2 URI Professors Teach Class Underwater

KINGSTON, RI — Two professors at the University of Rhode Island are teaching courses. That isn't unique. What is special is that they are teaching those courses underwater, offering the only extensive scuba diving course at any college in Rhode Island.

The more than 100 students taking the course rely on two instructors, Anya Hanson, director of URI’s Diving Research and Safety Program, and Alexandra Moen, associate diving safety officer.

"We certify and train students, staff and faculty from a basic level all the way up to professional levels such as instructor," said Hanson. "We also instruct and support diving for research, whether it’s using specialized tools or supporting specialized research initiatives."

There are dive shops across Rhode Island where students can get a basic level certification. But earning a certificate from Hanson and Moen requires more work.

Their for-credit certification course, AFS 270, lasts a semester and is a mix of classroom instruction, pool training and ocean dives with greater emphasis on preparation for advanced courses. The not-for-credit course lasts about six weeks but encompasses the same aspects. The courses have become so popular that there’s a waiting list, according to a university spokesperson

It can be nerve-wracking for students to dive for the first time. Unlike swimming at the beach in the summer, being underwater is a foreign environment. Hanson says they often serve as both scuba instructors and "therapists" because diving 60 feet down can be anxiety-inducing, and they’re helping people get over that mental hurdle. But upon surfacing, Hanson said, seeing the smiles on student’s faces makes it all worth it.

"My favorite moments are seeing the faces of students after their first dive from that ‘wow’ moment to huge smiles and a sense of awe and inspiration," Hanson said.

To take the course, students must pass medical requirements and a swim test showing they can swim 200 yards and tread water for 10 minutes. It’s only after student’s complete their classroom and pool instruction that they get a chance to dive next to that pier where "Endeavor," the university's research vessel, sets sail.

"It’s taking what they've learned in the pool, and applying it in a different environment," Hanson said. "That means being exposed to currents, waves, tides, learning when it’s safe to get in the water, and learning how to read the conditions."

Along with the entry-level course, Hanson and Moen support research missions for URI as well as other universities across the state. Research diving training requires more work, a minimum of 100 hours of instruction and in-water training.

One of Moen’s favorite memories was working with a professor in the history department as part of an underwater archaeology class. Moen worked with numerous research students and professors, diving 20 feet down in the eastern Mediterranean to explore an ancient Roman shipwreck.

On that expedition, the team found over 2,500 gold coins on the seafloor. It was the largest hoard of gold coins ever found off Israel.

Moen said it's these experiences that make the scuba diving course so attractive.

"You get to stay underwater for half of your day instead of sitting in a classroom," Moen said. "It doesn't get any better than that."

Have a news tip? Email jimmy.bentley@patch.com.