Title: Making a Connection between MBARI and the Monterey Bay Aquarium

Transcription

1 Title: Making a Connection between MBARI and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Angelica Zavala Lopez, University of California, Davis Mentor: Judith Connor Summer 2007 Keywords: Young Women in Science, Watsonville area Teens for Coastal Habitats, and Monterey Bay Aquarium ABSTRACT MBARI offers unique opportunities for undergraduate and postgraduate students in their facilities and is also involved with K-12 education. This paper will focus on collaborative efforts with two summer programs between MBARI and its sister organization, the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Current collaborative efforts between the two organizations include but are not limited to Deep in Monterey Canyon a very popular program that uses audio-video images from a Remotely Operated Vehicle in the deep sea. In 2003, this collaboration extended to a series of teachers workshops that focus on the using real-time data in the classroom and MBA/MBARI summer internship program. The internship is for students and teachers who are interested in research. Participants work at MBARI in a 10 week research project. All projects are part of MBARI s mission "to achieve and maintain a position as a world center for advanced research and education in ocean science and technology" and MBA s mission to promote conservation of the oceans. MBARI has been involved in educational outreach since 1987 and in 1996 it established the Information and Technology Dissemination (ITD) Division to enhance its education and outreach efforts. The mission of ITD is to achieve the effective development, documentation, and dissemination of MBARI information and technology, internally and externally through innovative projects, communications, and collaborations. A Web site was created to enhance students participation in the programs and provide students them with career information about the faculty members of MBARI/MBA and to encourage their participation in programs with similar goals as YWS and WATCH. INTRODUCTION Young Women in Science (YWS) and Watsonville Area Teens for Coastal Habitats (WATCH) are two joint summer programs of MBARI and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. YWS gives middle school girls the opportunity to do hands-on science activities with women scientists and educators. During two weeklong day-camps, students learn about the plants and animals of the Monterey Bay and their habitats. Each camp is targeted to understanding a different problem in the bay. The focus of this year s Otter Mystery Camp was on learning about the role otters play in the health of the bay and the mysterious increased death rate of the local sea otters. Second year participants of the Ocean Invaders Camp learned about the threats and implications of invasive species in the local community. The selected students may participate in the program for two years and occasionally return for a third year as interns. Girls and boys who attend Pajaro Valley High School in Watsonville also have the opportunity to participate in the

2 WATCH program. WATCH participants learn about the value of research and scientific methodology by working outdoors doing experiments and collecting data. The skills they develop during the program build on what they already know and prepare them for advanced projects during the school year. Both programs are targeted towards traditionally underrepresented students in the areas of Watsonville, Salinas, and Monterey. The Young Women in Science program began in Since the program started, there has been ~ 50 participants per-camp during the last four years. The goals of the program are: to develop the skills to succeed in science classes in school, increase understanding of the workings of and threats to the marine environment, get more involved in conservation efforts in the community, demonstrate a greater openness to pursuing a science career, as well as an awareness of prerequisites needed to succeed in such a career. During the course of one week, the participants of YWS meet women scientists from different disciplines and learned about their careers. With the help of educators from the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the students participate in science activities that meet science standard content for grades six through nine grades. This year s participants learned how researchers used tags to identify sea otters in the wild. Monitor sand crabs and learn about their relation to the disappearance of the sea otters, collected data, measured the crabs, during one of the programs exercises which monitor the distribution of sand crabs on shore. The students also learn about conservation and participate in a project stenciling drains in Monterey with reminders that everything that goes in the drain connects to the ocean. During the program the students experienced science in a new way. The participants of YWS met with wonderful role models who encouraged them to continue their education. The second program of YWS camp focused on the introduction of the invasive alga, Undaria pinnatifida. Undaria is an invasive species from Asia that has invaded the Monterey Harbor since Rita --- from National Marine Sanctuary taught the girls about the biology of the alga and why it is important to remove the alga within the docks. Participants in the program made predictions about how plants and animals in the rocky shore, sandy bottom, or the kelp forest might respond to the introduction of Undaria and kayaked in Monterey Harbor to help eradicate the algae from within the harbor. The students learned about the impact invasive species have on Monterey Bay s ecosystem. The locations visited by the students include areas within the bay like the Monterey Harbor, Elkhorn Slough, and Ford Ord backcountry. At Elkhorn Slough and the California State University, Monterey Bay s (CSUMB) Return of the Natives restoration site the students planted native grasses. Red flowering clippings, blue-eyed grass, coyote brush, coffee berry and native grasses were transplanted to help bring the native vegetation in Ford Ord and Elkhorn Slough. Later during the day, the students visited the maritime chaparral in Ford Ord backcountry to see the areas that need restoration and to learn about the native plants in the area. It was a

