Geophysicist Maurice Tivey lead a brainstorming session for the college students who were charged with inventing an underwater adhesives applicator which could apply adhesive to ocean floor rocks. Before the brainstorming session, Dr. Tivey gave the students a brief tutorial on types of rocks found on the ocean floor. Dr. Tivey also sent e-mail reports to the students via satellite link later in the semester when he was on a research expedition with Alvin.