Only in San Diego: USD freshman now getting credit for surfing.
The Physics of Surfing class is a one-unit course for freshmen at UC San Diego, and is designed to mix mind and body exertion.
"Having fun and doing science," Blake Cole, 19. told the Los Angeles Times. "That's what it's all about."
While the students surf, a GPS eceiver and an accelerometer taped to their boards collect data about the speed, direction and acceleration of the waves. Back in the classroom, the students analyze the data to calculate the relationship between the surfer and the wave in search of the perfect wave, reported the LA Times.
The once-a-week class, complete with lectures and lab experiments, is taught by David Sandwell, professor of geophysics at UCSD's Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Sandwell said it's a good way to end the week and "it's fun."