3 great opportunity for the students to enjoy learning about the diverse shrub community and native flora in the area. The Watsonville Area Teens for Coastal Habitats focuses on exploring the Pajaro River Watershed. The students explored Pajaro Dunes, hiked the trails of Grizzly Bay, and kayaked in Elkhorn Slough to understand the impact on the coastal systems that results from anthropogenic effects. Visiting scientists and educators, as well as the education staff from the Monterey Bay Aquarium worked with the students. The students ventured out into three different habitats in the watershed (riparian, dunes, and wetlands) to learn as much as possible from each area. The students identified flora and fauna using field guides, tested water quality with probes and ph meters, and learned about invasive species by visiting different sites on the watershed. Within three weeks, the students gained an understanding about the impact humans have on the watershed and began to implement solutions to minimize watershed erosion and pollution. During the school year, WATCH participants will design their own projects to continue studying the watershed. Student projects range from studying animals and plants, teaching others about conservation and restoration, researching water quality in the slough and other related topics. WATCH prepares students to better understand the ecosystem where they live and gives them hands-on experience to conduct their own projects. Participants developed questions, collected and recorded data, and interpreted their findings, all beyond the boundaries of a traditional classroom. Students then prepared an oral and poster presentation to share what they learned with their peers and staff members from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI). Following the mission of MBARI s education Strategic Plan, to build upon our unique strengths in science and technology to provide knowledge and understanding of the ocean, and one of the goals of the Young Women in Science program, to provide awareness of prerequisites needed to succeed in such a science careers, I designed a website that will target Monterey Bay and Central California students and residents who have a special interest in science and engineering. The main focus will be primarily to motivate students who are traditionally underrepresented in science and engineering to participate in research related activities and ultimately go to college. MATERIALS AND METHODS Monterey Bay Aquarium s 2007 summer program, Young Women in Science (YWS), was used as an example to inform the public about the positive effect of YWS on the student s career development. During each of the three YWS programs, the students completed a pre- and post- evaluation of the program. The survey was completed by 55 surveys students in 2004 and 2003, and 53 in In 2003, the questions were openended but in 2004 and 2005 the questions changed from those in the previous year, but targeted to get the same information as the year before, and students were given a list of response categories from which to choose from. The survey was created by an

4 independent company (Word Craft, Inc.) who specializes on interpretive writing for aquariums, museums, nature centers and zoos, and evaluation of science education programs and workshops. I specifically used two of the questions from the survey. Participants of YWS in 2003 were asked two questions that I was particularly interested in. The two questions were selected to obtain information about what the students were gaining from the program and to get an idea about what the students plans were after graduation. In a pre- and post- survey collected in 2003, the following questions were asked: What do you hope to gain from the Young Women in Science program? and What did you gain from the Young Women in Science program?. The questions asked for 2004 and 2005 in the pre- evaluations were: Why did you sign up for the Young Women in Science (YWS) Program? What about this program interests you? in the post evaluation. The second question of interest was regarding student s plans after high school: Tell us what you think your life will be like after high school, this question was the same during all three years. Table 1. Question 1 (Pre- and Post-): What do you hope to gain from the Young Women in Science program? and What did you gain from the Young Women in Science program? Response Categories to learn Fun Activities ocean animals like/love animals like/love ocean like science liked last year other/ new people recommendation learn science snorkeling do/ see something mar bio habitats/ nature girls do science Kayaking career goal everything learn to help like/love water

5 love adventure don't like science new places interest in SOC Question 2 (Pre- and Post-): Tell us what you think your life will be like after high school Categories College other job/ career sci job/ career don't know fun/ happy ed job/ career hard/ hard work studying pasttime/ sports do what I love MBAq be successful study & work to help parents conserv job/ career travel new discoveries make mom proud more organized family na To understand the needs of the students, I participated in the Watsonville Area Teens for Coastal Habitats and Young Women in Science programs. My participation during the two programs provided me with information that I would not have received, had I not participated during the program. It was helpful to hear about what students in these programs worry about and identify some of the limitations which may prevent them from continuing their education. The information I gathered helped me prepare questions to ask in a survey that was distributed among MBARI s faculty members and ultimately, the information was included in the web site.

