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Sharing our science

A pilot coastal science outreach program in Moncton, New Brunswick

By Anne Veniot, Senior Science Advisor, Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre

How does a lobster become big enough for a person to eat? How do sunlight and depth affect marine plants and animals? These are the types of questions a scientist would ask. Answering questions about our coasts and estuaries and the animals that live there is an important part of the work DFO scientists do for Canadians. So as part of the new Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre in Moncton, we’ve started a pilot outreach program to share what we know with junior high students.

We are using animal displays and technology-based activities to give students an opportunity to learn about ecosystems. Students get to observe both preserved and live animals to identify shallow-water species. They also learn about food webs by figuring out who eats who. And we ask students to test water parameters and explore how these affect lobsters.

A colleague from Homarus manned the live species station and offered to let students touch creatures from the live tank. Ewww, gross. But they were game!

A colleague from Homarus manned the live species station and offered to let students touch creatures from the live tank. Ewww, gross. But they were game!

Students tested water samples to find one fit for lobster. This one was too warm. Another, too cool. Ah, this one is just right.

Students tested water samples to find one fit for lobster. This one was too warm. Another, too cool. Ah, this one is just right.

We can’t bring the ocean into our building, so we use ipads and 360 degree videos to explore other parts of our coast. The ipad program allows the user to learn about food webs in deeper water. The virtual reality headsets you see in the photo below-right allow you to feel completely immersed in the 360 degree underwater videos, and if you are using them, you’d better hold on! You need to look all around if you don’t want to miss seeing the North Atlantic right whale!

A scientist was available to each group to provide guidance and to answer any questions the students had.

A scientist was available to each group to provide guidance and to answer any questions the students had.

A photo captures but a moment in time. In fact, these two were swivelling in their chairs and turning their heads all about trying to catch every bit of the dive with Boris using these virtual reality goggles.

A photo captures but a moment in time. In fact, these two were swivelling in their chairs and turning their heads all about trying to catch every bit of the dive with Boris using these virtual reality goggles.

After they’ve gone through the four activities, the students, working in groups, get to showcase what they’ve learned by creating an ecosystem and presenting it to their class. At the end of the session, we hope that the students have gained a deeper knowledge of coastal science, and that some might one day pursue a career that takes advantage of our great coast.

There are many careers paths you can choose to help answer questions about the ocean. What would you like to do? There are choices in science, like becoming a technician, a computer programmer or a research project leader. Scientists also need help from other experts, such as educators, photographers and fish harvesters. People need to come together to study our coasts and explore what the ocean has to offer!

We’d like to give a big Thank You to the DFO scientists and our partners at Ocean School, Homarus and Ingenium. Thank you to students from Beaverbrook School in Moncton, Riverview East Middle School and Abbey-Landry School in Memramcook, New Brunswick for sharing this experience with us and making it better for future visitors!

Scientists love being able to share what they know and hope the students leave with a better understanding of our coasts and estuaries.

Scientists love being able to share what they know and hope the students leave with a better understanding of our coasts and estuaries.

These are the logos of our partners in the Pilot Outreach Program: Ocean School, Ingenium and Homarus.

These are the logos of our partners in the Pilot Outreach Program: Ocean School, Ingenium and Homarus.

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