Author: Gael-Lynn Laguerre
November 21, 2023
Here at the FAU Marine Laboratory, our mission goes beyond doing research and caring for loggerheads, leatherbacks, and green sea turtles. We also take great pride in connecting and sharing our marine science discoveries with the public! We encourage these connections through the Glenn W. and Cornelia T. Bailey Marine SEA (Science, Education, the Arts) Scholars program led by Marine Lab director, Jeanette Wyneken, Ph.D., and postdoctoral fellow Chelsea Bennice, Ph.D. This program provides financial assistance to a talented academic group of undergraduate and graduate students who are involved in marine research projects and serve as ambassadors of community outreach at the FAU Marine Lab.
Students who join this program become well-rounded, skilled, and knowledgeable about marine science by (i) participating in established studies at the FAU Marine Research Lab, (ii) engaging in the public education and outreach activities, and by (iii) communicating effectively with public audiences. A unique aspect of this program is the collaborative approach taken to encourage students to use their diverse backgrounds and skill sets in the sciences, education, and the arts in several ways! Accepting candidates with those diverse backgrounds brings a newly creative and inclusive spirit to the program and promotes the development of innovative ways to bring our science to a broad audience. SEA Scholars also grow and strengthen important communication skills while regularly interacting with the public.
Participating in outreach initiatives and public education efforts is a fantastic way for our SEA Scholars to use their effective communication skills! These public events challenge our team to take complex science concepts and make them digestible to audiences of all ages. For example, this fall (2023) our SEA Scholars participated in several outreach events. We attended the Cox Science Center Family Fun Festival, that took place October 14th. About 1,300 attendees came to the event; the SEA Scholars made our science accessible to the entire audience.
In early November, Lake Worth’s LagoonFest also served as a fun time used by the SEA Scholars to interact with the West Palm Beach community and share the latest news about FAU’s marine research initiatives. Later that month the SEA Scholars also traveled almost 100 miles north to Ft. Pierce for the Indian River Lagoon Science Festival to engage with attendees in interactive activities. We stood out among the 71 science exhibitors and over 5,000 attendees who came ready to learn! Many of our interactives at these outreach events were created by our diverse team of SEA Scholars. Examples include our fan-favorite sea turtle Plinko board game “What Sea Turtle Are You”, our marine life photoshoot props, and our interactive 3D rendering of a leatherback swimming from the Marine Lab’s visitor’s gallery toward others at these outreach events. That 3D swimming turtle was made possible by the groundbreaking research taking place at the FAU Marine Lab in collaboration with the DigitalLife 3D model creators and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst!
The wonderful feedback we received from audiences at these events has served to confirm the creativity and success of efforts by the SEA Scholars program to communicate their scientific achievements to the public. We love making waves in marine science education through outreach! The GW & CTB Marine SEA Scholars thrive on creating a more comprehensive understanding of marine science and its significance to the Florida community, the environment, and beyond.
