Assistant Professor of Geology Art Trembanis
discusses the use of autonomous underwater vehicles
(AUVs) at Coast Day 2008. Photo by Lisa Tossey
From stranded marine mammals to the use of underwater robots for scientific research, Coast Day 2009 will feature several lectures that touch on a variety of fascinating environmental topics you won’t want to miss.
Coast Day, the University of Delaware’s celebration of the sea, will take place Sunday, Oct. 4, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at UD’s Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes. The free event is sponsored by the University of Delaware's College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment (CEOE) and the Delaware Sea Grant College Program.
The lectures, which are divided into two series, kick off at 12 p.m. when UD Assistant Professor of Geological Sciences Art Trembanis presents “Robots Are Combing the Bay — Results of the First-Year AUV Mapping Effort of Delaware Bay.” In this lecture, part of the Marine Seminars series, Trembanis will reflect on research experiences using the university’s autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV).
Rounding out the Marine Seminars are Deacon Ritterbush of The Consummate Beachcomber LLC, who will speak about archaeology and beachcombing at 1:30 p.m., and Suzanne Thurman, executive director of the Marine Education, Research, and Rehabilitation Institute (MERR), who will speak about marine mammals and sea turtles of the Delaware coast at 3 p.m.
The second set of lectures, the Coast Day Lecture Series, will begin with UD Associate Professor of Marine Policy Jeremy Firestone, who will present “Harnessing Wind Energy at the University of Delaware” at 12:30 p.m. Next, at 1:45 p.m., CEOE Dean Nancy Targett will present her lecture “Top Ten Challenges for Coastal Communities in the 21st Century.” Wrapping up that series will be UD Professor of Marine Policy Biliana Cicin-Sain, who will discuss oceans in the global climate negotiations at 3 p.m.
Families with children at Coast Day won’t want to miss the magic show, “There’s Magic in the Atmosphere,” which will take place at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. The show will include an array of glowing and exploding chemical magic tricks that not only amaze audience members, but will also explain various marine-related phenomena.
For more information about Coast Day, visit www.decoastday.org or call 302-831-8083. Additionally, the full lineup will be available through the event program, which will be posted on the above web site beginning Sept. 18.
For more about CEOE, visit www.ceoe.udel.edu. To learn more about Delaware Sea Grant, visit www.deseagrant.org.