Teams of USVI students will participate in the 2018 meeting of the Association or the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) in San Juan by presenting posters on their various works, some involving miniature Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs). OCOVI's Hands-on ROV project provides commercially available miniature submersible ROV kits to student teams for assembling and conducting student-appropriate underwater investigations.

Hands-on ROV teams have operated on two levels within three participating organizations. In 2017 teachers in the Virgin Islands Institute for STEM Education Research and Practice used the OCOVI-provided introductory Sea Perch© model to develop best practices in advancing STEM skills and appreciations in students. At the same time, Camp Umoja's Environmental Rangers accepted the more advanced Open- ROV© model to engage scientific investigations related to the Mandahl Bay and wetlands environments. Their experience in assembly and sea trials is outlined in an ASLO poster. The advanced model also went to the Antilles School. By mid-summer 2018, Camp Umoja youth had completed construction and sea trials of their Open-ROV while UVI's Cyber Camp allowed younger students to construct and pilot SeaPerch® ROVs in Brewers Bay.

The students' posters will present reports of progress and preparations for investigations in which SeaPerch and Open-ROV mini-ROVs models are the tool of choice.