Marine Science Public Education Programs at Deep Bay

VIU's Deep Bay Marine Field Station provides educational opportunities for a variety of audiences.

Marine Science Programs for Kindergarten to Grade 12 Classes

An experience in marine science can be a life changing event for children and youth. It connects them to the natural world while instilling curiosity about science, and makes a future science career more possible. Our one-hour long marine science-themed school class programs and station tours for young scientists in grades K-12 engage them in hands-on activities about ocean ecosystems, the creatures that live there, and the environmental challenges they face. Teachers: book a K-12 class visit to VIU's Deep Bay Marine Field station here.

Inquiry-based Marine Science Projects for Grade 8-12 Students

The new BC Ministry of Education curriculum has a focus on inquiry-based learning and self-regulation. Deep Bay is offering a limited number of full-day learning opportunities suitable for highly engaged senior science classes (including IB programs) to conduct inquiry-based projects in marine science at the field station using our resources to collect data, and our staff as resources to develop and implement research ideas. Teachers: book a Grade 8-12 inquiry-based class day trip to VIU's Deep Bay Marine Field station here.

Virtual K-12 Marine Science Programs for Remote Schools and Students

Many of our K-12 marine science programs can be experienced virtually via Zoom. This allows students to learn from remote classrooms, and homeschooled students to learn from home. Students still get the value of new and exciting experiences, but without the challenges and expense of travel. Virtual learning also provides opportunities to see parts of our station that are normally closed to the public. Teachers: book a virtual K-12 class visit to VIU's Deep Bay Marine Field station here.

Experiential Learning for Individual VIU Students

The Deep Bay Marine Field Station hosts VIU students undertaking practicums, internships, and other experiential learning opportunities. Most of our students are enrolled in VIU's Fisheries and Aquaculture program but opportunities are available in other programs to work in our algal and larval labs, analyze data, build innovative computer operating systems, and conduct business analysis for the shellfish aquaculture industry. Interested VIU students can contact their program advisors and faculty to explore opportunities at the station.

Field and Lab Course Support for External University Classes

The Deep Bay Marine Field Station welcomes university classes from across Canada and beyond to utilize our resources and facilities, and engage in immersive marine science experiences at the station. As one of a handful of marine field stations in Canada, we can support university faculty in providing a hands-on experience for their students. For example, land-locked universities can complete the lab or field portions of marine science classes here. Click the heading to see examples of past courses supported at the station. External faculty interested in having their class at the station should contact STEMantics@viu.ca.

Marine Science Education for the Public

The Deep Bay Marine Field Station opens to the public for the summer from the May long weekend until the September long weekend. A visit to the station can be quite an interactive experience! Visitors can independently explore the station, find out about research at the station by peeking into our aquaculture and algal labs, check out the aquaria that represent typical local coastal habitats, and have encounters with local marine invertebrates in the touch tanks. Self-directed activities for adults and youth are always available to engage and entertain, including microscopes with marine animals to examine, kelp and clam identification exhibits, a quiet reading nook, and rotating displays. Our two whale skeletons are always a bit hit, and summer student staff are on hand to interpret the local marine environment and its denizens. Watch our Facebook and Instagram sites, and the Deep Bay website for announcements about summer season activities.

Guided tours of the Deep Bay Marine Field Station are available year-round for groups of 10 or more people. These one-hour tours are hosted by full-time staff, and provide more information about our research activities and marine ecosystems.

Book your group tour

Special events related to marine science and aquaculture are held at the Deep Bay Marine Field Station, and many are open to the public. The Oyster is Our World is a research showcase held in May, featuring the aquaculture research of VIU faculty and students. Let's Talk Seafood is a lunchtime lecture series featuring individual aquaculture research projects, with lunch created from the food products featured in the research presented. The station holds an open house every April in conjunction with the Brant Wildlife Festival. Special Events at the station are publicized on our Facebook and Instagram sites, and on VIU's events calendar.