COSEE-New England




NEwswave
The Newsletter of COSEE-NE



September 5, 2008

vol 5, no 16


In This Issue
NEOSEC News
Partner News
Reports, Publications, Announcements
Online Ocean Education Resources
Seminars, Workshops, Online Courses
Jobs in New England
Requests
Student Opportunities
Conferences
Calendar
NEwswave Schedule
NEOSEC News

Ocean Literacy Summit The New England Ocean Science Education Collaborative (NEOSEC) will host ocean scientists, science writers, educators, education administrators and policymakers at Boston University for the Second Ocean Literacy Summit, November 7, 2008.  A collaboration among a range of institutions from across the region, NEOSEC has identified global climate change as the topic for this year's Summit. Registration is now open. For details, visit online. Please email Catherine Cramer if you would like more information as it becomes available. Curious about the First Ocean Literacy Summit? Visit the 2006 Summit archive.
Partner News

Seacoast Science Center Annual BioBlitz!
On Saturday, September 20, the Seacoast Science Center will host its sixth annual BioBlitz!. BioBlitz! is a day-long biological survey of Odiorne Point State Park. Local scientists, professors and field naturalists will search through the park's 135 acres and seven different habitats to make a rapid assessment of the diversity of life in the park. Families and groups are welcome to join in. Teams will be tide-pooling, birding, dragonflying, tracking and more. Ask your school if they are interested in assisting with BioBlitz! to earn extra credit. Groups should contact the Center prior to the event to register. Sponsored by Normandeau Associates, Center admission and refreshments are free of charge for registered BioBlitz! participants. For more information and to register, contact Perrin at [email protected] or visit the Events page.


ssc bioblitz
Dave Burdick discusses salt marsh ecology as he leads a group of Seacoast Science Center "blitzers" out to the marsh during BioBlitz! 2007. Photo by Karen Provazza

Boston Harbor Educators' Conference Massachusetts Marine Educators (MME) is a co-sponsor of this year's Boston Harbor Educators' Conference, Riches and Resources of the Harbor and its Islands, to be held on Saturday, October 4, 2008, and featuring an all-day trip to
Thompson Island. Learn the history, the topography and the biodiversity of the region, and ways you can incorporate these ideas into your classroom. The trip leaves from the Fox Point Pavilion at UMASS Boston at 9:00 am.  Check the conference flyer (PDF) for additional information as well as the registration form.
 
GoMOOS Funding Crisis Due to federal funding shortfalls, several of the Gulf of Maine Ocean Observing System (GoMOOS) buoys (C, D, F, J and L) will likely be removed during the Fall 2008 deployment. GoMOOS is working to find a solution that will enable the buoys to be kept in the water. Your support is needed. For more information visit online.
Reports, Publications, Announcements

Stellwagen Plan Comment Period Extended
NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries has extended the period for public comment on the draft management plan and draft environmental assessment for the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (SBNMS) to Oct. 3, 2008. Comments on the draft management plan and draft environmental assessment may be emailed to [email protected]. Copies of the plan can be downloaded from the sanctuary website.

Recruitment for Stellwagen Advisory Council The SBNMS is seeking applicants for the newly vacant Conservation seat on its Sanctuary Advisory Council as well as the alternate seat for the At-Large member. Application packages are available on the sanctuary website. Application packages must be received by close of business day September 15, 2008.
Online Ocean Education Resources

Thunder Bay Sinkholes Expedition The NOAA Ocean Exploration and Research Program has launched the Thunder Bay Sinkholes 2008 Expedition web page. From September 2-12, scientists will explore shallow and deep coastal sinkholes in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Educators working with scientists developed an Ocean Explorer Expedition Education Module (EEM) for the mission, designed for teachers of students in grades 5-12. The site also contains weblogs and "Ask an Explorer" features

On the Half Shell The Bridge offers information about recent shellfish contamination and scientific data from the Center for Disease Control with the Data Analysis Teaching Activity (DATA) On the Half Shell. In this activity, targeted for high school, students will learn about Vibrio vulnificus, another species of naturally-occurring bacteria, analyze eight years of illness data, and evaluate trends. On the Half Shell is one of many Bridge DATAs that has been reformatted to more closely match a formal lesson plan, complete with summary, objectives, and list of vocabulary words. All Bridge DATAs are aligned to the National Science Education Standards.


