What's it like to fly into a hurricane or explore shipwrecks on the ocean floor? Find out at two different lecture series on Coast Day at the University of Delaware's Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes. Sponsored by the College of Marine Studies and Delaware Sea Grant, Coast Day will be held, rain or shine, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Sunday, October 2.
Terry Hart, director of engineering and operations for AT&T's satellite network and former NASA astronaut, will launch the lecture series being held in the Harbor Room of the Virden Center at 1 p.m. Hart, who flew as a mission specialist on the space shuttle Challenger in 1984 and has logged 168 hours in space, will discuss his experiences in "The Oceans from Space: Come Along for a Fantastic Ride."
At 2 p.m., Captain Craig McLean, acting deputy assistant administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) Ocean Service office, will take the audience on a journey to the ocean bottom, in "The Titanic Still Sails: Exploring the Ship's Scientific and Cultural Amenities." McLean participated in the "Return to Titanic" expedition in June 2004 to study the ship's deterioration.
The final lecture in the Harbor Room will be given at 3:00 p.m. by Tim Mavor, a scientist who flies into the eye of hurricanes and winter storms. In his presentation, "Into the Eye of the Hurricane: Fasten Your Seatbelts," he will describe how these flights are like the most "exciting roller coaster ride ever," as well as demonstrate the importance of the data collected during these flights.
The Rehoboth Beach Film Society will be showing "Whales" at 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. in the Schooner Room of the Virden Center. The 44-minute film documents the sights, sounds, and survival of these fascinating mammals. "Whales" will follow dolphins and blue, humpback, orca, and right whales in their ancient migratory journeys and show how their amazing ability to hear and send calls over thousands of miles influences and guides their feeding, breeding, navigation, and socialization.
Shipwrecks and ocean careers will be the focus of a lecture series that will be held in Room 202, Cannon Laboratory. Arthur Trembanis, assistant professor of geology at the University of Delaware, will kick off this series at 1 p.m. His talk, "Using Science to Unravel Shipwreck Secrets," will describe what happens to shipwrecks on the seafloor when they are exposed to waves and currents.
Trembanis will be followed by Charles Fithian, an archaeologist working on the Lewes Maritime Archaeology Project, at 2 p.m. In his presentation, "Shipwrecked! New Archaeological Research in the Lewes Area," Fithian will present theories about the recently discovered shipwreck near the coast of Lewes, photographs from the site, and the findings that have shed light on trade and shipping in the area during the eighteenth century.
Last on the agenda will be a discussion led by Ray Heitzmann, professor of education and human services at Villanova University, in Villanova, Pennsylvania. Beginning at 3 p.m., he will describe the many opportunities available in the field of marine studies in his presentation, "A Sea of Choices: Careers in the World of Water."
A number of businesses and industries are sponsoring special exhibits and events at Coast Day, including AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, in Wilmington; Conectiv in Salisbury, Maryland; the Cape Gazette in Lewes; Maritrans Operating Company in Philadelphia; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Washington, DC; and Sunoco, Inc., in Philadelphia.
Admission to this educational and fun-filled event is free; parking is $2. For more information, contact the UD Marine Public Education Office at (302) 831-8083, or visit the Coast Day Web site at www.ocean.udel.edu/CoastDay.