COSEE China

After two very full days in Xiamen, we arrived in coastal city of Qingdao this afternoon (Friday March 12th). Qingdao is the home of the Ocean University of China (OUC ), which has both undergraduate and graduate programs in oceanography and fisheries sciences. OUC has three campuses: one in the old part of the city, one west of the city, and the one at the foot of the Laoshan Mountains. Only three years old, Laoshan Campus is beautiful. First stop was a tour of the College of Physical and Environmental Oceanography where we were warmly welcomed.

We saw their display of historic physical oceanography instruments as well as a demonstration of their water wave tank. Watching the waves grow, I couldn’t wait for them to get bigger and bigger but it was time to go on to the next building. In the College of Marine Geosciences they had an amazing collection of rocks, minerals and fossils. I was truly awed by some of their specimens on display.

We finished our stay at the campus meeting with OUC officials, faculty and graduate students. In our conversation we learned more about the structure of research and teaching; undergraduate and graduate education; and educational outreach at OUC. In turn we answered questions about COSEE for the people who weren’t able to make our meeting in Beijing. We also shared things we learned from our visit in Xiamen. It was heartening to have representatives from all parts of OUC so interested in a COSEE-China:

• Hua Dai, Director of International Office
• Wenhong Song, Director of Higher Education Research and Evaluation Center
• Huiwang Gao, Dean of the College of Environmental Science and Engineering
• Wensheng Jiang, Deputy Dean of the College of Physical and Environmental Oceanography
• Sanzhong Li, Professor in the College of Marine Geosciences
• Haibing Ding, Professor in the College of Marine Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
• Weining Zou, Chief Interpreter of the International Office

Out of the many ideas exchanged, we were especially excited about the potential of co-hosting a future marine science education conference together. The evening concluded with a wonderful banquet hosted by OUC. With 19 of us around one table we toasted to future collaborations, visits and COSEE-China. As expressed by many tonight we arrived in China with the hope of building a partnership but we are leaving with so much more: new friends and an enlarged COSEE family.