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Coral Ecosystems |
Presenters:
Dr. C. Mark Eakin
Dr. Eakin serves as an Oceanographer in the NESDIS Center for Satellite Applications
and Research. A coral reef specialist, with a Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography from
the University of Miami, Dr. Eakin is Coordinator of NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch program,
an effort focused on the monitoring of coral reef ecosystems through satellite,
in situ, and paleoenvironmental observations.
Dr. Eakin has worked for NOAA since 1991. From 2000-2005, Dr. Eakin directed NOAA
Paleoclimatology (part of NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center), and was Director
of the World Data Center for Paleoclimatology in Boulder, CO. Prior to that, he
was a program manager for the NOAA Office of Global Programs in Silver Spring, MD,
funding and coordinating research to improve our understanding of climate variability
in the past, how to predict it in the future and the influence of climate variability
and change on our environment.
Dr. Eakin received his Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography from the University of Miami
in 1991 specializing in coral reef ecology, especially the impact of El Niño on
eastern Pacific coral reefs. Dr. Eakin’s research is in coral reef ecology and carbonate
budgets, and has performed research on various topics including the effects of disturbance
such as climate change, El Niño and oil spills on coral reefs, and the behavior
of marine organisms. He was heavily involved in developing the International and
U.S. Coral Reef Initiatives and the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN).
He recently chaired the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee of the GCRMN.
In 2004, Dr. Eakin co-chaired a 7 part series of symposia on “Coral Reefs and Global
Change” at the 10th International Coral Reef Symposium in Okinawa and is currently
coordinating collection of data from the 2005 Caribbean coral bleaching event.
Kelly Drinnen
Ms. Drinnen holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from James Madison University.
She is a certified SCUBA diver and K-4 teacher with two years of classroom experience
and over 13 years of informal education experience at Sea World of Florida and Moody
Gardens in Galveston, Texas. She is currently an Education Specialist for the Flower
Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in Texas. Kelly's professional career has
focused primarily on marine education. Her current responsibilities include coordinating
professional development workshops for educators; developing, revising and maintaining
many of the communication tools used to share sanctuary information with the public;
and making presentations to local community organizations. Kelly is also the primary
liaison between the sanctuary and informal organizations, such as aquariums and
zoos, that wish to incorporate sanctuary issues and messages into their exhibits
and programs.
Kelly comes from a family full of educators and likes to say she has "teaching in
her genes." This, coupled with her love of the ocean, and wildlife in general, led
her to a career in informal education where she gets to share her interests, in
two languages, and meet people from around the world.
Patty Miller
Patty Miller is the education coordinator for the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale
National Marine Sanctuary. She develops education and outreach programs for the
Sanctuary and runs the education/visitor center on Maui. The Maui site is located
right on the water and offers a great opportunity for marine monitoring experiences.
Middle and high schools participate in snorkeling transects, invasive seaweed eradication
projects, creating and monitoring artificial reef modules, and monitoring reef habitats.
Boogie board size remote controlled boats with underwater cameras and water quality
monitoring tools are also used for monitoring reefs.
Patty previously worked for the Hawaii Department of Education as a State Resource
Teleschool Teacher. She produced and taught science classes on television. KidScience
programs were broadcast throughout Hawaii and into PBS and school district stations
across the country. Some programs focused on hands-on experiences and teacher training
and others took students to different ecosystems around the Pacific. They participated
in live underwater broadcasts, a live connection with the Space Shuttle and talked
to the scientists on the South Pole as they participated in the annual alignment
of the South Pole. It was a great way to get students involved and interested in
science.
Bruce Moravchik
Bruce Moravchik is an education specialist in NOAA's National Ocean Service (NOS).
He leads the development of NOS's Discovery Center, a series of innovative online
materials for students and educators that convey the research, technology, and activities
of the National Ocean Service. Bruce has worked with scientists and educators across
NOAA to develop original written and multimedia content for the Ocean Explorer,
Coral Reef Information System, National Marine Sanctuaries, and Marine Protected
Areas, Web sites. Prior to coming to NOAA he established and ran a marine and environmental
studies program at a private high school in Rhode Island, working with teachers
and students on coastal ecology, aquaculture, and habitat restoration. He has also
taught oceanography onboard the 125 foot tall ship Westward for the Sea Education
Association; studied the behavioral ecology of lobster and crab populations in Rhode
Island and Maine; and conducted research in coral reef ecology in the Red Sea.
For more information contact symposia@nsta.org
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Underwritten in part by: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration |