Session Descriptions--nmea 2016 Sessions are listed alphabetically by primary presenter’s last name. Allen

petrone@udel.edu, @seaPetrone; mcguire@vims.edu, @slm0713

Climate change, from its causes to impacts, can be a difficult topic to teach and learn. The complexity and controversy surrounding climate change just add to people’s discomfort in broaching and presenting this interdisciplinary subject. A panel of professional development providers hailing from Sea Grant, the National Estuarine Research Reserve system, and other respected science institutions will present their climate change PD experiences, best practices, and lessons learned. Session participants will be strongly encouraged to share their experiences and questions in order to spark whole-room discussions; the panelists are hoping to learn just as much as the participants. After the session, a list of climate change PD topics, activities, best practices, and lessons learned will be crafted and distributed to participants, and through the conference social media backchannel. We will use a special session hashtag (#climatePD) that will be used to extend the conversation beyond the conference session and engage practitioners that utilize Twitter, but did not attend the NMEA conference.

philippo@hawaii.edu; kanesa@hawaii.edu

Our Project In Hawaii’s Intertidal (OPIHI) is a citizen science program for middle- and high-school teachers and students to survey rocky intertidal areas in Hawaii – a place-based, problem-based approach to learning through inquiry. The intertidal is vulnerable to threats such as overharvesting, species invasions, and climate change effects. However, long-term monitoring is difficult to implement as seasonal wave activity, a small low tide window, and limited tidal range mean the Hawaiian intertidal is often underwater or inaccessible. Fortunately, the accessibility that makes the intertidal susceptible to human impacts also makes it ideal for citizen-science research. The intertidal provides a safe environment to engage students in marine science, an environment that might otherwise be overlooked by educators due to student swimming restrictions. Teachers are prepared to lead their students to collect rigorous monitoring data through the OPIHI professional development program. OPIHI has both scientific and educational goals: (a) to improve the content and scientific process knowledge of teachers and students, and (b) investigate if and how the Hawaiian intertidal community has changed since the last OPIHI systematic surveys were conducted 10 years ago. We will share how we navigated balancing the project’s sometimes dueling scientific and educational goals and preliminary results from our statewide spring 2016 OPIHI implementation. Findings are based on surveys of both teachers (N = 32) and students (N ~ 750) and a preliminary analysis of field trip data. We will also share lessons learned conducting classroom citizen science research in a species-rich environment including training and coordination techniques, data transcription and sharing, and enhancing the validity of student data, on a budget.

tpina@oceanario.pt

Establishing ocean connections through performing arts as primary pathways to promote learning in early childhood is believed to empower understanding, awareness and appreciation of nature. A musical play was designed to reveal the journey sea turtles undertake during their life, their biology and ecology and their incredible relationship with marine ecosystems. By working in partnership with a theatre producer, artists and biologists wrote the script and lyrics, developing an amazing musical to engage, involve and educate children from 3 to 10 years old. Two other musical shows, targeted to children up to 4 years old are now on stage at the aquarium. The performances were designed and set by musicians and psychologists, together with the aquarium education professionals. The concerts are inspired in ocean life and one of the shows integrates the Portuguese traditional music and world heritage, Fado. It is performed over original songs with lyrics rewritten by our professionals. Songs about schooling fish, sharks and the dynamic life in the coral reefs are the trigger for this entertaining and learning experience. Performing arts are an effective tool to promote engagement, connecting emotions to behavior changes, motivating to act for ocean conservation.

denise_ratajczak@nps.gov

Lionfish pose a serious threat to the ecosystems of Biscayne National Park and other ecosystems. Find out how they got to our park, why they are such a problem and how we can stop them. This informative and engaging PowerPoint program targets kids ages 6-10 with an optional lionfish dissection to learn more about the inner workings of this venomous invader.

