2006 Talks

July 11 - The Invasion of the Sea Squirts

Mary Carman, WHOI Geology & Geophysics Department
It has no known predators and its origins are unknown. It grows in colonies, filtering phytoplankton and algae from the water, and attaches to rocks, shellfish, and many other hard surfaces in the marine environment. The invasive sea squirt, a species of Didemnum, is rapidly spreading through marine areas in both hemispheres, including 750 km (more than 460 miles) of the New England shoreline over the last 15 years. Learn about the environmental problems this invasive species might pose and what scientists are doing about it.
» Visit WHOI's Oceanus magazine to learn more

July 18 - Following the Gulf Stream

Phil Richardson, WHOI Physical Oceanography Department
You've heard of it but where does the Gulf Stream's water come from? A fast moving warm current running north from Florida along the US East Coast, the Stream brings a temperate climate to Europe. Learn about the techniques physical oceanographers use to trace the paths of water in the oceans and the special role of ocean eddies in bringing water northward from the Indian Ocean to the Gulf Stream.
» Check out Down to Sea for Science Gulf Stream science feature to learn more

July 25 - Healthy Marine Habitat

George Hampson, WHOI Biology Department
What does a healthy marine habitat mean to you if you like seafood? Our marine habitat can be seriously impacted by us- the general public. How can we help?  Explore bottom living animals and how nature keeps things clean.
» Check out 75th Anniversary employee profile to learn more about George

August 1 - Exploring a Coral Reef Beneath the Waters of Belize

Glen Gawarkiewicz, Physical Oceanography Dept.
Explore a coral atoll with the autonomous under water vehicle REMUS, the Remote Environmental Monitoring UnitS. Find out what scientists are learning about coral reefs through the use of this free-swimming robotic vehicle.

August 8 - Robots Untethered

Amy Kukulya, Applied Ocean Physics & Engineering Dept.
Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) are playing an increasingly vital role in the exploration of our oceans. Explore the AUV world through a look at REMUS, the Remote Environmental Monitoring UnitS. Learn how vehicles swim through the water and take a sneak peak at what they are teaching us.

August 15 - The Artistic Oceanographer: Understanding Phytoplankton

Sheean Haley, Biology Dept.
Did you know a teaspoon of seawater can contain as many as one million tiny plants? Although they are some of the ocean’s smallest inhabitants, phytoplankton make our lives possible, providing roughly half of the world’s oxygen! Come hear about an unusual program to help 5th graders use their artistic skills to understand these important plants and how they survive, and see some for yourself magnified through a microscope.

August 22 - Freeze Frame: My Experiences as a Photojournalist on an Arctic Expedition

Chris Linder, Physical Oceanography Dept.
Ice. Ocean. Atmosphere. At the heart of the Arctic climate system is one of the least studied bodies of water on the planet: the Beaufort Gyre, a slowly swirling bowl of icy water north of Alaska ten times the size of Lake Michigan. Get a photojournalist’s eye view of an expedition to this inhospitable region and learn about the progress scientists are making in studying changes in its climate.

August 29 - Local Jellies: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Erich Horgan, Biology Department
Through images and anecdotes from a jellies researcher, explore a group of animals which are often misunderstood, surprisingly diverse and always beautiful.