SESAME : Education > Schools and Cruises

To go to the Scientists page, please click here

Follow the SESAME Cruises

The general public, and especially children of all ages, will be offered the opportunity to experience, in almost real time, life on board the research vessel via an Internet connection. Schools, and everyone interested, are invited to follow two ocean expeditions in March/April and August/September 2008. The SESAME project aims to connect different schools as well as the public in different countries to oceanographic research vessels at sea.

Discover what happens onboard research cruises!

If you would like to take part in an oceanographic expedition without getting wet, and from the comfort of your classroom or living room, we invite you to follow in almost 'real-time' the cruise diaries and interact with the scientists on research vessels.

The scientists will, among other things, sample sea water to measure the temperature, salinity, fluorescence, dissolved oxygen and the nutrient concentrations at the SESAME stations. What for? To find the answer, come aboard these cruises for a virtual trip along the Mediterranean and the Black Sea!

Come on board the SESAME-BOUM Cruise!

In August/ September 2008, oceanographic research vessels will sail again the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. The scientists will sample the same stations as the Ünlüata Cruises of March/April 2008, to study and compare the marine ecosystems at different times and assess the seasonal variability in the Southern European Seas.

Get ready as we embark on new oceanographic adventures!

Calendar

Country	Date	Name	Status
France	16 June 2008 - 20 July 2008	SESAME FR BOUM	Completed
Greece	26 August 2008 - 10 September 2008	SESAME GR 2	Completed
Israel	3 - 10 September 2008	SESAME IS 2	Completed
Romania	8 - 15 September 2008	SESAME RO 2	Completed
Tunisia	8 - 11 September 2008	SESAME 2	Completed
Spain	19 - 30 September 2008	SESAME SP 2	Completed
Italy	9 September 2008	SESAME IT 5	Completed
Russia	16 - 23 September 2008	SESAME RU 2	Completed
Italy	18 - 23 September 2008	SESAME IT 6	Completed
Bulgaria	23 September 2008 - 1 October 2008	SESAME-BG2	Completed
Italy	7 October 2008 - 16 October 2008	SESAME IT 7	Completed

Ünlüata Cruises

In March/April 2008, almost ten research vessels from the different countries involved in SESAME project will sail to the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, to take part in the Ünlüata Cruises. This is the first time in the scientific community joins efforts to understand physical, chemical and biological processes on a large scale in the Southern European Seas (SES).

Calendar

Country	Date	Name	Status
Italy	15 - 26 February 2008	SESAME-IT1	Completed
Italy	29 February - 9 March 2008	SESAME-IT2	Completed
Italy	20 - 25 March 2008	SESAME-IT3	Completed
Greece	21 - 28 March 2008	SESAME 1-GR1	Completed
Greece	29 March - 5 April 2008	SESAME 1-GR2	Completed
Tunisia	22 - 29 March 2008	SESAME 1	Delayed
Italy	26 March - 7 April 2008	SESAME-IT4	Completed
Turkey	30 March - 5 April 2008	SESAME - EMed 1	Completed
Israel	6 - 15 April 2008	SESAME - 1	Completed
Bulgaria	7 - 14 April 2008	SESAME-BG1	Completed
Romania	7 - 14 April 2008	SESAME-RO 1	Completed
Spain	7 - 14 April 2008	SESAME-SP1	Completed
Turkey	16 - 25 April 2008	SBs 1	Completed
Russia	21 - 26 April 2008	SESAME-RU 1	Completed

Cruise Map

map which indicates the different ways of cruises

What is behind the name ' Ünlüata'?

The Ünlüata cruises are a tribute to Professor Ümit Ünlüata, who passed away on Saturday 12 August 2006, in Paris, France. Ümit was an influential scientific figure in the global oceanographic community, and also a member of SESAME’s Advisory Board. Ümit served, motivated, and made firm contributions to oceanographic investigation of the Mediterranean and Black Seas, helped initiate studies in the Caspian Sea, formerly as a member and director of the Institute of Marine Sciences in Erdemli, Turkey, and later as the Head of the Ocean Sciences Section of the Intergovernmental Oceanography in Paris, France. After an extended service at MIT he returned to Turkey where he became Professor at the Middle East Technical University in 1987. His professional interests covered many areas and in 1994, in recognition of his long career, he received the ‘Mediterranean Prize’ award from the Community of Mediterranean Universities.

SESAME's Black Sea cruise

SESAME’s first multinational cruise took place from 3-14 October 2007 in the Black Sea. This multidisciplinary expedition carried out in close collaboration with the ‘Institute of Oceanology’ from Varna, Bulgaria, the National Institute for Marine Research and Development ‘Grigore Antipa’ from Costantza and the National Institute of Marine Geology and Geo-ecology ‘GeoEcomar’ from Bucharest, Romania.
To find out more about this cruise, follow this link!

Schools and Cruises

Communication will be organised in such a way that schools will be able to follow all the ocean expeditions conducted throughout European waters.

You can ask questions to the scientists at sea using the FAQ box. All the questions will be transmitted immediatly to the scientists and answers will be put online on the page 'Ask a scientist'.
To ask a question, Click here!

Our goal is to create a network of schools that will have direct access to the project’s scientists and will be capable of following the activities of the SESAME Project through the website.

If your class is interested in taking part in the SESAME's educational program, click here and fill the subscription form.