activities that you will work on throughout the class. 

Copy the below sections into your own Fellow Dream Project. Note: text in italics is instructional. Replace everything in italics with your own dream project information.

Think of this as a “brain dump,” not a refined document. Just a chance to get some ideas on paper that you might develop into a scientific proposal and to keep in mind as we move through the course. Many proposals have multiple objectives, so we have included that possibility, but please consider at least three objectives for the class (but if your idea has fewer, that is okay!).

Project Overview

Title of Project

Change your project title above!

Big Picture Statement of the Problem

What do you want to do? Where (region/ocean basin)? And why is it important?

Objectives

1. List of 3 specific objectives for your dream cruise [Develop further in Week 3: Proposals & Funding]

2. Objective 2 [Develop further in Week 5: Cruise Prep]

3. Objective 3 [Develop further in Week 7: Unwritten Rules]

What type of assets are required?

Ship (coastal, regional, global class)? Deep submergence vehicles (submersible, ROV, AUV)? CTD? Coring? Other tools (camera, etc.)?

Who do you need on your team?

List the kinds of people you need on your team: biologists? chemists? engineers? Do you need people with specific expertise? Do you want space for interns/trainees? Do you need scientists ashore to participate? Considering the area you want to conduct your research, does your team include researchers from that nation/region?

How long will it take to conduct the proposed work?

How long do you need to plan? How much time do you need at sea? How long will post-cruise analysis take?

More Details on Your Objectives

Objective 1, 2, 3 (What is your science?)

Copy one of the Objectives from your Project Overview, and answer the following as best you can:

• Is there a specific location in mind or a general region/ecosystem type?

• What type of samples need to be collected?

• What shipboard analyses need to be conducted?

• What shore-based analyses need to be conducted?

• How do these measurements tie into answering your question/problem?

• Is there a testable hypothesis that relates to these measurements, your question, and/or your problem? If so, what is it?

• What is the expected significance when this objective has been completed?

• What expertise is needed to complete the objective and who will carry out the stated measurements and objectives?

• What type of ship is required (Coastal, regional, global class)?

• What type of undersea assets (submersible, ROV, AUV, CTD, coring, camera, etc.) are required?

• Time Line – How long will it take to conduct the proposed work?

• Costs - FTEs (full-time equivalents), materials and supplies, analytical, travel …

Law & Policy Activity

Complete the application for consent to conduct Marine Scientific Research table in your Dream Project

Introduction to Deep Data Activities

• Identify existing data (as in the Data Scavenger Hunt activity) 

• Consider creating a relevant, preferably bathymetric map (i.e. a global index map and a regional / local base map with available data layers) using a mapping tool (like GeoMapApp or the tool in the Marine Facilities Portal)

Data Scavenger Hunt Activity

Question 1: Finding Multibeam Data 

Find a multibeam sonar dataset from the area where you want to go for your Dream Cruise. You can do this for your own region of interest, or work with someone in your breakout.

Question 2: Your Choice Data Hunt

Find one or more dataset from the area where you want to go for your Dream Cruise. You can do this for your own region of interest, or work with someone in your breakout. If you have time, copy/paste the table and try another data type.

*Examples: O2, pCO2, pH, fluorometer, multibeam, CTD, singlebeam sonar, XBT, etc.

Data Management Activity

​​Create a data management plan and a cruise report framework for your Dream Cruise

I. Introduction and Overall Plan Approach

• Explain overall philosophy: open access, goals for preservation and sharing, etc. 

• Different funders have different requirements, but all want to know that Principal Investigators (PIs) are engaged and sincere in commitment to securing and sharing data

II. Expected Data Types

• Start with largest scale and most general data, then go to smaller scales and more specialized data

• Consider what is collected at sea automatically or as part of standard practice, and what will be collected post-expedition in specialized labs

• Explain what metadata will be provided for all data types, then consider the data.

• Can use a table to summarize key information

III. Data Formats

• This can get technical, specific (known/standard) formats, e.g., NetCDF for swathmap, SEG-Y (brute stacks, processed) for seismic, etc. 

• Can use a table to summarize key information.

IV. Data Storage and Preservation

• Storage and preservation: during collection, soon after collection (transport to shore), once on shore, in repository. Name each specific repository, provide URL where available. 

• Work systematically through each of the data types identified above

V. Data Access and Sharing

• Who has access and when

• Standard for some shipboard data to remain proprietary for a fixed period (often 6-12 months, but varies), then made public

• Ensure that metadata is stored with (or linked to) data for use by others

• Indicate when processed and higher level data will be made available

VI. Roles and Responsibilities

• Identify overall data manager (generally the lead PI, but could be a Co-PI)

• Identify who is responsible for each data type: collection, storage, archiving

Outreach and Education Activity

Draft a short paragraph or a few bullet points describing the education, public outreach, and/or communication concept for your proposed Dream Cruise

In-Class Presentation Activity

​​Prepare a 3-slide / 3 minute overview about your Dream Cruise using this TEMPLATE or prepare a presentation on any aspect of the class that you want (something that surprised you, something you thought was really important, etc.)

Come prepared to share feedback about how you think the Master Class went, and your readiness to lead a deep-sea research expedition.