News
SEA to Host Ned Cabot Marine Biodiversity & Conservation Symposium
Sea Education Association
9th Annual Ned Cabot Marine Biodiversity and
Conservation Symposium:
“Sailing Towards a Sustainable Ocean”
Wednesday, June 9, 2021, 1 to 7 pm (EDT)
Thursday, June 10, 2021, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm (EDT)
Via Zoom
This two-day symposium is the capstone experience for students from SEA Semester class C-297, Marine Biodiversity & Conservation. The virtual event includes oral presentations of the students’ science, policy and conservation research to an online panel of invited experts. Presentations will be interspersed with related talks given by some of the invited participants. The public is invited to participate via Zoom. Please note: participants must be muted upon entry.)
About the MBC Program
MBC takes a multidisciplinary approach to ocean education. The program began with a three-week shore component during which students prepared for a five-week research voyage from St. Petersburg, Florida to Woods Hole, Massachusetts. This year’s pandemic-modified MBC program examined science and conservation tools and techniques in the Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs) from the Gulf of Mexico to the Northeastern US, including the Sargasso Sea. The program explored ocean processes that determine patterns in marine productivity and diversity across a number of spatial scales. The influence of climate was examined by comparing ocean conditions among three Large Marine Ecosystems. Student policy research focused largely on how environmental justice, marine biodiversity conservation, and “blue economy” planning work converge and evaluated ways these conceptual threads both extend and conflict with the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, Ocean Literacy principles, plans for the UN Decade for Ocean Science and Sustainable Development, best practices in marine spatial planning, and behavioral science. Additionally, some of the students’ research topics provide a link with past MBC policy subjects that fit SEA interests and capabilities: Sargasso Sea conservation planning, marine plastics reduction via policy and behavior change, and others.
Agenda
Wednesday, June 9
1300: Welcome
1305 -1315: Science-on-the-Ship Introduction
Scientific Research Presentations
1315 – 1335: Mammals
1335 – 1355: DCM (chlorophyll)
1355 – 1410: Halobates
1410 – 1420: Biofouling
1420 – 1435: Questions
1435-1445: Break
1445 – 1515: Aron Stubbins: Marine Plastics
1515 – 1545: Annette Govindarajan: Twilight Zone
1545 – 1555: Break
Scientific Research Presentations
1555 – 1615: Fish
1615 – 1625: Microplastics
1625 – 1640: Seabirds
1640 – 1655: Sediments
1655 – 1710: Questions
1710- 1720: Break
1720 – 1750: Nick Dragone: Microbial Ecology
Scientific Research Presentations
1755 – 1815: Sargassum
1815 – 1830: Water quality
1830 – 1845: pH
1845 – 1900: Questions
1845: Social hour & networking event
Thursday, June 10
0945 – 1000: Welcome and Reflection, Victoria Smith, SEA
1000-1010: Sheri White, Racial Justice Falmouth founder, WHOI engineer: Convergance
Conservation and Management Presentations
1005 – 1015: Marine spatial planning and education for equity
1015 – 1025: Racial demographics of visitors to coastal science and nature sites
1025 – 1035: Questions
Conservation and Management Presentations
1035 – 1045: Oyster and seagrass restoration
1045 – 1055: Ecosystem valuation and environmental justice
1055 – 1105: Questions
1105 – 1115: Break
Conservation and Management Presentations
1115 – 1125: Decarbonizing ports
1125 – 1135: Offshore wind and aquaculture
1135 – 1145: Questions
Conservation and Management Presentations
1145 – 1155: Sargasso Sea conservation
1155 – 1205: Food plastics reduction
1205 – 1215: Questions
1215 – 1225: Break
Conservation and Management Presentations
1225 – 1235: Textile plastics pollution
1235 – 1245: Indigenous rights in coastal waters
1245 – 1255: Questions
1255: Jeff Wescott, StoryMap presentation and final remarks
Sea Education Association is deeply grateful to the Cabot family for their support of the 2021 Ned Cabot Marine Biodiversity & Conservation Sargasso Sea Symposium in Ned’s honor. Thank you also to guests and supporters, and to Corinna Anderson and Katey Christianson for coordinating the meeting, virtual platform and student refreshments.
Contact: Douglas Karlson, Director of Communications, 508-444-1918 | [email protected] | www.sea.edu