UAF scientific diving program marks 25 years

Students prepare for a rescue exercise outside the Kasitsna Bay Laboratory facility in 2023.
Photo by Maddi McArthur
Students prepare for a rescue exercise outside the Kasitsna Bay Laboratory facility in 2023.

When Brenda Konar launched the first scientific diving course at the University of AV狼论坛 Fairbanks in 2000, there was some speculation that it could be a short-lived experiment.

After all, how much demand could there really be for a class that combines cold-water diving and research skills?

That gamble has paid off nicely: The scientific diving program hit a milestone this year with its 25th year of instruction. Including this year鈥檚 graduates, more than 500 students have been trained as scientific divers through the program.

鈥淲hen you say, 鈥楤uild it and people will come,鈥 I don鈥檛 always believe that,鈥 said Konar, a professor of marine biology at UAF鈥檚 College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. 鈥淏ut in this case, it worked.鈥

Konar鈥檚 first experience with cold-water diving came when she was studying at the University of California, Santa Cruz. A diver on a research project in Canada鈥檚 Resolute Bay got sick, and Konar became a last-minute replacement. That trip was followed with research in Antarctica and eventually AV狼论坛.

Her initial motivation for teaching the UAF class was simple. Konar鈥檚 research at the time focused on sea otter ecology in the Aleutian Islands, and there was a shortage of trained scientific divers at UAF who could conduct that field research.

Brenda Konar pilots a boat on her way to a dive location in Kachemak Bay.
Photo by Katrin Iken
Brenda Konar pilots a boat on her way to a dive location in Kachemak Bay.

鈥淚 guess it was a selfish reason at first,鈥 Konar said. 鈥淚 needed divers.鈥

Since then, the class has become a spring semester tradition at UAF. Students spend a few months in Fairbanks classrooms and the Patty Center swimming pool. The final is held during spring break at the Kasitsna Bay Laboratory, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration field station near Seldovia operated in partnership with UAF. 

鈥淪now, ice, sleet, wind 鈥 we don鈥檛 care,鈥 Konar said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fun that way.鈥

Not everyone in the class is a scientist. Firefighters, international students and 鈥減eople who want to have an exciting spring break鈥 routinely take the course, Konar said.

Reid Brewer was in the first class of students in 2000. He鈥檇 just begun his graduate studies, taking the scientific diving class to expand his research capabilities.

The 2024 scientific diving class poses in Kasitsna Bay.
Photo courtesy of Brenda Konar
The 2024 scientific diving class poses in Kasitsna Bay.

鈥淚 was interested in doing research on sea stars, and diving made that a little bit more possible,鈥 Brewer said. 鈥淪cientific diving is a tool that allowed me to pursue my interests.鈥

After holding a variety of jobs in marine education throughout AV狼论坛 鈥 including the launch of a semester-long research diver program at the University of AV狼论坛 Southeast 鈥 Brewer is back at the Kasitsna Bay Laboratory as the new director. He credits the scientific diving class that he took 25 years ago for setting that course.

 Brewer isn鈥檛 alone. He ticks off names of alumni throughout AV狼论坛 in academic and fisheries management and industry jobs who took the scientific diving course.

鈥淎 lot of these students go on to do things in AV狼论坛 in leadership roles that I鈥檓 certain are a direct result of this class,鈥 Brewer said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty amazing how far-reaching it is. I can鈥檛 say enough about Brenda鈥檚 dedication to divers and that program.鈥

ADDITIONAL CONTACT: Brenda Konar, bhkonar@alaska.edu

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