Ocean Today is an interactive kiosk displaying short videos aimed at increasing ocean literacy. Visitors select and watch videos from one of four theme areas: Ocean News, Ocean Life, Ocean Science and Technology, and Discoveries. Content is geared toward a general family audience and is aligned with the Essential Principles of Ocean Sciences.

The Ocean Today kiosks are located at the Sant Ocean Hall in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and at 19 aquariums and learning centers in the US and Mexico with a potential viewing audience of 20+ million.

Please visit the Ocean Today website for full details on editorial guidelines, the submission process, and deliverable requirements or contact:

Katie Snider, Executive Producer
301-713-3010 x 152
oceankiosk@noaa.gov

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Previous School of Rocker Mike Passow and former Educator at Sea Doug LaVigne will be sharing the world of scientific ocean drilling on the JOIDES Resolution at this year’s Weatherfest celebration.

For more details visit:

http://www.ametsoc.org/MEET/ANNUAL/weatherfest.html

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(Click to enlarge image) Julie Pollard

For Immediate Release

(Washington, DC) – Julie Ann Pollard has spent years teaching science to 7^th and 8^th graders in Texas, but for two months in late 2009, she’ll get a chance to really live it – as the Onboard Education Officer for Expedition 317 of the JOIDES Resolution, the scientific ocean drilling and research vessel supported by the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP).

Expedition 317, known as the Canterbury Basin Sea Level project, sets sail on November 8, 2009 from Townsville, Australia and returns to shore on January 4, 2009 in Wellington, New Zealand.  More than 30 scientists from around the world will embark on this two-month expedition, collecting and analyzing geological data to investigate the history of global sea level change over the last 30 million years.  The expedition’s science party will travel to the Canterbury Basin, which lies off the eastern coast of the South Island of New Zealand, to recover sediment samples from as deep as 1,700 meters beneath the seafloor.

As the Onboard Education Officer for Expedition 317, Pollard will have the opportunity to learn shipboard science alongside the expedition’s science party and translate her learning experiences for students, families and the general public through the creation of blogs, live video conferencing from the ship and classroom activities.

(Click to enlarge image) IODP Expedition 317 - Canterbury Basin Sea Level project

Pollard teaches 7^th and 8^thgrade science at Watauga Middle School in Watauga, Texas.  She earned her Bachelor of Science in Geology, cum laude, from the University of Texas at Arlington, and has taught in Texas middle schools since 2002.  She was selected as Onboard Education Officer for Expedition 317 through a competitive, nationwide application and interview process.

“Julie impressed us with her enthusiasm and dedication to her students, many of whom have never had the opportunity to travel far from home – even virtually – or to participate in projects like this before,” said Sharon Cooper, assistant director of Deep Earth Academy. “We are excited to have her on board and look forward to all that she will accomplish during the Canterbury Basin Expedition.”  Deep Earth Academy, including the Onboard Education Officer program, is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation.

For more information about Expedition 317, click here.  To follow along with Pollard’s shipboard reports during the expedition, visit www.joidesresolution.org.

About Consortium for Ocean Leadership

Ocean Leadership is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization that represents 95 of the leading public and private ocean research education institutions, aquaria and industry with the mission to advance research, education and sound ocean policy. The organization also manages ocean research and education programs in areas of scientific ocean drilling, ocean observing, ocean exploration and ocean partnerships.

About the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program

The JOIDES Resolution is a research vessel with unique capabilities for exploring and monitoring the subseafloor; it operates as part of the international Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP). IODP is supported by two lead agencies, the U.S. National Science Foundation and Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology. Additional program support comes from the European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling (ECORD), India (Ministry of Earth Sciences), the People’s Republic of China (Ministry of Science and Technology), the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, and the Australian-New Zealand IODP Consortium.  The U.S. Implementing Organization (USIO) for IODP is comprised of Texas A&M University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, and the Consortium for Ocean Leadership. The JOIDES Resolution is now poised to help IODP continue to push the envelope of science by collecting unique subseafloor samples and data that would otherwise remain out of reach to researchers.  For more information, click here.

###

For more information or interviews, contact:

Matthew E. Wright
Communications Manager, Scientific Ocean Drilling Programs
Consortium for Ocean Leadership
+1-202-448-1254
mwright@oceanleadership.org

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JR Expedition 324: Shatsky Rise

One of the most fundamental questions of modern geodynamics is the process of mantle convection and its impact on Earth’s surface through volcanism. The greatest source of nonocean-ridge volcanism appears to be massive eruptions that formed oceanic plateaus. A widely accepted hypothesis for this kind of volcanism is that it results from the head of a starting plume, which rises from the deep mantle, spreads out beneath the lithosphere, and melts in a massive outpouring of volcanic activity. Despite the wide acceptance of this hypothesis, a convincing case for a plume head origin has never been made for any oceanic plateau.

Click here for more information.