Coral Activity Book Staff from NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science and Coral Reef Conservation Program Headquarters developed a new activity book for children about the importance of coral reefs. It is available for downloading (PDF)

Estuaries.Gov, the educational website of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS), has a brand-new look and a host of new functions to help students and teachers understand the complexities of coastal and estuarine science. The newly designed site includes a searchable video database, animated interpretations of live water quality and weather data from the System-Wide Monitoring Program, and a complete high-school level estuarine science curriculum. 
Seminars, Workshops, Online Courses

College of Exploration Seminar on Oceans and Human Health
The College of Exploration is offering an online seminar on the relationship between the oceans and human health, September 14-26, 2008. Marine animals in the medical field, the health effects of Harmful Algal Blooms, and the discoveries of new medicines from marine life will be some of the topics presented. The seminar is geared toward educators and health professionals, and is also suitable for the general public. Tuition is $100. Graduate credit and Professional Development Units are offered at an additional cost. For more information, and to register, visit online.

BOAT CAMP offers professional development workshops for K-12 educators: Ocean Literacy: are you up to date? and
Environmental Resources Across the Curriculum. 
For more information and a registration form, visit online.

PolarTREC Teachers The PolarTREC (Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating) program is currently accepting applications from teachers to participate in field research learning experiences during the 2009 (Arctic) or 2009-2010 (Antarctic) field seasons. More information and application forms are available online. Teacher Application Deadline: September 29, 2008.

Learning Ocean Science through Ocean Exploration Workshop The New England Aquarium and NOAA's Office of Ocean Exploration present this professional development workshop Saturday October 11, 2008, at the Aquarium, 8:30 am- 4:00 pm.
Conduct inquiry- and standards-based activities tied directly to ocean  expeditions curriculum. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to meet and hear from a NOAA scientist. Pre-registration is required and breakfast and lunch will be provided. To register contact Jessica Soule.

American Museum of Natural History's Graduate Science Courses Deepen your knowledge with Seminars on Science courses from the American Museum of Natural History.  Fall Session 2 courses (including The Ocean System, Evolution, Earth: Inside and Out, and more) run October 20-November 30, 2008; the deadline for discounted early registration is September 22, 2008.  Registration online.
Jobs in New England (and beyond)

Teacher Services Coordinator, Boston 
The New England Aquarium has an opening for a Teacher Services Coordinator. This position supports teacher professional education through direct consultation; through workshop planning, development and delivery; through maintenance of the Aquarium's Teacher Resources Center and lending library; and, by representing the Aquarium at local and regional conferences for educators. For more information visit online.
 

Habitat Restoration Coordinator, Maine The Maine State Planning Office is seeking to fill the position of Habitat Restoration Coordinator in its Coastal Management Program. This program is a federal-state-local partnership that seeks to balance the wise use and conservation of Maine's coastal environment. This position facilitates coastal habitat restoration in Maine and the Gulf of Maine region. For more information visit online.

Communications Assistant, Washington DC SeaWeb is accepting applications for a full-time Communications Assistant. The assistant will contribute content to and assist with the production of various SeaWeb communications materials, such as Web site pages, e-newsletters and brochures, as well as help prepare for various events, workshops and conferences. For more information about the organization and the position visit online.

Program Director, Alabama Coastal Wonders Environmental Education Program, an offering of Beckwith Camp and Conference Center in Fairhope, Alabama, is seeking candidates for the position of Program Director. For more information visit online.
    

Education Specialist, Alaska The Prince William Sound Science Center is recruiting an Education Specialist (full-time, salaried position) to join a team of educators who implement environmental and science-based education both within the regular school curricula and outside the confines of the classroom. Contact Nancy Bird or visit online.

Director of Programs and Operations, Alaska The Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies is seeking an educational program manager to take the organization to the next level of programming and coastal stewardship. Job responsibilities include coordination and expansion of coastal science and environmental education programs for K-12 and general audiences; community outreach, recruitment and supervision of seasonal instructional staff; and oversight of facility maintenance and land management. Full job description online (PDF).

