Duke engineering students moved their ocean engineering design course from campus to the Duke University Marine Lab this year.
For more than a decade, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Martin Brooke taught the course in Durham, simulating an “ocean” experience at Duke Pond. The class gained real-world experience building and testing low-cost hydrophones—devices that capture underwater sounds—directly in the field.
At the Duke Marine Lab, Brooke co-taught the course with Douglas Nowacek, Distinguished Professor of Marine Conservation Technology, and Nan Jokerst, J.A. Jones Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Together, they guided students through designing affordable alternatives to commercial hydrophones, which typically cost tens of thousands of dollars. Using fiber optics and off-the-shelf components, students produced prototypes for under $300.
The class is part of a growing set of experiential design opportunities at Duke, bridging engineering and environmental science. With Duke Marine Lab facilities, faculty expertise and proximity to the coast, students are gaining real project-based learning. READ MORE.
A student observes and tests a hydrophone in the water at Duke Marine Lab.