National Marine Educators Association (NMEA) Conference – Charleston, SC
Ms. Sutton presented three classroom activities during the 2017 NMEA Conference. Each of these activities was developed through her participation in MBARI’s EARTH Workshop:
“Penguin Dynamics along the Antarctic Peninsula” guided conference attendees to access LTER (Long-Term Ecological Research) data to investigate changes observed in the population dynamics of 3 species of penguins along the Antarctic Peninsula.
“Using Mobile Apps to Track Marine Critters” demonstrated the use of OCEARCH and JellyWatch applications for classroom and citizen science initiatives. Two activities, designed for use with these apps, were also reviewed. “Tag! You’re It” demonstrated access to OCEARCH metadata that can be used to explore migratory patterns of sharks. “Citizen Science Using JellyWatch” modeled the use of this application in tracking the global movement of jellies.
The Big Island – Hawai’i
Ms. Sutton returned to the Kona Coast to explore The Big Island once more this summer. One of her adventures took her from sea level to the summit of the tallest mountain in the world, Mauna Kea Observatory. Ms. Sutton explored Mauna Kea to learn about the technologies used to collect astronomy and climate data.
EARTH Workshop – Monterey, CA
Ms. Sutton participated in a workshop at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) in Central California this summer. The workshop was a collaboration between MBARI’s EARTH Program (Educators And Researchers Testing Hypotheses), Rutger’s Polar-ICE Project (Polar Interdisciplinary Coordinated Education), and the Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations.
Scientists from these institutions presented their research and data while collaborating with EARTH teachers to develop classroom activities that increase the broader impacts for science outreach. The workshop also included a tour of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center and a kayak tour along the coast of Santa Cruz.
Coastal Science Summer Camp for Adults
Ms. Sutton ended her summer adventures with a summer camp for adults at the Rachel Carson Reserve in Beaufort, NC. Two days of hands-on activities taught educators how to conduct conservation science such as tracking wildlife and estimating population sizes. Other topics included managing marine debris and conservation of the rare Crystal Skipper butterfly. The camp also included a field trip to Fort Macon State Park and the Rachel Carson Reserve.