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JR Expedition 324: Shatsky Rise

One of the most fundamental questions of modern geodynamics is the process of mantle convection and its impact on Earth’s surface through volcanism. The greatest source of nonocean-ridge volcanism appears to be massive eruptions that formed oceanic plateaus. A widely accepted hypothesis for this kind of volcanism is that it results from the head of a starting plume, which rises from the deep mantle, spreads out beneath the lithosphere, and melts in a massive outpouring of volcanic activity. Despite the wide acceptance of this hypothesis, a convincing case for a plume head origin has never been made for any oceanic plateau.

Click here for more information.

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UVI research biological oceanographer and professor in the Marine and Environmental Science masters program, Dr Nasseer Idrisi

From caribbeannetnews.com

ST THOMAS, USVI — This fall, freshman students at the University of the Virgin Islands will experience a new twist on a UVI staple – attending classes via videoconference. While the University routinely uses videoconferencing technology to connect instructors on one campus with students on the other, students enrolled in all sections of the fall semester’s Science 100 course will be treated to regular presentations by Dr Nasseer Idrisi who will be broadcasting from the decks of a research vessel steaming from Japan to Australia.

Dr Idrisi, UVI research biological oceanographer and professor in the Marine and Environmental Science masters program, was selected to fill the “HBCU Educator” post for an international research project that will study an ocean plateau located about 900 miles east of Japan. The plateau – a large area of raised ocean bottom – is known as the Shatsky Rise.

In his position as a teacher at sea, Dr. Idrisi will have the opportunity to learn shipboard science alongside the expedition’s science party and translate his learning experiences for students, their families and the general public through the creation of blogs, live videoconferencing from the ship and other classroom activities.

The Shatsky Rise project is organized by the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) and sponsored by the Consortium for Ocean Leadership, a Washington, DC-based non-profit organization that promotes advanced research, education and sound ocean policy. Consortium members include the United States, Japan, China, South Korea and the European Union.

The University of the Virgin Islands is the only one of the nation’s HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) located outside the continental United States.

Dr Idrisi said he’s “excited about the opportunity to further education in science in the USVI and at other HBCUs.” His home for two months – from Sept. 4 through Nov. 4 – will be the 470-foot ocean drilling ship named the JOIDES Resolution. (JOIDES stands for Joint Oceanographic Institutions for Deep Earth Sampling.)

A veteran of other, though shorter, research cruises in the Caribbean, Florida Bay and the Bahamas, Dr Idrisi expects his role on this cruise to be a completely new experience. While he is trained in oceanography, the Shatsky Rise project will mainly involve geological studies. “I’ll be more of a conduit, sharing what I see,” he said. “I’ll be asking lots of questions.”

UVI President Dr LaVerne Ragster has congratulated Dr Idrisi on the appointment. “This is a national recognition and we are very proud of your accomplishment,” Dr Ragster said. “Thank you for your contributions to the success of UVI and to the fulfillment of our mission.”

According to Dr Idrisi, the project’s scientific goal is to shed light on the geological processes that form ocean plateaus known as rises. “One idea is that the rises are formed through the movement of plate tectonics – that’s the accepted model now,” he said. “But some say that a rise may be formed through volcanic activity. And, because oceanic rises are huge, they could be the result of super-volcanic activity.” He said the ship’s main research technique will be to drill into the rise and take core samples that the project’s 24 scientists will examine for clues of the history, sources and evolution of the rise.

Dr Idrisi said he would soon be visiting the Ocean Leadership headquarters for general project orientation and training in the use of Twitter (real-time texting) and Face Book, Internet-based social media applications that he’ll use to share his shipboard experiences.

Along with the ongoing telecommuting sessions with UVI Science 100 students and his regular graduate students, Dr Idrisi said he hopes to use the project to expand outreach to the full range of Virgin Islands students in grades K through 12. “I think this kind of connecting to the community is a hallmark of UVI and of VI-EPSCoR, the Virgin Islands Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.”

Much more on the Shatsky Rise voyage (IODP Expedition 324), including background, photos of the ship and the scientists and sailing schedules, is available from the Ocean Leadership web site: http://www.oceanleadership.org/.

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Teacher at Sea - Douglas LaVigne

Physics teacher Douglas LaVigne will soon be leaving the classroom for the open sea.  After a competitive, nationwide application and interview process, LaVigne was selected as the Teacher at Sea on Expedition 323 of the JOIDES Resolution, the recently refurbished drilling and research vessel supported by the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP).

Scientific expeditions on the JOIDES Resolution resumed in March 2009.  Lavigne will be participating in the Bering Sea project which departs on July 5, 2009 from Victoria, British Columbia and ends on September 4, 2009 in Yokohama, Japan.

LaVigne, of Acworth, Ga., is a physics teacher at South Cobb High School in Austell, Ga.  At the school, which has approximately 2,200 students in grades nine through 12, LaVigne has coached soccer, worked with the science and robotics clubs along with a club that allows the students to assist in rescuing abandoned and abused pets.  Prior to becoming a teacher, LaVigne obtained a Bachelors degree in Secondary Education and a Masters in Education from Kennesaw State University.

