Current program

Val Veirs Resumè

Val is a lead instructor during both land and sea components and was a lead instructor in fall, 2005 and 2007. He has a PhD in physics, taught physics and environmental science for 35 years at Colorado College, and maintains a fixed array of hydrophones called OrcaSound at his home on the west side of San Juan Island. His students have utilized hyrdophone arrays since 2000 to study orca vocalization and localization.

Jason Wood Resumè

Jason is a lead instructor during the land and sea components and was a lead instructor in fall, 2006 and 2007. He has a PhD in geography with research experience in elephant bioacoustics and animal behavior. He is especially interested in the overlap of bioacoustics and conservation biology. He is a resident of the San Juan Islands and a past kayak guide in the area.

Captain Todd Shuster  Resumè

Todd owns the 42-foot catamaran that is home to Beam Reach during the sea component.  He serves as captain and instructor during the sea component.  He often guides ecotours in the area trough his charter company Gato Verde Adventure Sailing. He has a USCG 50 ton captain's license with sailing endorsements, broad knowledge of the local marine environment, and experience as a sailing instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).

Captain Mike Kramer  Resumè

Mike is a graduate of Western Washington University and has lived in Bellingham WA for the last ten years. Before moving to Washington learned to sail in the great lake state of Michigan where he enjoyed all the wonders of life on the water. In Washington State he has taught sailing for many institutions and he currently operate his own business Bellingham Bay Sailing which specializes in multi-day sailing excursions in the San Juan Islands. He has a USCG 50 ton captain's license with sailing endorsements and is a certified American Sailing Association instructor. When not sailing he can usually be found telemark skiing at Mt Baker ski area where he is a professional ski patroller in the winter.

Scott Veirs  Resumè

Scott instructs during the land and sea components and was a lead instructor in fall, 2005. He has a PhD in oceanography, extensive experience in marine and boat-based education, and a car that burns 100% biodiesel.

 

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Staff

Dr. Scott Veirs, President, Instructor
Tracy Smith (on the left) Marketing, Admissions
Michael Dougherty,  Chair of Board of Directors

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Academic Advisory Committee

Dr. Bill Becker
Founder and Director of the Center for Science Education, Portland State University

Dr. Kevin Flick
Zoologist and Prosthetic Engineer; past member TERC, Boston, MA

Dr. Lisa Gilbert
Wlliams-Mystic Maritime Studies Program

Ardi Kveven
Director, Ocean Research College Academy

Dr. Dean McManus
Professor Emeritus, Oceanography, University of Washington

Dr. Val Veirs
Professor, Physics and Environmental Science, Colorado College

Marine Operations and Safety Committee

Kevin Wood
US Coast Gurad certified 1600-ton Master (ocean, auxiliary/sail); Marine Safety Instructor, Masters in Marine Affairs (UW); climate change researcher, NOAA/PMEL

Harold Vanderpool
Past sailing instructor, National Outdoor Leadership School

Barbara Marrett
Off-shore instructor and crew member, School of Sailing and Seamanship, Orange Coast College; Contributing Editor, Cruising World Magazine

Sustainable Technology and Service Committee

Dr. Gil Masters
Professor, Civil Engineering, Energy and Environment, Stanford Universtiy

David Lahaie
President, Evergreen Recycling Incorporated

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Past programs

Shannon Fowler  Resumè

Shannon was an instructor during the fall 2007 program. She has a PhD in Biology and an expert on the diving behavior of sea lions. She has taught marine mammalogy and ecology at UC Santa Cruz, GAP Adventures, the Island School, and Broadreach. In 2006-7 She served as a AAAS Mass Media Fellow at National Public Radio and is an active SCUBA diving instructor.

 

Captain Mike Dawson  Resumè
Mike has sailed on traditional ships since 1994, and has spent most of his time at sea engaged in semester-long educational programs for high school and college students -- as Mate, Program Director, and Captain. He was first introduced to the San Juan Islands while leading kayaking and sailing expeditions for Williwaw Adventures, a wilderness travel program for young adults that he founded.