rriesbec@virginiaaquarium.com

During this interactive session, explore how theme days at your informal science center or school can bring marine science topics to life. Virginia Aquarium educators will demonstrate examples of theme days used for homeschool families, scouts, K-12 school groups and the general public and allow participants to brainstorm how to design their own successful event. Participants will try out open flow stations and learn how these hands-on activities can accommodate more participants, reinforce important conservation messages, and help people connect to the world around them. By aligning these activities to requirements for scouts and schools, you can help reinforce key concepts and build problem-solving and critical thinking skills for children. The Aquarium educators will highlight easy to find resources to enhance a theme day and share examples of live animal interactions, in the field exploration, expert keeper talks and special presentations. These types of activities can help children and families learn more about animal care, marine science careers and how their actions can help. Participants will leave with materials and ideas to design a theme day at their own institute or school.

omarrodriguezsolano@gmail.com

An exhibition of the most important for the consolidation and development of marine education in Latin America , with a description of the most important achievements of the countries that are leading the marine education in this region of the planet achievements.

srussell92@comcast.net, @seandrussell

The annual Youth Ocean Conservation Summit held at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida, has empowered hundreds of students, with the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to successfully implement ocean conservation projects. Participants attending this conference have the opportunity to hear from scientists and conservationists about current threats to marine ecosystems, learn about the efforts of other young people in the field of ocean conservation, work with their peers and conservation program mentors to develop action plans for their own ocean conservation projects, and take part in skill-building workshops to gain the knowledge and resources necessary to make their projects successful. Throughout the year, these students remain connected through the Youth Ocean Conservation Team, a global network of youth and adults who are passionate about protecting our planet’s marine ecosystems. Through this engaging workshop session, you will learn about the history and key components of this annual event. Student driven ocean conservation projects that have emerged from this program will also be highlighted as well as ways your students can connect to the educational opportunities and resources of the Youth Ocean Conservation Team network, including a monthly e-newsletter highlighting student conservation initiatives and opportunities to a global audience. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to learn about the satellite Youth Ocean Conservation Summit program, which empower teams of young leaders to bring the components of this event to their local regions. To date, these events have been held in Baltimore and Annapolis, MD; Seattle, WA; Savannah, GA; Newport, RI; Long Island, NY; Manteo, NC; Thibodaux, LA; New York City; and Corpus Christi, TX. Learn how your students can host a summit in your region, empower their peers to take on ocean conservation projects, and connect to the global Youth Ocean Conservation Team network. Workshop attendees will receive handouts regarding the opportunity to participate in the 2016 Youth Ocean Conservation Summit and associated Youth Ocean Conservation Film Competition. Additional materials regarding the chance to host a satellite Youth Ocean Conservation Summit at your institution and opportunities to engage students in the Youth Ocean Conservation Team network will be provided.

t-sasaki@kaiyodai.ac.jp; mchen12@qq.com; hamrater@msn.com (Yen); mmu_ims76@yahoo.com (Uddin); changjac@mail2000.com.tw (Cheng-Chieh Chang)