6 A Web site was designed using Macromedia Dreamweaver. Using a template of existing web pages at MBARI, I was able to manipulate them and create the page that was most appropriate to display the information. I used the Writing HTML Tutorial to identify and use HTML formatting code, create and modify HTML documents, and provide hyperlinks to other documents in the internet. The images used in the web site were collected during the 2007 YWS and WATCH programs and the information about the programs was compiled by working with educators from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I conducted some interviews but most of the information was collected using SurveyMonkey.com, a tool for creating web surveys, distributing them to a large number of people and compiling the results. I used four different surveys to collect information from interns of YWS and WATCH programs, educators from MBA, faculty and intern from MBARI. The surveys I created were distributed among the faculty members of MBARI/MBA to gather information about their college experience and current position at MBARI/MBA. I had the pleasure of working with ~200 professionals at MBARI this summer. I used the opportunity to distribute a survey among MBARI s staff to gather information regarding their backgrounds and expertise s which prepared them for their work at the research institute. The survey was distributed using Surveymonkey ( to all employees. I designed a survey to target students in middle school and high school with interests in pursuing a college education in any of the fields currently covered by MBARI s employees. The survey covers questions that are of common interest to students, such as what college or university to attend to get an education in engineering (see attached survey). The survey was also helpful in gathering information about school programs for high school and college students that have a strong research component and stimulate student s interest in science, engineering, technology, and ocean literacy. The survey was not mandatory; therefore, only 69 employees responded. The information received was from people working in science, engineering, and marine operations. The programs suggested by faculty at MBARI were those that they categorize as being the best summer program or experience that they had participated in during their college career. A list was composed from the responses I received from the survey which will be recommended to the students. Each program was reviewed independently and a short description was created for programs that were appropriate for students based on the recommendations from MBARI staff. The a link to each of the programs was list of programs was added to the Web page that will take the students directly to the main webpage. RESULTS The results from a pre- and post- survey during all three years indicate that the students gained knowledge/information from the program and more than 50% of them want to go to college. YWS 2003: Question 1 (Pre): Why did you sign up for the Young Women in Science (YWS) Program? What about this program interests you?

7 The girls who signed up for in YWS to learn was 62% and 36% to have fun. In the postsurvey 89% of the girls hoped to gain new knowledge/information to learn mostly about animals, the ocean and/or habitats and the environment. Question 1 (Post): What did you gain from the Young Women in Science program? When asked about what they gained from the program, 83% of the girls said they learned something, slightly down from at the beginning of the week. Question 2 (Pre): Tell us what you think your life will be like after high school. During 2003 only 50% of the students saw themselves going to college after high school. YWS 2004: Pre- & Post-Survey Results Question 1 (Pre): Why did you sign up for the Young Women in Science (YWS) Program? What about this program interests you? The results from the pre- survey in 2004 indicate that a participant of YWS signed up to learn was 62% and 36% to said they signed up to have fun. From the participants of the program 89% of the girls hoped to gain knowledge and 83% of the girls on the post- evaluation said that they gained new knowledge/information. Question 1. Response Categories All Frequen cy to learn 33 62% fun 19 36% activities 12 23% ocean 12 23% animals 10 19% like/love animals 9 17% like/love ocean 9 17% like science 8 15% liked last year 6 11% other/ new people 5 9% recommendation 5 9% learn science 4 8% snorkeling 4 8% do/ see something 4 8% mar bio 3 6% habitats/ nature 3 6% girls do science 2 4% kayaking 2 4% career goal 2 4% everything 2 4% learn to help 2 4% like/love water 1 2% %

8 love adventure 1 2% don't like science 1 2% new places 1 2% interest in SOC 1 2% Question 2 (Pre and Post): Tell us what you think your life will be like after high school. There were 66% of the girls who saw themselves going to college in 2004 at the beginning of the summer. During the same year on the post-survey, only 57% of the girls saw themselves going to college after high school. For this group there was a 9% decline from the number of girls who wanted to go to college at the beginning of the program when compared to the results at the end of the program. YWS 2005: Pre- & Post-Survey Results Question 1 (Pre): Why did you sign up for the Young Women in Science (YWS) Program? What about this program interests you? 85% of the said they gained new learning from the camp. Question 2 (Post): Tell us what you think your life will be like after high school. At the beginning of the program 60% of the girls saw themselves in college. There was a 6% increase of the number of girls who saw themselves going to college after the program. In a post survey of the participants of the WATCH program 100% of the participants saw themselves going to college after high school. Similar response was received (100%) when asked if they were interested in participating in other summer programs. SAMPLE SURVEY QUESTIONS MBARI survey 1. What is your full name? What was your major in college? What colleges or universities did you attend? Why did you choose to go there? 2. What was the hardest class you took in college? Why? 3. What was the greatest obstacle you encountered during your college career? 4. Which was the best summer program or experience for you while in college? 5. What motivated you to continue your career during hard times? 6. What was the best job you had when you were a college student? 7. Where do you work now and what do you do there? 8. What do you like the most about your current job? 9. What other jobs have you had? 10. What advice do you have for students who want to pursue the same career path that you did? THE WEB SITE CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING:

