Credit: Webb Research Corp., Falmouth, Mass.

Public Lecture: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Our world’s coastal ocean is responding to both the growing pressure of increasing human populations and the effects of global climate change. New sensing technologies called ocean observatories are transforming the way oceanographers explore the ocean, and how they monitor ecosystem health. Scott Glenn will introduce the concept of the Networked Ocean World, describing how new technologies are enabling Internet-based ocean exploration and how we are using it to build a new global community of ocean scientists and educators to better understand our planet.

Professional Development: 11:00 am -1:00 pm
This session will focus on the engineering aspects of ocean observatories and Rutgers COOL technology platforms. Work with educators and engineers from Stevens Institute of Technology and the Beacon Institute to learn how to use simple models (like Legos) to teach engineering and marine science concepts. Middle school educators are encouraged to attend.

Liesl Hotaling, Educator

Credit: NASA Glenn Research Center (NASA-GRC)

Public Lecture: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Fundamentally, two major scientific questions puzzle us all: How did life come to exist of Earth? Are we alone in the Universe? In this lecture, Paul Falkowski, who has a long-standing interest in astrobiology and origins of life, will discuss recent scientific advances and future space-based missions that address if we are alone and when, where, and how life evolved on Earth.

Professional Development: 11:00 am -1:00 pm
This session will be a hands-on approach to understanding and discussing the true nature of science. We will explore through case study examples what distinguishes fact from theory. We will explain scientific inquiry and how it works as a continuing chain of questioning testing, and matching theories to observations. All grade levels are welcome and pre-registration is required.

Crystal DiBetta, Educator

Public Lecture: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Dr. Paul Jivoff will be the “Dr. Phil” relationships expert of our ocean. Join Paul as he explores the life cycle of a variety of marine species and the many strange and interesting interactions that occur among and between species.

Professional Development: 11:00 am -1:00 pm
Kathy Johnston, our Artist in Residence, will lead an art class to encourage accurate observation and illustration of marine organisms. The class will focus on relationships and connections between organisms. Workshop will be limited to 20 teachers. Pre-registration is required.

Kathy Johnston, Artist

Laura Dunbar, Educator

Credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Department of Commerce

Public Lecture: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
A decade ago, we debated it. Now, climate experts reporting for the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) say with more than 90% certainty that global warming is caused by human activities. Their recent reports detail this overwhelming scientific consensus and warns that larger and faster changes in climate may lie in our future. Come and listen to Tony Broccoli explain climate change from a New Jersey perspective.

Professional Development: 11:00 am -1:00 pm
In this session we will focus on evidence of climate change in the metropolitan area and discuss how to lead meaningful discussions on climate change in your classroom. We will share relevant classroom resources and lesson plans.

Lecture Resources

• Video Clips and Slides from the Lecture
• Online Resources and Activities

Laura Dunbar, Educator

Public Lecture: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Bigger is better, right? Well, if we’re talking about desserts and bank accounts many people would probably agree with that statement. But what about things that are small – really small? Are they ever important or valuable or interesting? Well, if you’re talking about the smallest living organisms on our planet, then the answer is a resounding yes!

Jim Ammerman is a marine microbiologist who studies the smallest organisms that live in the ocean: microbes and bacteria. Come join us at our next PulseTalks presentation as Jim shows us just how abundant these microorganisms are and why they are critically important to life on Earth.

Professional Development: 11:00 am -1:00 pm
Recommended Grade Levels: 6-12)
Marine microorganisms, especially bacteria, are essential to providing the organic material that allows the marine food web to function. Of course, bacteria can not function without the many enzymes they produce to break-down and digest food. Activities that demonstrate how bacteria use enzymes and the role bacteria and other microbes play in the marine environment will be shared.

Also, during this workshop we will showcase a new curriculum on Marine Microbes that will be launched on the newly redesigned COOL Classroom web site (www.coolclassroom.org). Details on an upcoming pilot study of this technology-based program, which will include a sizable stipend ($1,000+) for participating teachers, will be announced. High school or advanced middle school teachers who are interested in learning and teaching more about marine microbes, bacteria and enzymes are strongly encouraged to attend.

Lead by Laura Dunbar & Tanya Podchaski (classroom educator), Janice McDonnell (education specialist) & Ravit Golan-Duncan (education professor)

Public Lecture: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
What happens to the carbon dioxide introduced by fossil fuels into our world’s atmosphere? Estimates are that half of all carbon dioxide produced by humans since the industrial revolution has dissolved into the world's ocean. Liz Sikes will discuss how these increased inputs of carbon dioxide are changing the ocean today and how these increases affect the ocean’s chemistry and the organisms that call it home.

Dr. Elisabeth Sikes

Professional Development: 11:00 am - 1:15 pm
(Recommended Grade Levels: 7-12)
In this session we will focus on carbon dioxide gas: how it makes the world a comfortable place to live through its role in creating the greenhouse effect, why it dissolves so well in seawater, and how we use it to track changes in the climate and atmosphere of the past.

Lecture Resources

• Video Clips and Slides from the Lecture
• Online Resources and Activities
• Photosynthesis Presentation (2.8 MB ppt)
• Foram Fun Presentation (20.8 MB ppt)
• Foram Fun Worksheet (1.5 MB ppt)
• How to Order GEMS Guides

Laura Dunbar (classroom educator), Janice Mcdonnell (marine educator), and Sindia Sosdian (marine graduate student)

Halloween Special: "What Scares Me About the Ocean?"
Program for kids ages 3-10
Two Shows: 11:00 am and 1:30 pm
This will be a musical program for families about strange and scary (but not really scary!) things in the ocean. Kids and their parents will learn about the ocean through song and movement. It will be a fun and engaging way to learn about the ocean.

Professional Development: 3:00 am - 4:30 pm
(Recommended Grade Levels: K-6)
We will focus on the interdisciplinary nature of marine science and show you how you can teach science through literature, the arts, and physical education.

Chris Rowland, Singer and Song Writer

Crystal Dibetta & Robert Causton, Educators

Credit: NASA, MODIS Rapid Response Center/Marine Photobank

Public Lecture: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Few natural events underscore human insignificance like the rise and fall of coastal storms. They are news before they happen, while they are happening, and sometimes for years after. David Robinson, New Jersey 's State Climatologist, will describe on how scientists use observations in the ocean and atmosphere to understand and predict coastal storms.

Dr. David Robinson

Professor, Rutgers University and State Climatologist

Professional Development: 11:00 am -1:00 pm
This session will focus on the intimate connection between our weather, climate, and the ocean. We will provide relevant lesson plans and classroom resources that are standards based and focus on the nature of science. Please contact the Administrator of Education Resource (Renee) at 201-253-1322 to register.

Lecture Resources

• Video clips and slides from the Lecture
• Online Resources and Activities

Julie Shutz, Educator