Sophomore Justin Smith Selected for Duke Tip Marine Biology Course
Sophomore Justin Smith participated in a program by the Center for Summer Studies at Duke Tip.
He qualified for this program in 7th grade, after taking the ACT as part of the Duke TIP identification program, scoring at the top of his grade level.
The Center for Summer Studies at Duke TIP is the most rigorous and accelerated instruction available at Duke TIP for gifted students. Justin attended the Marine Biology: Estuaries and Marshes course at Duke University Marine Lab in Beaufort, North Carolina for three weeks over the summer. He attended classes for 8-9 hours per day, six days per week.
The course began with the physics and chemistry of estuaries and salt marshes, which provided understanding the evolution and adaptations of organisms in estuaries. Justin learned marine lab setup and maintenance, while taking on the responsibility of tank setup and breakdown, habitat design, feeding schedules, and maintenance.
A large component of the course was experimental design - creating impactful research, formulating testable hypotheses, and designing experiments. Justin became familiar with the scientific literature, as he read, synthesized, and critiqued research papers in marine biology.
He worked from the UNC research vessel, the Capricorn, and in salt marshes and oyster beds, providing training in techniques, such as water quality sampling, plankton tows, biodiversity counts, and catch and release surveys. Field locations included Rachel Carson Estuarine Preserve, Newport River, and Shackleford Banks.
We are so proud of Justin and this great accomplishment!