9 DESCRIPTION WATCH AND YWS PROGRAMS FOR This site informs the public about the WATCH program. It provides background information about why the program is centered at Pajaro Valley High School, the number of participants in 2007 and what the students will gain from the program. The site also has a detailed description about some of the activities the students participated in, the sites they visited and what they did at each site. There is also a section about the plans for the program during the school year and the restoration projects the students participated in. There a section describing the visit to Elkhorn Slough and MBARI because from all the field trips the students took I feel that these were the most important. At one point during the program the students went surfing, whale watching, and participated in other activities but it is necessary to mention their visit to the slough because it is one of the locations where they can see a current research project and it serves as an example of what the students from last year were able to accomplish. DESCRIPTION OF 2007 YWS PROGRAM This site is broken up into two sections one is the Otter Mystery Camp and the other is the Ocean Invaders Camp. Each camp has a small description about the most important activities that the students participated in. Each site centers on a major activity which are current issues affecting the Monterey Bay. In the case of the Otter Mystery Camp the problem with the sea otters and the invasive alga Undaria in the Ocean Invaders Camp. A list of some of the activities the students participated in and scientist and educators who volunteer during the camp to teach the students about the current problems they learn about are found on this site. A short description about some of the field trips the students participated in and the activities they participated in to help conserve the natural habitat in the area. LEARN ABOUT THE PEOPLE AT MBARI This site includes links to different departments at MBARI: Engineering, Oceanography. Each link provides a list of employees within that department and a short survey about each of them with information about their college and career experiences. The students will get answers to some of the most common questions in their mind regarding college and employment at MBARI. OTHER PROGRAMS Student Oceanography Club ( Students interested in conservation between the ages of 11 to 14 are encouraged to participate in the Student Oceanography Club. The group meets twice a month to learn

10 about marine biology, oceanography and the conservation of the marine environment. Students also participate in talks at the Monterey Bay Aquarium from scientists and marine professionals. In this site there is a list of summer programs for high school and college students. Programs in this site have been recommended by students or faculty members at MBARI/MBA. California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS) COSMOS is a program targeted to High School students who have a special interest in science and mathematics. The program allows high school students to live in dorm housing, attend lectures, and do field research during the summer at any of four universities in California (UC San Diego, UC Davis, UC Irvine, or UC Santa Cruz). Multicultural Initiative in the Marine Sciences: Undergraduate Participation (MIMSUP) Participants of MIMSUP spend two quarters at the Shannon Point Marine Center taking classes in marine sciences. Financial support is provided for students who participate in the program. DISCUSSION The two programs overviewed in this report are an example of the programs available for students. Students who participate in any of the programs in the Monterey Bay Aquarium s (MBA) will gain knowledge of the environment and will be encouraged to continue their education. The MBA has been doing a great job encouraging students to go to college but there needs to be more opportunities for the students. Opportunities like these are important for students to develop their appreciation for the ocean. The students who participate in programs of MBA, Young Women in Science and Watsonville area teens for coastal habitats, have this goal in mind when they start the program. What they gain from the program they are able to apply add to what they had learned in class and during their life. More programs like those provided by the MBA are needed for students to develop their knowledge about the environment and to encourage them to participate in careers in science and engineering. Although the students who participated in the summer programs want to go to college, it is important to provide them with opportunities that will help them reach their goals. The background and career information collected during the survey and the programs recommended by the students will help them with continue with their exploration of different opportunities. Most importantly, not only students from this program will benefit but students using the World Wide Web will have access to this information all over the world.

11 Acknowledgements I am in dept with my mentors of MBARI, Judith Connor and George Matsumoto for their help during the summer. The David and Lucile Packard Foundation for their funding for the intern program. The MBARI and MBA staff for responding to my survey and the participants of the YWS and WATCH programs. To the 2007 interns who responded to the survey. To J. Mariette, N. Barr, J. Connor for their help setting up the web page. The comments from N. Barr, K. Swan, and J. Connor provided enhanced this report. REFERENCES About MBARI, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, 20, July Retrieved 2, August 2005, Strategic Plan 1998, Canyon Head, Retrieved 3, August, 2005,