MB5005 - Scientific Diving and Diving Physiology

Credit points:	03
Year:	2010
Student Contribution Band:	Band 4
Administered by:	School of Marine & Tropical Biology

Available ONLY to students enrolled in GCertSc, GDipSc, GDipResMeth, MAppSc. Students must pass a swim test, dive medical (AS2299 Standard), PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent), show proof of number of dives completed.

A two-week intensive subject on diving physiology of marine mammals and practical training in the skills required for certification as a scientific diver. Topics discussed will include diving physics, diving physiology (eg seals, penguins, whales), use of dive tables, boat handling, underwater navigation and dive-related first aid. Practical skills developed will include rescue skills, safe deep and multi-level diving procedures, boat handling, radio procedures, knot tying, compressor operation and maintenance and SCUBA equipment maintenance. Students successfully completing the subject will be certified as scientific divers with endorsements depending on past experience.

Learning Outcomes

• to gain certification as a scientific diver;
• to gain practical skills in boat handling, radio procedures, compressor operation and maintenance, SCUBA equipment maintenance, knot tying;
• to gain practical skills in rescue operations, first aid;
• to understand how SCUBA diving impacts human physiological processes and how to avert the types of health problems that can arise;
• to understand how to plan deep and multi-level dive profiles for designing safe research diving programs;
• to understand physiological mechanisms and specialisations used by marine mammals to accomplish deep and prolonged diving.

Assumed Knowledge:

Students enrolling in this subject should have an undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline (eg biology or environmental science) or have acquired equivalent knowledge through other study. They should have an excellent understanding of science subjects, particularly physiology, ecology and biostatistics. Students must have at least 30 hours of diving experience as Rescue Divers, plus a current First Aid and Oxygen certificate.

Availabilities
Townsville, Block, Study Period 10
Census Date 09-Dec-2010
Face to face teaching 27-Nov-2010 to 10-Dec-2010
Coord/Lect:	Professor Michael Kingsford.
Contact hours:	56 hours lectures 24 hours fieldwork
Assessment:	quizzes or tests (20%); presentations (20%); practical pool and open water diving tests (30%); (30%); essays (30%).
Restrictions:	An enrolment quota applies to this offering.

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.