First Asian Marine Educators Association Workshop were held in 25 to 27, Oct, 2015, Tokyo. The conference was proposed by 4 Asian attendees in NMEA 2015. We discussed how to connect and share information about marine education participated with China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, US, and Japan. We discussed agenda and future perspectives of AMEA. We proposed applicants to decide AMEA workshop objectives and AMEA workshop expectations followings. AMEA workshop objectives a. Sharing international marine education information. b. Learning new information about marine education. c. Create a social network of Asia marine educators. d. National marine education curriculum standard discussion. e. Set up Ocean Literacy Definition or Scope f. Organize Asia Marine Educators Association. AMEA workshop expectation a. Elect board of AMEA b. AMEA operation planning and schedule (2015-2016). c. Create research cooperation team. d. Build up a platform of information exchange. Through three days' considerable discussion, we decided to 1. AMEA organization headquarter, 2. AMEA membership, 3. AMEA board and chairman election, 4. AMEA 2016-2018 missions, 5. AMEA objects 1. AMEA organization headquarter Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology 2. AMEA membership Criteria: Open Fee Categories: 1. Institution 2. Individual 1. Student 2. Faculty 3. Professional Membership benefit: 1. Discounted conference rate 2. Quarterly e-newsletter 3. AMEA board and chairman election Board 4. AMEA 2016-2018 missions 1. Create a AMEA website 2. Create LOGO 3. Establish communication network of AMEA members 4. Hold AMEA conference 5. Produce annual report 6. Establish Asian Ocean literacy framework 5. AMEA objects 1. Sharing and learning international marine education information 2. Create a network of Asia marine educators 3. National marine education curriculum standard discussion 4. Promote Asian ocean literacy 5. Encourage cooperation between governments, policy makers, stakeholders, scientists, educators and public 6. AMEA community and funding. And also we decided to establish new Asian Marine Educators Association formally, and next year we will meet again in AMEA conference 2016 in Taiwan.

schroe45@msu.edu

navneet.riar@gmail.com

Conference overload. We've all been there. After four or more days of guest speakers, concurrent sessions, field trips, exhibits, and workshops, even the best ideas or handouts get shuffled away with countless others. These sparks of inspiration, while great, are left unrealized once the conference is over and the school year kicks in. Why not take some time out while everything is fresh in your head to put some ideas into action? Join us at this new session designed to get you connected and working with like-minded and motivated teachers looking to put together units, activities, and/or lesson plans using materials from this or past conferences as well as their own teaching experiences. The session will focus on breaking off into teams to work on areas of our own curriculum we want to develop. Work at your own pace on what you want! Topic possibilities include (but are not limited to): -Course Structure Ideas (Share out of course structure ideas for teachers looking to design or redesign their marine science focused course) -Sea floor formation and features (marine geology) -Properties of sea water (ocean chemistry) -Motion in the ocean (tides, waves, currents) -Life in the sea (microbes and macroaglae, invertebrates, fish, birds/reptiles, marine mammals) -Humans and the ocean (impacts, climate change, exploration)

kanesa@hawaii.edu

Voice of the Sea TV is an award-winning, half-hour TV series, with online companion episodes (voiceofthesea.org). The series highlights ocean research and ocean careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Voice of the Sea also presents global issues in a local context, incorporating traditional knowledge and cultural practices into the STEM canon and creating connections across the ocean.

knsharpe@vims.edu; mcguire@vims.edu

Our climate is changing, so also is the story that we’re sharing with our audiences. The National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) protects more than 1.3 million acres through a network of 28 reserves located in 22 states and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. These reserves act as venues for research and education of the public and policy makers, and also as important indicators of climate change. Estuaries are particularly susceptible to many of the projected impacts of climate change, including sea level rise, increased air and water temperatures, changes in storm frequency and intensity, flooding, and range shifts of native and non-native species. Education coordinators from around the reserve system are incorporating climate change data and information into their K-12 and public programs in order to enhance the climate literacy of community members, therefore increasing the community’s resilience to climate change. Through a variety of programs, reserve educators are teaching these concepts while reaching a wide range of audiences, from first grade students to senior citizens. Educators are also trained on climate change interpretation and effective communication strategies, making their messaging even more clear and powerful. The poster will highlight several of the innovative climate-focused education projects taking place throughout the NERRS network, such as the Chesapeake Bay Virginia’s Climate Education for a Changing Bay (CECB) program, which incorporates NERRS Sentinel Site data into educational activities geared toward assisting 9th grade Earth Science students and teachers in investigations into localized observations and projected impacts of climate change. Students create a mock transect of a marsh, visualizing how sea level can vary throughout a normal tidal cycle and during storm events, as well as how it is expected to change in the future given sea level rise projection data and models. The poster will also illustrate strategies for the incorporation of reserve data into education programs, and will showcase how reserves in different locations around the country have collaborated in order to adapt resources and to disseminate scientific data and information from one region to another.

