Almost 2,000 students are expected to attend the 2008 BIOS Explorer Programme which kicks off on Monday.

The Explorer Programme directly exposes students and teachers to environmental issues and local research projects conducted by the Institute.

This programme was modelled on successful elements from the JASON Project (a programme affiliated with BIOS for more than ten years),

This year's theme, "On the Rock" explores the effects of global climate change on our island, the deep-ocean around us, and our island caves and coral reefs.

There will be an interactive broadcast filmed by a local production company, as well as a series of activities for students working with a team of dynamic BIOS scientists.

The Explorer Programme utilises research conducted during Waterstart in the summer of 2007.

During that programme students (dubbed 'BioNauts') participated in field-work investigating corals and chemistry, ocean acidification and reef health, cave exploration and deep-ocean mapping.