outreach_layman

Outreach

I am lucky to be involved in a massive community-based mangrove restoration on Grand Bahamas Island. Much more to come on this.

Visit a website I previously maintained, Abaco Scientist, a source for linking scientists and stakeholders on research and environmental conservation topics in The Bahamas.

Also, see information on Bahamas creek restoration here, here and here.

At North Carolina State University, I had a lab that was active in supporting outreach and education. Some examples of these efforts are listed below.

2017

  • Guest lecture at a Bahamian high school on fish biology and dissection (30 participants).
  • Keynote speaker for the Abaco Science Science Fair (~200 participants).
  • Multiple presentations in North Carolina and The Abacos for Sharks4Kids (300 participants combined).
  • Talks to school groups and fishers on Isle a Vache in Haiti. (~250 participants).
  • Teaching of “Turtle Tuesday” weekly children’s education talks dealing with sea turtle science and conservation, Antigua, West Indies (5-20 participants).
  • Facilitation of “Turtle Watches” – firsthand hawksbill sea turtle nesting experiences promoting conservation in Antigua, West Indies (~300 participants).
  • Multiple lectures and one-on-one mentoring opportunities for students in The Bahamas and other Caribbean countries (for example see this post).
  • Co-developed curriculum for high school students with Khaled Bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (example post here).
  • Bonefish & Tarpon Trust Science Symposium: “A closer look at a mangrove die-off: A case study from Abaco, The Bahamas” Oral presentation.
  • Hosted a North Carolina School of Math and Science high school student.
  • Contributor to Living Oceans Foundation: “Disease in the trees: a scientist searches for the cause of mangrove die-off” (https://www.livingoceansfoundation.org/disease-in-the-trees-mangrove-die-off/).

2016

  • Development of an educational video about fisheries of Haiti.
  • Nine talks, including educational poster donations, for schools in Haiti (~200 participants).
  • Working with fishers of Haiti to augment fisheries through construction of artificial reefs (20 participants).
  • Sponsored a high school from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics for the fall term.
  • Interviewed for a shark conservation article in the fall 2016 ‘Abaco Life’ an island magazine.
  • Invited talks for shark conservation with Friends of the Environment on Great Abaco Island and Green Turtle Cay, The Bahamas (70 participants).
  • Teaching of education module for sea turtle and marine conservation to GROW summer camp for elementary school students in Antigua, West Indies (~40 participants).
  • Teaching of “Turtle Tuesday” weekly children’s education talks dealing with sea turtle science and conservation, Antigua, West Indies (5-20 participants).
  • Facilitation of “Turtle Watch” – firsthand hawksbill sea turtle nesting experiences promoting conservation to locals and tourists in Antigua, West Indies (~300 participants).
  • Poster presentation at NC State’s Undergraduate Research Symposium (over 500 participants). More information here
  • Teaching with Shad in the Classroom Project at Wake Forest Middle School, reviewing  fish biology and anatomy with hands-on fish dissections (95 participants) More information here
  • Shark Outreach on Great Abaco Island with Sharks4Kids  at four public schools with students ages 3-16 (200 participants). More information here
  • Poster presentation at Abaco Science Alliance Conference (100 participants). More information here and here
  • Oral Presentations at Abaco Science Alliance Conference (100 participants). More information here and here
  • Development of lab activities for Island Investigator course for ages 13-16 with Friends of the Environment. More information here
  • Teen science cafe presentation to high school students (50 participants). More information here.

2015

  • An extensive fisher-based outreach program in Haiti. We have had community meetings with ~200 participants in total. About 20 people have been directly involved with constructing artificial reefs with us.
  • Developed an educational poster for students in Haiti, and have presented the poster in classrooms allowing us to directly interact with as many as 200 students.
  • Co-coordinator of the Annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Lionfish Research Symposium (>100 participants).
  • Project Manager of the Invasive Lionfish Web Portal. More information here
  • Developed and taught Friends of the Environment summer field course for ages 15-18+ (6 participants). More information here
  • Project leader for “Drone diaries of the Bahamas” Save Our Seas Foundation projects. More information here
  • Regular contributor to Johnson Outdoors “Adventure out on the Water” blog. More information here
  • Guest speaker at NC State’s Student Fisheries Society meeting (30 participants). More information here
  • Science Judge Volunteer for NC Blue Heron Bowl (75 participants). More information here
  • Help coordinate and co-sponsored the Central Abaco lionfish derby (50 participants). More information here
  • Co-sponsor and instructor for the BREEF teaching training workshop on San Salvador (30 participants). More information here
  • Article in Bahamas Coastal Angler Magazine. More information here
  • Coordinated and sponsored the Abaco Mangrove Survey citizen science project (40 participants). More information here
  • Volunteered at the Green Turtle and Marsh Harbour lionfish derbies (90 participants).
  • Science advisors for Paralax Film on Bahamas Blue TV series. More information here
  • Five community meetings with Haiti fisherman on Ile a Vache (>200 participants). More information here
  • Community meeting on seagrass research in Little Harbour community, Abaco (15 participants).