ckjenkins@Ldry.com, @congocolleen

OCEARCH, founded by expedition leader Chris Fischer, is a non-profit organization dedicated to the open source collaborative research and conservation of great white sharks and other apex predators found in the world oceans. By connecting students and the real science, OCEARCH and their educational partner, Landry's Downtown Aquarium, hope to inspire and enable students to pursue STEM careers and promote environmental awareness. Downtown Aquarium has created a full curriculum of dynamic lessons that can be used in any classroom to help teachers and students be connected to the current science of the ocean. This extraordinary partnership between Landry's Downtown Aquarium and OCEARCH provides, for the first time, a chance for educators and students to participate in a collaborative movement to study great white sharks and other marine animals. Educating youth on the importance of conserving the environment is the basis of this partnership.

colleen.shytle@merlinentertainments.biz

This presentation analyzes the results of a collaborative trial study conducted to assess the impact of various informal education techniques. The study focused on increasing visitor awareness and understanding of marine sanctuaries (MPAs), documenting visitor support for expanding the sanctuary/MPA network in the United States, and increasing visitor satisfaction. Achieved progress was measured via survey techniques following a simple, solution-oriented, action-based activity (voting exercise) OR following interactions with an aquarium educator, and compared to an aquarium experience with no direct interaction related to MPAs. Attendees are encouraged to discuss and share their own findings regarding measured impact of various informal education presentation styles on conservation topics.

daryl_sibble@nps.gov

Gulf Islands National Seashore (GINS) spans 160 miles of Gulf coastline in the states of Mississippi and Florida. These federally protected areas provide pristine coastal environments that are ideal for sea turtle nests due to the nominal presence of anthropogenic development within the park boundaries. These conditions maximize the chance of survival for nests that are left in situ. The Loggerhead (Caretta Caretta), Kemp’s Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), Green (Chelonia mydas), and Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) are species of sea turtles which nest in the seashore. Even though GUIS strives to protect these pristine beaches for wildlife and visitors, disorientation is still prevalent amongst sea turtle hatchlings, and has been observed in females attempting to lay eggs. Numerous studies have linked sea turtle disorientation to anthropogenic light at night which diminishes or eliminates natural visual cues misguiding sea turtles away from the gulf towards artificial nocturnal light sources. Most of the disorientated turtle tracks observed in GINS have pointed in the direction of neighboring Pensacola metropolitan areas. For the past couple of years, GINS, the Conservation Legacy’s Environmental Stewards, the National Park’s Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division, and local middle, high school, and college students have engaged in this effort that focuses on adding supplementary citizen science monitoring to support sea turtle research and conservation along the Gulf Coast. The program initiated by GINS is called Turtle T.H.i.S. (Teens Helping in the Seashore), and for over a year has contributed to helping the local communities in the Pensacola area make changes to help sea turtles nest successfully. Ambient light measurements are recorded using 2 photometers attached to a tripod, adjusted in height to reflect the approximate height of a typical sea turtle’s field of vision. A nonfilter photometer is used to measure light intensity from all wavelengths in the 300 nm to 700 nm range. An accompanying blue filtered photometer measures light intensity from the 470 nm blue wavelength. This dual photometer setup provides the opportunity to evaluate impacts of visible light and blue light, which has been proposed in previous studies as the most sensitive wavelength amongst sea turtles in regards to phototaxis. Turtle T.H.i.S. is designed to cultivate environmental stewardship and awareness amongst member of the local communitywho participate in the program. The program also serves as a recruiting and mentoring platform for student participants interested in pursuing a Science, Technology, Engineering, and/or Mathematics (STEM) career with the National Park Service or other land management agencies. The presentation will provide an overview of the project’s research, accomplishments, and give the audience the knowledge, skills, and materials necessary to expand the current research and start your own sea turtle citizen science program.