The Hyperbaric and Extreme Environment Research Program (HE2RP) offers unique learning experiences for participants to acquire and use the skills and knowledge necessary to live and work in one of the most accessible extreme environments--the ocean. HE2RP is a research based experiential learning sequence with its strength and uniqueness lying in its ability to take students beyond the level of conventional academic courses--involving the study of accumulated knowledge and comprehension of principles--to the level where students apply what they have learned to gain further understanding of the world.