Volunteer in Scientific Diving, Education and Community Projects in Costa Rica

[A.I.M ResearchProject]

What to expect

Scuba Diving

Through our partnership with Diving Safaris Dive Shop, we offer all PADI certifications from Scuba Diver to Divemaster. You will be diving at least three times a week to monitor our local sharks and the artificial reef.

Grassroot Conservation

You will have the opportunity to participate in environmental and scientific workshops as well as teach english in local schools. Most of our programs result in art projects that are exhibited at our weekly beach gallery

Community Service

A.I.M hosts a weekly Environmental Awareness & Action day in which the community gets together for a beach cleanup and bonfire! The trash we are using to create rubbish sharkk sculptures and a plastic bottle boat! We are always looking for new ideas and there is never a shortage of enthusiasm from the community.

Contact us today and we will reply as soon as we can Volunteer, be Part of Our conservation Efforts while you Dive and Learn Spanish in Costa Rica. or join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/A.I.MResearchEnvironmentalVolunteeringCostaRica

 

[DevonDiver]

Some questions:

1) Your website states that you provide "scientific diving" training. What scientific diving body provides that? Or is it PADI course/s?!?

2) Are you associated with, or recognized by, any credible academic institution?

3) Has your organization published any reputable study/academic papers, as a result of your research?

4) Do you hold charity or non-profit status?

5) What database/s are your research material contributed towards?

6) What differentiates you from any other normal diving operation, that might normally run Project Aware courses, beach clean-ups and artificial reef schemes?

 

[A.I.M ResearchProject]

1) The scientific workshops are in conjunction with PADI and as well designed by us to contribute to our studies. The volunteers would for instance learn how to set up transects, the difference between species abundance and richness as well as get insight in data collection under water.

2) Every of our team members is affiliated with an academic instituion. We also have scientists coming in conducting research where volunteers can be a part of this. Also the local university is regularly conducting research.

3) In the future for sure, but we are not that fast. We opened up in April 2012 and start to collect data to be published.

4) Also this is not going as fast since we opened in April 2012 but we hope to receive this status in a few months.

5) The shark conservation project contributes data towards the "Global Shark Assessment" and the Artificial Reef Project towards "Condofish".

6) Well if you have a look at our website you might get an overview of what we do and what is different. However, for us it is not about being different, it is about contributing to our community and showcasting a system approach. Here diveshops are working together, schools are working together, local businesses and infrastructures and in general community members are part of it. ​

An understanding at the systemic level means understanding not just isolated components, as has been historically emphasized, but also the relationships that connect these components. Elements that A.I.M wants to connect together in a show case scenario which gives an insight into the system approach. Within a short period of cycles you get an overview of all the elements that are contained in a system approach such as the community, education, science and conservation and art. So we are anticipating to establish networks where everybody is included.

Our weeks include, 3 days of diving, 2 Community days including and environmental Action and Awareness day where we are always doing different projects such as a beach gallery, plastic bottle boats and rubbish sculptures.

Regards,

Romy, Director

A.I.M Research Project
Volunteer, be Part of Our conservation Efforts while you Dive and Learn Spanish in Costa Rica.

 

[MarineResearch]

Most scientific divers I know are affiliated with the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) or follow the AAUS Standards for Scientific Diving. You might consider adopting many of the AAUS standards to augment the PADI program materials.

 

[A.I.M ResearchProject]

Sonia our Scientific Director is certified with

with the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) and is implementing these standards in our operations. If you have a look at the news room under a typical week with A.I.M you can read about it.


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