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Public Outreach, Education, and Extension Projects
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Public Outreach, Education, and Extension Projects

Outreach and Education

Woods Hole Sea Grant gears its outreach and education programs to citizens, educators and students, coastal decision-makers, and ocean science researchers—providing these groups with the tools and skills they need to make connections between ocean science information and ocean issues, in order to apply that knowledge to science-based decision-making.

Two if by Sea
Two if by Sea, the joint newsletter of the two Massachusetts Sea Grant programs, is one vehicle for sharing research results and news of education and outreach programs. Three issues each year help readers and the media stay informed of Sea Grant success stories. For more information, click here.

Low Power Radio as an Outreach Tool
“Welcome to the village of Woods Hole. We know you're here because you're listening to this. We figured you might have a few minutes to kill, so we prepared a little something for you, to tell you about our town.”

So begins Sea Grant’s low power radio (LPR) program that can be heard from the ferry parking lot on 1620 AM. Each year, 375,000 cars and 65,000 trucks travel by ferry from Woods Hole to Martha’s Vineyard, passing through a staging area before boarding the ferry. Thus, the vehicle drivers and passengers are, essentially, a captive audience. Three 10-minute segments, produced by the local National Public Radio station, WCAI-FM, educate and inform locals and tourists about the town and its history. For more information, click here.

Oceans Alive public lectures
Woods Hole is a world-class science town and Sea Grant’s annual public lecture series, “Oceans Alive,” makes marine research accessible and interesting. Since 1989, the lectures have been bringing science to the community, giving scientists an opportunity to share their work with neighbors, colleagues, and students.

Workshops for educators
Ask educators what they like most about WHOI’s “Topics in Oceanography” workshops and an answer you’ll hear frequently is the opportunity to learn about exciting new marine research first-hand, as a way to advance their own personal knowledge of and interest in the field. Geared for middle and high school teachers, workshops offer access to marine scientists who share their work and enthusiasm in a small group setting, encouraging the participants and presenters to share questions, ideas, and experiences about research, science teaching, and exciting students about science by using the ocean as a hook. For more information, click here.

Massachusetts Coastal Training Program
Sea Grant is a partner, along with Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, in the Massachusetts Coastal Training Program (CTP)—part of a national effort to provide coastal decision-makers with the support, skills, and information they need to best manage coastal resources. By conducting a market analysis of training providers and a series of audience needs assessments, the Massachusetts CTP is identifying the training needs, interests, and preferences of coastal decision-makers so that training opportunities can be strategically coordinated statewide. For more information, see www.coastaltraining.org. Photo courtesy of NE-COSEE

Q: What do long-clawed hermit crabs look for when selecting a new shell?

A: Shells coated with the stinging hydroid called Snail Fur, for protection from would-be predators.

Woods Hole Sea Grant’s newest product, Beachcomber’s Companion, is geared for beachcombers of all ages. The set of 50 field cards features marine invertebrates common to the Atlantic coast and provides identification information (features, size), where to find them (dead or alive), and cool facts. A website, www.beachcomberscompanion.net will offer additional web-only cards and links to other great beachcombing information.