Ocean Research and Conservation Ireland are delighted to be hosting an online classroom for kids to chat to marine biologists from all over the world and you are invited!
This event is for children of all ages and involves a weekly 30-minute question and answer session with the scientists also presenting a talk about their research and work. These video calls will take place every Monday. The calls will be recorded for their YouTube channel to be enjoyed by a wider audience.
Meet a Marine Biologist Mondays Chat with Scientists from Around the World
O.R.C Ireland are a group of marine researchers and whale experts, who aim to spread public awareness of the diverse variety of marine megafauna in Irish waters and the importance of their conservation. At this time of year, the ORC Ireland group are busy out on boats looking for marine wildlife such as humpback whales but Emer Keaveney – PhD student of UCC and Executive Director of O.R.C. – thought “what better time to run this initiative as all of Ireland is in lock-down and everyone is in isolation”.
Marine Biologists from around the globe have already been lined up to facilitate this unique learning experience. These include Dr. Lindsey Porter from University of St. Andrews, who studies Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins in Hong Kong. Kim Sawicki has also been lined up, and studies whale entanglements in Ireland in collaboration with O.R.C. Ireland and other NGO’s and organisations in the country. Anaïs Remili, a PhD student in Canada, works on pollution and the feeding ecology in killer whales in the north Atlantic. If whales aren’t your thing, Matt Doherty will give a talk on stony coral, seagrass and invasive species. Samantha Sherman has also signed up, who specialises in shark and ray abundance, diversity and behaviour in southeast Asia. These are just a handful of the many marine biologists who have signed on for virtual chats about their specialised topics!
These virtual classrooms are a great opportunity for kids to learn about our oceans during a time where they can’t get outside and explore our shores themselves.
For more information or to sign up to Meet a Marine Biologist Mondays, please email: education.orcireland@gmail.com. For further information on O.R.C. Ireland, you can follow them on both Facebook and Instagram, or visit their website at www.orcireland.ie
Here is a link to Episode 1 with Isabell Ball talking about corals; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciPCnaVLRUc&t=584s
