Science Teams Enthusiastically Share Research at Festivals and Family Events
– JUNE 20, 2017
What’s one thing that makes scientists happy? Talking about their work! And what better way to do that but in a fun and light-hearted atmosphere where people of all ages gather for a good time.
Recently, researchers and outreach staff from Consortia funded by the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) participated in a variety of events to share science related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Here’s a picture tour that shows teams helping the public learn more about Gulf of Mexico research.
 The RECOVER team is ready to have a good time sharing their science about mahi-mahi and red fish at the Rock the Ocean’s Tortuga Music Festival on Ft Lauderdale Beach, FL. The three-day music festival designates an area dubbed “Conservation Village” for attendees to learn about important marine issues and how they can help. Photo by RECOVER. |
 The ECOGIG Ocean Discovery Zone provides activity stations that give information about the oil spill and healthy ocean ecosystems. Here at the 2017 Philadelphia Science Carnival, visitors take part in a deep sea coral Build*Draw*Learn station. Photo by ECOGIG. |
 ECOGIG marine scientists from Temple University talk about the tools they use to collect information about deep water ecosystems. Here, a student drives a model ROV (remotely operated vehicle) at the 2017 Philadelphia Science Carnival. Photo by ECOGIG. |
 CARTHE showcased their science in their third Tortuga Music Festival by Rock the Ocean, which hosted over 90,000 country music fans on Ft. Lauderdale Beach, FL. Photo by CARTHE |
 Visitors at Rock the Ocean’s Tortuga Music Festival learned about CARTHE drift cards. Here, folks color their own design on drift cards used for the Bay Drift project. Photo by CARTHE. |
 The DEEPEND team is ready to share their deep ocean research at the Rock the Ocean’s Tortuga Musical Festival’s Conservation Village. Photo by DEEPEND. |
 Visitors at the DEEPEND booth at the Rock the Ocean’s Tortuga Music Festival learned about fascinating sea life found in the deep sea. Photo by DEEPEND. |
 RECOVER took their science out of the lab for kids and parents to experience firsthand at Tortuga Musical Festival’s Conservation Village. Photo by RECOVER. |
 The RECOVER team at the 2017 Ocean Kids event talk about mahi-mahi and red fish research for a local media outlet. Photo by RECOVER. |
 Kids at the 2017 Ocean Kids event flocked to the RECOVER interactive stations where they learned about mahi-mahi and red fish research. Photo by RECOVER. |
 ECOGIG outreach staff and graduate students visited Trip Elementary in Grayson, GA to share the Ocean Discovery Zone with students and families at their 2017 family STEM night. The annual event draws a large crowd of people including over 300 kids. Photo by ECOGIG. |
 Kids at the Trip Elementary family STEM night drive a model ROV (remotely operated vehicle) and become an honorary member of the ECOGIG ROV pilot team. Photo by ECOGIG. |
 CARTHE has partnered with Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Frost Museum of Science, and the Miami Science Barge for public involvement in research. Here, families paint drift cards which will be released as part of the CARTHE Drift Card Study tracking pollution in Biscayne Bay. Photo by CARTHE. |
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This research was made possible in part by grants from the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) to the Consortium for Advanced Research on Transport of Hydrocarbon in the Environment II (CARTHE II), the Deep-Pelagic Nekton Dynamics of the Gulf of Mexico (DEEPEND) consortium, the Ecosystem Impacts of Oil and Gas Inputs to the Gulf (ECOGIG) consortium, and the Relationship of Effects of Cardiac Outcomes in Fish for Validation of Ecological Risk (RECOVER) consortium.
The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) is a 10-year independent research program established to study the effect, and the potential associated impact, of hydrocarbon releases on the environment and public health, as well as to develop improved spill mitigation, oil detection, characterization and remediation technologies. An independent and academic 20-member Research Board makes the funding and research direction decisions to ensure the intellectual quality, effectiveness and academic independence of the GoMRI research. All research data, findings and publications will be made publicly available. The program was established through a $500 million financial commitment from BP. For more information, visit https://gulfresearchinitiative.org/.
© Copyright 2010-2017 Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) – All Rights Reserved. Redistribution is encouraged with acknowledgement to the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI). Please credit images and/or videos as done in each article. Questions? Contact web-content editor Nilde “Maggie” Dannreuther, Northern Gulf Institute, Mississippi State University (maggied@ngi.msstate.edu).