Marine Science Instructor, Florida MarineLab in Key Largo, FL, has an opening for an instructor. Instructors lead elementary through college age students on an intensive exploration of the seagrass, mangroves, and coral reef communities. Applications are available online.

Bilingual Education Program Assistant, California Multicultural Education for Resource Issues Threatening Oceans (MERITO) Academy has an opening for a Program Assistant. The goal of the MERITO Academy is to provide high quality Earth and ocean sciences education for grades 4-8, as well as extended learning programs for multicultural and underserved students. More information online.
Requests

Art and Ocean Education Article Alexandra Moses is looking for public school teachers who use art and/or writing to teach about the sea. She is a journalist who writes about education for Edutopia, and her inspiration to write this article came from emails about the annual IGES art contest and Sea Stories. The story is for Edutopia, and will focus on integrating ocean studies and the arts, exploring the larger issue of why teaching about ocean life is important. Contact Alexandra for more information. Edutopia is a project of the George Lucas Educational Foundation.

Artists For The Ocean The nonprofit Art & Science Collaborations, Inc. has posted an open call for an online exhibition and possible coffee-table book project and is soliciting documentation from artists around the world. The mission of this project is to demonstrate how the arts can be an effective tool in raising public awareness about the ocean and inspiring ocean stewardship. For more information visit online.
Student Opportunities

AmeriCorps Assistants, Washington State There will be three AmeriCorps/WCC positions at Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve during 2008-09: Operations Assistant, Research and Monitoring Assistant, and Education Assistant. These positions will begin in early October 2008 and extend through September 2009. For more information about WCC and AmeriCorps visit online or contact Glen Alexander.

Oceanography/Navigation Teaching Intern, California  The Tall Ship Semester for Girls has an opening for an intern to teach oceanography and navigation during a semester-long leadership program for high school girls operating on the campus of San Francisco State University. The first six weeks of the program take place in the classroom and include rigorous academic training in preparation for the voyage portion of the program. During the next six weeks, students and teachers ship aboard a traditional tall ship for a physically and mentally demanding voyage in the Caribbean. During the final six weeks, the students are back in the Bay Area, doing classroom work and completing internships in the maritime community. The program offers full credit to 15 high school girls and runs from January through June. For more information contact Nettie Kelly.
Conferences

Earth Then, Earth Now: Our Changing Climate NOAA and Sally Ride Science offered this educator conference, July 23-24, 2008, to teach K-12 educators how to integrate the science of earth's changing climate into their classroom lesson plans.  The webcasts, as streaming video, are now available online.

The International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC)will be the first stand-alone meeting of the Marine Section of the Society for Conservation Biology and will be held from May 20-24, 2009 at George Mason University, Washington DC. This will be an interdisciplinary meeting that will engage natural and social scientists, managers, policy-makers, and the public. The goal of the IMCC is to put conservation science into practice through public and media outreach and the development of concrete products that will be used to drive policy change and implementation. More information online.

Calendar

We are happy to include events from around New England. If you would like your organization's event published here, please send the information to the editor, Catherine Cramer. Thanks!

Seabird and Whale Tale Cruise The New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance and Bridgewater State College are hosting the fall edition of Seabird and Whale Tales, this Sunday, September 7, 8am-6pm. Join wildlife experts Wayne Petersen of Massachusetts Audubon Society, David Clapp of Natural History Services and Dr. John C. Jahoda of Bridgewater State College as they lead this excursion to view coastal marine wildlife. Leave from Plymouth Town Pier. To learn more about this trip or to download the registration form visit online.

Northeastern University's Marine Science Center's Open House Saturday September 20, 2008, 10 am-3 pm, featuring Guided Tidepool and Geology Walks, Tour Center for  Vertebrate Studies, Tours of the WWII Bunker, Tours of the Solar Observatory, Marine Research Exhibits, Marine Life Exhibits, Beach Cleanup. For more information visit online.

