Lecture - "Understanding the Science of Climate Change"

Thursday, October 18

JFK Building at Fort Worden State Park

$5 members, $7 non-members  

The Port Townsend Marine Science Center is sponsoring a lecture on the science behind the complex nature of climate change on Thursday, October 18th at 7 p.m. at the JFK building at Fort Worden State Park. Admission is $7, $5 for PTMSC members and free for ages 18 and younger.

"We're honored to have Laura Tucker speak about the Earth's climate and how it's changed throughout history," said Anne Murphy, PTMSC Executive Director. "She's worked for 35 years in science education, with the last 20 at UC Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science and was recently certified as a Leader for Al Gore's Climate Reality Project."

In the last 650,000 years there have been seven cycles of glacial advance and retreat, with the abrupt end of the last ice age about 7,000 years ago, marking the beginning of the modern climate era - and of human civilization. This lecture will take a critical look at the evidence supporting the current understanding of global warming and climate change.

A group of local students from Port Townsend High School will be participating in the presentation. They will be sharing ways they are actively involved with the Port Townsend Climate Action Committee, and plans they are implementing at the high school to reduce their carbon footprint.

Tucker will share slides and information gained at the training with Al Gore and she'll tie in some of our local issues such as sea level rise and ocean acidification.

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Port Townsend Marine Science Center opens new exhibit

Chloe and Eliza Dawson use clues to find 
out what killed the orca named Hope.
Photo credit: Wendy Feltham

The Port Townsend Marine Science Center (PTMSC) is thrilled to announce the opening of a new exhibit, "Learning from Orcas—The Story of Hope," which will be the centerpiece in the Natural History Exhibit in Fort Worden State Park. The exhibit opens Saturday, September 29^th at noon. Admission is free to the public on Saturday and Sunday of that weekend, and open from noon to 4 p.m.
The new exhibit tells a story that started in 2002 when a transient orca called CA 189—later named Hope by PTMSC students—beached herself and died in the Dungeness Spit area. Her story continues to the present day through the work of scientists, community members and PTMSC staff and volunteers.

Glen Dawson crawls out of the
Storm Drain Exhibit under
the gaze of the orca skeleton.
Photo credit: Wendy Feltham

Hope’s skeleton has been articulated and will be hanging in the Natural History Exhibit. "The exhibit title exemplifies the process we've been through –a voyage, with Hope at the helm,” said Anne Murphy, Executive Director for the PTMSC. “We've learned so much about the health of food webs, toxics in the ocean and most importantly about our ability to make a difference. This exhibit invites you to help turn the tide on the declining health of our marine environment."
Through video, a computer kiosk, a storm drain that visitors can crawl through, a bone table and other hands-on activities, visitors can learn about and feel the connections between people and orcas. For the first time, scanned digital images of the bones and skeleton of an orca can be examined on the web at http://www.ptmsc.org/boneatlas/ A collaboration between the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, NOAA and the Idaho Virtualization Laboratory at the Idaho Museum of Natural History resulted in the development of this free online research and education tool.

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Workshop: “Understanding Climate Change”

Saturday, November 10, 2012
9am-3pm

 

For educators serving teachers and students in grades 6-10

Cost: $50; includes curriculum, lunch, clock hours and admission to the Port Townsend Marine Science Center 
For an application, click here

Correlated to the EALRs,
Next Generation Science Standards,
and Common Core Language Arts Standard

 

Teachers will experience curriculum that develops deep understanding of climate change using a wide variety of formats:

• pre-assessment of student knowledge and misconceptions
• engaging, hands-on science experiments that collect and analyze CO2 in the air, human breath, auto exhaust and a vinegar/baking soda reaction
• an interactive model that effectively demonstrates the Greenhouse Effect
• critical analysis of articles and current data leading to scientific discourse
• among students, enabling them to see these issues from different points of view
• first-hand experience with a variety of interactive web pages from NOAA and NASA
• exemplars of student research on current climate-related issues, presented at a mock global conference
• student-centered solutions to a number of complex issues stemming from a warming planet

Imagining the next 30

When Judy and Libby founded the Marine Science Center in 1982, they had no idea their dream would manifest so concretely, last for 30 years or have the impacts and the durability PTMSC is know for. Let’s imagine the next 30 years, because in a blink of the proverbial eye we’ll reach 2042.

Will our touch tanks teach people how to ‘farm’ food, as well as teach about marine life?   Will we be growing algae in our lab to demonstrate carbon sequestration?  Will we learn to communicate with whales?

How will schools change?  Will community kids:

• Process that algae at PTMSC on Monday?
• Learn navigation and vessel handling on Tuesday since goods are being moved around by flex-fueled and sailing vessels?
• Work the land on Wednesday growing food year around and helping watersheds support a diversity of species?
• Focus on health and wellness on Thursdays by helping in health care facilities and mentoring with physicians of all disciplines;
• and on Fridays - contemplate, discuss, debate and create?
• Guess I better add Saturdays for civic affairs!

