Category Archives: Past Events

Science Made Public Talks at WHOI

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) presents Science Made Public, a series of talks by WHOI researchers on current ocean science topics. All talks held at the WHOI Ocean Science Exhibit Center, 15 School Street, Woods Hole

New Deep Sea Robot Reaches the Ocean Depths
Andy Bowen, Applied Ocean Physics & Engineering
Learn about a new type of deep-sea robotic vehicle called Nereus, a unique hybrid vehicle designed to explore the ocean’s last frontiers,  and hear about its recent successful dive to the deepest part of the world’s ocean—the Mariana Trench. To reach the trench, Nereus dove nearly twice as deep as research submarines are capable of and had to withstand pressures 1,000 times that of Earth’s surface—crushing forces similar to those on the surface of Venus. July 7, 2009 at 2:30 PM

Recycled Clam Shells Help Seed a New Oyster Crop
Diane Murphy, Woods Hole Sea Grant
Oysters are not only an important fishery resource, they’re also an important part of the ecosystem, providing habitat and filtering the water column. In an effort to restore oyster populations around the region, researchers work closely with municipal shellfish officers within the shellfish aquaculture industry using a technique called remote-setting that utilizes recycled clam and oyster shells. Learn more about this restoration and marine life enhancement project. July 14, 2009 at 2:30 PM

The Hearing and Travels of Icelandic White-Beaked Dolphins

T. Aran Mooney, Biology Department

Atlantic white-beaked dolphins are the most common dolphin species around Iceland and are frequently seen riding the bow wave of vessels in the summer. These dolphins are acoustically active, producing both whistles and clicks with sound energy as high as 305 kHz, much above the typical upper hearing frequency limit for toothed whales. Learn how scientists use tags to track dolphin behavior in their natural habitat to assess what these dolphins hear and how that relates to their role in the environment.           July 21, 2009 at 2:30 PM

Planet Puddle: Surprising Complexity in a Simple Climate
Rebecca Walsh Dell, Physical Oceanography
Why is it so hard to predict the climate? Anyone who has ever been surprised by the weather knows that it can be very omplicated, but it turns out that even very simple climate systems can have complex and surprising behavior. We’ll discuss how a hypothetical planet with no land and no weather can have huge changes in its climate because of ice on the sea. Come and learn about ideas that have big implications for our understanding of climate change and climate prediction. July 28, 2009 at 2:30 PM

For more information, contact Kathy Patterson, 508-289-2700 or kpatterson@whoi.edu

Seabird and Whale Excursion from Plymouth MA

The New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance (NECWA), a non-profit organization based in southeastern MA that supports a number of projects and activities related to marine wildlife education, research and conservation, invites you on a Seabird & Whale Tales (SAWT) excursion scheduled for Sunday, September 13th from 8 am – 4 pm.  The destination is the waters of Cape Cod Bay and Massachusetts Bay, including the waters of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Here participants will view seabirds, whales, dolphins, seals, basking sharks and ocean sunfish that come to feed off our cold yet productive New England shores.

Guided wildlife commentary will be given by Wayne Petersen from Mass Audubon Society, David Clapp from Natural History Services, Joanne Jarzobski from Captain John Boats and Dr. John Jahoda from Bridgewater State College.  The trip leaves from the Plymouth Town Pier at 8 am and returns by 4 pm. While offshore, participants will conduct a plankton tow and observe the sample under microscopes, and will also chum for seabirds.

Tickets: Pre-Sale $90 and then $100 after August 31st, 2009.

To learn more about NECWA or to download the registration form for this trip visit online or call Krill Carson at 508-566-0009.  Space is limited so register early.  Group rates are also available.

SAWT excursions receive assistance from Capt. John Boats, Mass Audubon South Shore Sanctuaries, Natural History Services and Bridgewater State College.

Introduction to Sea Grant Online Seminar

Sea Grant 101: Have you ever wondered how the National Sea Grant College Program works – research, extension, and education?

For more than 40 years, the National Sea Grant College program has worked to create and maintain a healthy coastal environment and economy. A partnership between universities and the federal government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA), Sea Grant directs federal resources to pressing problems in local communities. By drawing on the experience of more than 3,000 scientists, engineers, public outreach experts, educators and students from more than 300 institutions, Sea Grant is able to make an impact at local and state levels, and serve as a powerful national force for change. NOAA presents this  seminar on Wednesday July 29, from noon to 1 PM EDT. The presentation is available through a copmbination of phone and webcast. For details visit the NOAA Seminars website

International Student ROV Competition

The Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center, the National Science Foundation, and the Marine
Technology Society’s (MTS) ROV Committee invite you to the 8th Annual International Student ROV
Competition. Nearly 60 teams representing middle schools, high schools, home schools, after-school groups,
community colleges, and universities from the U.S., Canada, Hong Kong, Scotland, and Russia are scheduled to
compete in this year’s event, which is being held June 24 – 26, 2009 at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in
Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. Details on the MATE website

Humpback Whale Feature Film Screening

Ocean Voyagers at the Music Hall
Sunday, June 14, 2009
3:00 pm

The Seacoast Science Center kicks off a whale-of-a-week with a special screening of the award-winning feature film Ocean Voyagers at the Music Hall in Portsmouth. Chosen to celebrate Animal Planet’s 10th Anniversary at London’s Cadogan Hall, the evocative film sets the stage for the June 20 opening of the Center’s exhibition Tofu: The Journey of a Humpback Whale.

Blue MermaidNarrated by Meryl Streep, Ocean Voyagers provides a startlingly intimate portrait of Humpback life through the eyes of a mother whale as she teaches her baby all he will need to know to survive in the ocean. The film is perfect for families and everyone interested in whales and the sea. A panel discussion follows the film. Ocean Voyagers’ producer Feodor Pitcairn will be joined by Allied Whale Project Director Dan DenDanto, Vicky Cornish, Vice President, Marine Wildlife Conservation of the Ocean Conservancy for a discussion of their work, research and connection to the Tofu exhibit. Feodor was an early pioneer in the use of High-Definition technology in the underwater environment. Dan has been researching Gulf of Maine whales for decades, and helped articulate Tofu’s skeleton. Vicky’s expertise is on human impacts, such as ship strikes and entanglement.

You won’t want to miss seeing one of the world’s most remarkable whale films. Ocean Voyagers won the Best Nature Film Award at the 2008 Jules Verne Adventure Film Festival.

Tickets ($8.50 general admission; $6.50 Music Hall members) are available through The Music Hall at 603-436-2400 or http://www.themusichall.org.