The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History Course Exploring the Edges with Museum Naturalist Doug Smith, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:00-4:00 pm, September 30, October 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21 and 23. For further information, contact the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History,

A Whale Affair The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS), the Cape Cod Mermaid, and radio station WATD are hosting a show and auction to raise money to support crucial WDCS programs while raising awareness about the state of the oceans and the status of the world's whales. Come enjoy whale, dolphin and ocean themed art in the company of the artists and WDCS scientists at the Winslow House in Marshfield, Massachusetts, October 2, starting at 7 pm. For more information about the event or to purchase tickets visit A WhaleAffair website  or contact Sue Rocca.

Boston Environmental Education Summit Teachers, educators, and environmental practitioners will gather to kick off a new partnership between the Boston Public School's Science Department and Boston-based environmental education organizations to promote learning, achievement and environmental stewardship, October 3, 5-8:30 pm. This event is being held in conjunction with the dedication of the Rose Kennedy Greenway. The location for the Summit will be downtown along the Greenway at the Federal Reserve Bank, 600 Atlantic Avenue. Dinner will be followed by keynote addresses and a 1.5 hour workshop session to demonstrate partnerships between school teachers and Boston environmental education organizations that take students outdoors to learn. For more information click here.

The second Boston Harbor Islands Science Symposium will be held at the University of Massachusetts-Boston Campus Center on October 3, 2008, from 9am-4pm, focusing on marine and terrestrial research within the boundaries of the Boston Harbor Island Park. For more information visit online.
 
Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival  On Saturday, October 4, 5-9pm, Friends of Casco Bay will host the Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival in Abromson Auditorium on University of Southern Maine's Portland campus. This family-friendly event features a selection of films, from animated shorts to full-length documentaries. Film, ticket, and sponsorship information available online.
NEwswave Schedule

The next issue of NEwswave will be sent September 18, 2008. Please send announcements and news to the editor, Catherine Cramer.
Include Your News in NEwswave!
Send news and announcements of interest to the New England Ocean Science Education community to the editor, Catherine Cramer.















































































Massachusetts Ocean Planning Alerts

As directed in the Oceans Act of 2008, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) is undertaking a first-in-the-nation effort to develop a comprehensive plan to manage development in state ocean waters. To keep the public fully informed this process, EEA will be releasing  Ocean Planning Alerts, along with a quarterly electronic newsletter (both also available in print). To get on the mailing list for these products, and for direct notice of public meetings, email [email protected]. In the near future, the EEA web page will provide information about all aspects of the ocean planning process.


Listening Sessions  The ocean plan development process is just beginning, and the first step is to go out to the public and hear from Commonwealth citizens on their goals for the ocean plan. These public meetings will be held throughout the state, beginning in mid-September and continuing throughout October. The first listening session is scheduled for Thursday, September 18, at 7:00 p.m. in Boston's Faneuil Hall. Other listening sessions will be scheduled shortly.


 


 






















Marine Photography Contest


The SeaWeb Marine Photobank and Project AWARE Foundation 
invite you to submit your compelling ocean-themed marine photos to the
Ocean in Focus Conservation Photography Contest,
which runs through September 30, 2008.



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Sanctuary Watch
Sanctuary Watch is a publication produced by NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.
It includes news about happenings in the sanctuary program, "Critter Files" that highlight specific species of animals, plus spotlights on sanctuary partners and staff.
Subscribe to the online publication and look through past editions on the
website
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New from Oceanus, Published by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Sea Life Is Accumulating Pathogens
An unprecedented survey of seabirds, marine mammals, and sharks on the U.S. East Coast has revealed that marine wildlife contains a wide variety of disease-causing microbes-including many that have developed resistance to antibiotics and several that can be transmitted to humans.
Researchers include COSEE-New England participants Rebecca Gast and Julie Ellis. Read the story.


Testing the Waters and Closing Beaches
Current methods to determine if water quality meets public health standards create a lag time in which beachgoers might be swimming in bacteria before the results are in.
Researchers seek faster, better ways to detect harmful bacteria.
Read the story.






















































Include Your News in NEwswave
Send your news and announcements of interest to the New England ocean science education community to the editor, Catherine Cramer.


 
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