Who knows what our world will be like in 30 years? 

We’ll keep on target, ensuring that the Science Center remains an integral part of the Salish Sea community, a hub for learning and for modeling sustainable behaviors … a place where old and young share, talk and make a difference so that orcas and humans continue to co-evolve in the Salish Sea.

- Anne Murphy, Executive Director 

This is the final of our 30 stories celebrating 30 years. We hope these stories have illuminated some of our history and sparked your imagination for the future. We sure have had fun reminiscing and looking at old pictures.

We invite you to make a contribution of $30 to celebrate 30 years, or increase your impact and give more. All funds support the Future Fund to keep the PTMSC going strong. Donate online or call (360) 385-5582, ext. 104, or send a check to 532 Battery Way, Port Townsend, WA 98368.

Coming Soon – Hope’s Story

a sneak peak at the new exhibit scheduled to open September 29

In yesterday’s blog you learned how the community helped assemble Hope’s skeleton.  Now you must be wondering - when can you see it displayed it in its full splendor and learn her story?

The answer is very soon!

September 29 is opening day for a new exhibit we’re calling Learning From Orcas – The Story of Hope.  We want you to be surprised so I’m not divulging too much, but suffice it to say you will be moved.

Her story has joyful elements and deeply troubling elements. PTMSC has moved into taking a stronger advocacy and awareness-building position for Salish Sea health largely because of what we have learned from working with Hope.

As we look forward to our next 30 years, we realize that the time is now to make a difference and we want all our guests to know they can have a role in turning the tide on the declining health of our marine waters. This exhibit will help you find your role.

- Anne Murphy, Executive Director 


This is one of 30 reasons to give $30 to celebrate 30 years. Or increase your impact and give more. All funds support the Future Fund to keep the PTMSC going strong. Donate online or call (360) 385-5582, ext. 104, or send a check to 532 Battery Way, Port Townsend, WA 98368.

Acquiring an Orca Skeleton

            CA-189, the female transient orca that stranded and died near Dungeness Spit in January 2002, has been on quite a journey. The PTMSC has shared that journey with her. We helped dig up her buried bones in 2008, watched them leave for the Seattle NOAA facility for soaking, and then retrieved them again for further cleaning in 2009.

            Lee Post, aka “the bone man,” a skeleton specialist from Homer, Alaska, had been contacted long before and was offering detailed guidance since the start of the Orca Project. When he arrived to begin the articulation in January 2011, a group of more than 25 dedicated PTMSC volunteers, staff members and a large supporting cast of community members, was ready and eager to work with him. Thanks to their combined efforts, Hope’s skeleton was completed in less than four weeks.

            The preparation of Hope’s bones and their articulation represents a significant achievement for PTMSC and its community. In most museums, an articulation work space would have been closed to the public, with professionals assembling the skeleton. In contrast, PTMSC opened its doors and invited volunteers to join the project, regardless of their background. They brought their respective life skills as well as enthusiasm: artists, citizen scientists, writers, photographers, welders, boat riggers and more. Lee’s informal teaching and problem-solving style encouraged volunteers to join him in tackling the many challenges that arose during the work.

By Libby Palmer (an excerpt from the Fall 2011 Octopress)

            To learn more about Hope and the Orca Project click here.

This is one of 30 reasons to give $30 to celebrate 30 years. Or increase your impact and give more. All funds support the Future Fund to keep the PTMSC going strong. Donate online or call (360) 385-5582, ext. 104, or send a check to 532 Battery Way, Port Townsend, WA 98368.

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Opening of the Foss Maritime Discovery Lab

The Foss Maritime Discovery Lab opened April 9, 2005 in the Marine Exhibit located in the southern end of the exhibit and was named after its lead funding provider, Foss Maritime.

“I look forward to the opening of the new Discovery Lab as Foss wishes continued great success in making the PTMSC an outstanding model for science education excellence,” said Gilbert Graham, vice president for Foss Maritime at the time of the opening.

Volunteer Karen DeLorenzo
works on a research project
in the Discovery Lab.

Anne Murphy, PTMSC’s executive director had championed the Discovery Lab as an essential resource for student education and added, “Opening the Foss Maritime Discovery Lab is a source of tremendous pride and fulfillment for our organization. It’s a dream we’ve been planning and refining for several years. It’s the only lab that we’re aware of in western Washington, where students and community members have access to such a wide array of research tools. We’re very proud to introduce it to the community.”

The lab continues to be used for research, environmental monitoring and culturing projects. Over the years since its opening, kids and adults have deepened their marine science learning experiences through projects conducted in cooperation and collaboration with regional scientists and laboratories.

This is one of 30 reasons to give $30 to celebrate 30 years. Or increase your impact and give more. All funds support the Future Fund to keep the PTMSC going strong. Donate online or call (360) 385-5582, ext. 104, or send a check to 532 Battery Way, Port Townsend, WA 98368.

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