A 6-day course at the Interuniversity Institute that includes lectures, laboratories and field observations. A two-hour preliminary meeting will be held on Zoom on Thursday, March 26, 2026 at 3:00 PM. Attendance at the meeting is mandatory.
The reefs of the Gulf of Eilat are among the most beautiful reefs in the world and includes a large variety of marine organisms. The course is designed to expose undergraduate students to the great importance of protecting this unique habitat while emphasizing familiarization with main animal groups, taxonomic identification, and ecological and research aspects.
Key topics
As part of the course, the students will be exposed to methods of measuring species diversity, will discuss key aspects of nature conservation in coral reefs, and will learn from expert taxonomists from The School of Zoology and The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University about the following groups of animals: sponges, cnidarians, worms, mollusks, crustaceans, echinoderms, bryozoans, tunicates and fish.
The course will include guided surveys, laboratories accompanied by collection displays, field exercises, and experiential activities in the field of science communication and raising public awareness for coral-reef protection and conservation.
Prerequisites
Basic biology courses of the 1st and 2nd years.
The course requires entering the water by snorkeling.
The grade structure
During the course, there will be two practical assignments, each accounting for 24% of the grade (48%).
In addition, each participant will submit a written report (22%) and a lecture (20%).
The course requires commitment and active participation that will make up 10% of the final grade.
Audience
The course is intended for 24 3rd-4th year undergraduate students from different programs of areas of life sciences and environmental science education who are interested in acquiring in-depth knowledge regarding the unique biodiversity of the main animal groups of the Gulf of Eilat.
Language
The language of instruction is Hebrew.