Get Involved | Lewes Tour
For anyone intrigued by the ocean or interested in a marine science career, a free tour of the University of Delaware College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment (CEOE) research complex in Lewes is the perfect activity.
Guided tours of the Hugh R. Sharp campus are available year-round.
Tours typically begin with a 20-minute video that showcases some of the many ways CEOE researchers and students are exploring our planet. The video highlights projects involving such topics as wind energy, invasive species, the use of marsh plants for biodiesel fuel, and emissions from oceangoing ships.
Following the video presentation, knowledgeable guides lead visitors on a walking tour of the facilities that house CEOE and Delaware Sea Grant College Program scientists. Visitors will find exhibits showing how researchers study extreme marine environments such as the frigid, ice-covered seas of the Antarctic and the super-heated hydrothermal vents found more than a mile below the sea surface. They also will see how scientists are working to address local issues, such as the impacts of land development on Delaware water quality and wildlife and the anticipated effects of sea-level rise.
CEOE’s multi-screen Google Earth display is often available to touring groups. The Global Visualization Lab shows how scientists are using satellites, surface monitors, and underwater robots to study the ocean environment. Visitors also will have an opportunity to view and learn about the university’s 2-megawatt wind turbine, which powers campus buildings and serves as a research base for wind energy development.
Another stop on the tour is a tropical reef tank, which highlights one of the most bio-diverse communities on Earth. With the rapid deterioration of coral reefs worldwide, the tank provides a springboard for discussions about the causes of and solutions to this global crisis. Additionally, newly developed aquaria illustrate a variety of habitats and marine life in Delaware Bay. Tours also visit a large greenhouse where scientists are investigating salt marsh plants that can withstand rising sea levels and filter land-based pollution before it enters waterways.
In the two-hour tour, led by UD’s docent guides, the discussion is tailored to the interests of each visiting group, which currently may include kids ages 10 and up. Programs are under development for classes of younger children as well.
Public tours take place from June until early September -- at 10 a.m. on Fridays in June and on Tuesdays and Fridays in July, August, and early September. Individuals can call 302-645-4346, no later than noon the day before, to reserve a place.
In addition to scheduled summer public tours, the college hosts year-round private tours for groups of five or more people between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Requests should be made at least one week in advance by calling 302-645-4346, by e-mailing Michelle Scorziello at mkscorzi@udel.edu, or by writing to the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, University of Delaware, CEOE, 700 Pilottown Road, Lewes, DE 19958-1298.
The Hugh R. Sharp Campus is accessible to individuals with disabilities.
