Life & Ocean Science
In most parts of the Northern Hemisphere, summer is swiftly approaching. In South Texas, it’s already here (hello 90°F weather… I feel your presence ☹ ). For me, summer can only mean one thing – Summer Camp! I haven’t written too extensively on the topic, but I think most people know by now that I... Continue Reading →
I had an interesting conversation yesterday with a coworker. We had both spent the morning judging a local middle school science fair. Part of the judging involved voting on which project earned first, second and third place for each grade. This proved to be uncharacteristically difficult, as each judge had very different opinions. After a... Continue Reading →
In continuation of my two earlier posts about getting involved in inspiring the next generation, without further ado, I give you Mentoring: Easy Mode! Go Online Use your social media for good - show the daily life of or behind the scenes of your STEM career. Show off your lab or field research. Guest star... Continue Reading →
In continuation of yesterday's post about getting involved in inspiring the next generation, without further ado, I give you Mentoring: Intermediate Mode! Get Involved in Outreach Ok, so as much as you would really love to, you just don't have the time to be mentor. I get it - it is a huge commitment! That... Continue Reading →
Happy (Belated) National Stem Day! Just recently we celebrated National STEM Day, where we celebrate the achievements of those in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). It is also the day where we renew our commitment to inspiring the next generation to follow in our footsteps. In my life, everyday is STEM Day! In... Continue Reading →
There is a myth in the education and STEM world that young children cannot learn higher order skills like data collection or animal classification. Many people say it is too much for them to grasp. In my experience, they absolutely can! Children in the 3 to 6 year old range are naturally extremely curious and... Continue Reading →
According to National Geographic, this week was whale shark day! And who am I to argue? I personally have not yet had the pleasure of encountering them in the wild, but they are definitely one of my very favorite marine organisms. Seeing one of these gentle giants in person would complete my life! While their... Continue Reading →
Yes, I just used the term ‘boiling hot’ to describe the deep ocean. And no, it is not a typo. While the vast majority of the deep ocean is indeed very cold, that is not true for its entirety. Along major ocean basins lie long series of underwater mountains, or ridges. Along these ridges scientists... Continue Reading →
This summer has been INCREDIBLY busy. Starting in June, work has been ground zero of one of the largest summer camps in the entire area. Each week for 11 weeks, about 80 kids ranging in age from 4 years old to 18 years old descends upon the aquarium en masse. It’s 11 weeks of pure... Continue Reading →
Simulated Sea Surface Rising As I discussed in my previous post, Teaching Tricky Topics, climate change can be a very tricky subject to teach. But rather than shy away from it, I recommend being strategic about it. By focusing only on the strictly scientific principles involved, using hands-on activities students can experience with their own... Continue Reading →
Salt Water in My Veins 