“Teaching science is about more than learning facts and formulas,” said LaVigne.  “It is a process which helps us understand the natural world, and sometimes we lose sight of that process when we teach.  I have made it a goal to get involved in doing science, and bring that to my students.  By seeing how science and scientists work, I hope I can inspire my students to pursue a career in science or at least leave high school with a better understanding of what science does and can do for us.”

Through the Teacher at Sea program, LaVigne will have the opportunity to learn shipboard science alongside the expedition’s science party and translate his learning experiences for students, families and the general public through the creation of blogs, live video conferencing from the ship and classroom activities.

“Douglas impressed us with his enthusiasm for his students, passion for teaching, strong science background, multitude of ideas and comfort level with new technologies,” said Sharon Cooper, assistant director of Deep Earth Academy. “We are excited to have him on board and look forward to all that he will accomplish during the Bering Expedition.”

For more information on Expedition 323, click here.

About Consortium for Ocean Leadership

Ocean Leadership is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization that represents 95 of the leading public and private ocean research education institutions, aquaria and industry with the mission to advance research, education and sound ocean policy. The organization also manages ocean research and education programs in areas of scientific ocean drilling, ocean observing, ocean exploration and ocean partnerships.

About Integrated Ocean Drilling Program

The JOIDES Resolution is a research vessel with unique capabilities for exploring and monitoring the subseafloor; it operates as part of the international Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP). IODP is supported by two lead agencies, the U.S. National Science Foundation and Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology. Additional program support comes from the European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling (ECORD), India (Ministry of Earth Sciences), the People’s Republic of China (Ministry of Science and Technology), the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, and the Australian-New Zealand IODP Consortium.  The U.S. Implementing Organization (USIO) for IODP is comprised of Texas A&M University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, and the Consortium for Ocean Leadership. The JOIDES Resolution is now poised to help IODP continue to push the envelope of science by collecting unique subseafloor samples and data that would otherwise remain out of reach to researchers.  For more information, click here.

For more information or interviews, contact:

Kristin Mellon
202-787-1644
kmellon@oceanleadership.org

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(Click to enlarge image) Dr. Rice spent seven weeks on board the research vessel JOIDES Resolution as part of a science team that studied hydrogeology and biology on the east flank of Juan de Fuca ridge.

SAINT PAUL, MN – Dr. Jonathan Rice is a high school science teacher from Chester, VT who in 2004 had a first-hand experience as a Teacher at Sea onboard an international scientific expedition that is part of an oceanographic and undersea geologic research program that has transformed what we know about our planet. Earlier this month he addressed a gathering of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) during their 2005 National Congress on Science Education in Saint Paul, MN. During the school year, Dr. Rice provides a bridge between his students and the scientific exploration of his ocean-going endeavor. At the educators’ gathering, he served as that bridge for the science teachers.

Dr. Rice spent seven weeks on board the research vessel JOIDES Resolution as part of a science team that studied hydrogeology and biology on the east flank of Juan de Fuca ridge.

” It was an honor to be invited to address the NTSA and to be recognized for my participation in the Teacher at Sea program,” said Rice. The NSTA’s annual Congress is a summit of delegates from each of the Association’s 94 chapters and associated groups. Dr. Rice introduced special event keynote speaker Dr. Paul J. Fox, director of science operations at the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) at Texas A&M University, who gave a presentation on IODP’s work titled “History of Our Planet Revealed: Stories Only Rocks Can Tell.”

Among Dr. Rice’s many goals for his Teacher at Sea experience has been to complete a series of shipboard laboratory briefs designed to describe the various areas of scientific research conducted on his expedition. The laboratory briefs, recently posted online at http://www.iodp-usio.org/Education/lab_briefs.html, are now a valuable resource for all science teachers, their students, and scientists preparing to set sail on upcoming research expeditions.

Expeditions under the IODP and its predecessor programs have validated the theory of plate tectonics, provided virtually everything we know about the Earth’s climate older than 500,000 years ago and recovered evidence of the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

The U.S. sponsored Teacher at Sea program provides educators an opportunity to participate in IODP expeditions. Teachers work side-by-side with scientists using state-of-the-art approaches to solve scientific problems of global interest and gain first-hand knowledge of the results of seagoing science expeditions.

The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) is an international marine research drilling program dedicated to advancing scientific understanding of the Earth by monitoring and sampling subseafloor environments. Through multiple platforms, scientists explore IODP’s principal themes: the deep biosphere, environmental change, and solid earth cycles. IODP drilling platforms are operated by the Joint Oceanographic Institutions Alliance (JOI, Texas A&M University, and Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University), Japan’s Center for Deep Earth Exploration, and the European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling. IODP’s initial 10-year, $1.5 billion program is supported by two lead agencies, the U.S. National Science Foundation and Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology; by ECORD, and China’s Ministry of Science and Technology.

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