For three weeks in January, AMC hosted 35 staff and students from Carleton College, Minnesota, USA in a program developed in conjunction with AMC Search.

The students, under the guidance of Professor Clint Cowan and Professor Phil Camill, from Carleton College, studied the ecology and geology of the Tamar Estuary, as part of a larger ten week international program investigating both temperate and tropical marine environments.

Utilising the teaching facilities of the Beauty Point campus, and AMC Search's TV Pinduro, students were able to collect sediment, algae and invertebrate samples from the intertidal regions of the estuary, as well as river bed samples collected by SCUBA divers.  Many hours of underwater video footage were also recorded using a camera operated from the deck of AMC Search's launch Pinduro, revealing extensive and colourful plant and invertebrate life towards the mouth of the Estuary.

Students and staff of Carleton College were extremely impressed with the dedication of AMC staff and the quality of facilities, and enjoyed their stay immensely.  The visit was reported in Tasmanian TV, radio and print media and raised the profile of AMC both locally and also in Minnesota where web diaries published by students were read with interest.

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