I am a marine education specialist for Sea Grant and Cooperative Extension programs at the University of New Hampshire. I have been co-director of the Math and Marine (M & M) Science Program for eight years, first serving with Prof. William Geeslin and later, Prof. Ernst Linder, both from the Math Department. Talented 10th grade students from Maine and New Hampshire come to the campus to work intensively for 3 weeks during the summer with faculty from mathematics, biology and computer departments. The course is based on field studies of intertidal habitats such as the rocky shore and the salt marsh at locations ranging from the protected shores of the Great Bay Estuary to the wave and wind-scoured rocks at the Isles of Shoals. Students analyze statistically information gained through transects, simple experiments and observations and report on their results to their parents and teachers at the end of the three weeks.
Students, their parents and their teacher-mentors return for three follow-up Saturday sessions designed to illustrate various science-related professions during school year.As a result of the program, former M & M students take more courses in science and math in high school, usually elect a related field for study in college, and generally make great gains in self-confidence and understanding of what it takes to be a scientist or mathematician through their participation in the program.
Personal biographical information:
I graduated from Oregon State University and received my Master's of Science degree in education from the University of New Hampshire. I have developed marine education programs for the last 15 years at the University of New Hampshire. I have also worked with the Partners of the Americas and the World Wildlife Fund to promote coastal and marine environmental education programs throughout Brazil and in Puerto Rico. Global Change education for teachers and informal educators is another area in which I develop programs. I have many publications in the area of curricula, journal articles and pamphlets which are available for educators and other interested people. My goal is to involve students, educators and the general public in integrated programs of marine science, maritime history, mathematics, and computer technology so that they might better understand and preserve the planet. The world of water is an exciting vehicle to motivate learning of all kinds, and it is my wish to open that world more fully to educators everywhere.