Thursday 25 June 2015

Sea for Society Blue Talks, Dublin

Sea for Society Blue talks
6pm 14 July 2015
Paccar Theatre, Science Gallery, Dublin
Join us for an evening of talks about and by people whose daily lives revolve around the ocean.

We’ll hear about surfers tackling pollution and riding Ireland’s biggest waves, a researcher exploring the depths of the ocean in search of new medicines and a seasoned marine science communicator bringing the seas to schools.

Sometimes we don’t realise how crucial our seas are to our daily lives and how our actions impact upon them. After hearing these stories, we hope you’ll be inspired to learn more, spread the word and take action to help protect our precious ocean life support system!

Follow our Twitter feed @SeaforSocietyIE to receive updates on all our activities.

This event is FREE, thanks to EC FP7 funding, but registration is required. To register, please email SeaforSocietyBlueTalks@aquatt.ie

Download:

Speakers
Hugo Tagholm, CEO, Surfers Against Sewage
Surfers Against Sewage: Waves, Environment, Community
Hugo has been Chief Executive of Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) since 2008. SAS was formed in 1990 in Cornwall by a group of surfers who were fed up of the regular sewage slicks and sanitary debris at local surf spots.
Keith Duggan, Chief Sports Writer, The Irish Times
Writing Cliffs of Insanity – A Winter on Ireland’s Big Waves 
Keith is an award-winning senior sportswriter with The Irish Times. His book, Cliffs of Insanity tells the story of a dedicated group of surfers in County Clare whose lives revolve around the pursuit of Ireland’s wildest waves.
Dr Margaret Rae, Researcher, Marine Institute and NUI Galway
Marine Biodiscovery
Margaret is a researcher in the Beaufort Marine Biodiscovery Programme, examining marine organisms harvested from the Irish coast and deep-sea territories in search of species with biological characteristics that may have medicinal uses and medical device applications.
Dr John Joyce, Sea for Society Ireland Area Leader, AquaTT
Designing Ocean Literacy Programmes that Work
John is a professional science communicator, published author and cartoonist with a background in marine science. He is currently the Irish Area Leader for the Sea for Society project. John has published four children’s books and five novels.
Hugh O’Brien Moran, Irish Surf Association Photographer & former Irish Surf Champion
Fifty years of Surfing – the evolution of surf culture in Ireland
Hugh is a surf instructor and professional photographer based in Tramore, Co. Waterford. He took up surfing in 1965 at the age of fourteen. He has won the Irish national championships five times and come second in the European masters surfing championships, as well as acting as tutor to Ireland’s national teams.

Monday 22 June 2015

Science Communication & Outreach Driving Positive Change for Our Seas

Sina Bold, a current Science Communications Master's student at Dublin City University (DCU), recently joined the Irish Sea for Society mobilisation team during an internship with AquaTT.

Sina has written an insightful post on LinkedIn about her experiences taking part in Sea for Society mobilisation activities in Dublin and Galway.

Click here to read Sina's post in full.

Science Communication student Sina Bold's LinkedIn Post about her Sea for Society experience

Tuesday 16 June 2015

The Irish Sea for Society Compendium




AquaTT has produced The Irish Sea for Society Compendium - a handy miscellany and all round sea-loving production as one of the key tools for the projects mobilisation phase, which is currently underway.

The Sea for Society project focuses on six themes: the sea as a place to live, the sea as a source of food, the sea as a means of transport, the sea as a source of energy, the sea as a place for leisure and tourism, and the sea as a support for human health. Each of these themes is further explored in the book. Readers are motivated to Do just one thing for the sea from a list of ten simple and achievable actions, which collectively taken would benefit the sea.

Furthermore, The Irish Sea for Society Compendium features profiles of famous Irish and international sea heroes, great shipwrecks in history, including those that can be found off the Irish coasts, some sea animals which are living in Irish waters, some fun lists (songs, books and movies) related to the sea, a comic, and  some colouring sheets. The compendium is accessible and has something for all ages.

Download The Irish Sea for Society Compendium here


If you are interested in hardcopies of The Irish Sea for Society Compendium, please contact Niamh Dornan, email: niamh@aquatt.ie

RV Celtic Explorer hosts National Schools Open Day as part of Sea for Society project




Over 150 children from five schools from Dublin, Cork, Galway, and Mayo visited an open day on the Marine Institute’s research vessel, the RV Celtic Explorer, as well as Galway Atlantaquaria, as part of the EU FP7 Sea for Society project to raise awareness of our ocean, this week in Galway city (10th June 2015).     

 Pupils from Scoil Iognaid Galway take a moment to enjoy the glorious weather at the Sea For Society open day in Galway



Gael Scoil Uileog de Burca are impressed with the new poster for ‘Exploring Our Oceans’

  

Briarhill National School on the docks beside with ROV Holland and RV Celtic Explorer



Pupils and teachers of Cork Educate Together School, together with the Marine Institute team and Dr Andy Wheeler from UCC, celebrate after their fantastic tour on board RV Celtic Explorer



Glenageary Killiney National School disembark from RV Celtic Explorer and ready to continue the events of the Sea for Society open day


The Sea for Society collective action aims to shape the concept of a "Blue Society" and improve Europe’s understanding on the relation between the ocean and our daily life activities. “As part of the Sea for Society FP7 project in Ireland, we provided the opportunity for children to see and take part in a wide range of activities including meeting with marine scientists, researchers and the Captain of the RV Celtic Explorer, as well as the team from AquaTT and marine experts at the aquarium,” explained Cushla Dromgool-Regan, Marine Institute.



Captain Denis Rowan explains some of the operations involved on the Bridge of the RV Celtic Explorer to pupils from Glenageary Killiney National School



Marine Institute scientists and pupils from Gael Scoil Uileog de Burca try to out-smile a wide mouthed monkfish in the Wet Laboratory demonstration



Marine Institute scientists discuss the lifecycle of flatfish with pupils from Glenageary Killiney National School during the Wet Labaoratory demonstration on the RV Celtic Explorer, as part of Sea For Society’s Blue Society initiative



Marine Institute scientists show pupils from Glenageary Killiney National School how to remove otoliths (earbones) from whiting to determine their age, as part of the Wet Laboratory demonstration 



Marine Institute researchers and pupils from Cork Educate Together study the survey data recovered from RV Celtic Explorer’s latest mission, mapping the seafloor of the Atlantic Ocean from Newfoundland to the west coast of Ireland



Marine Institute researchers inform pupils from Glenageary Killiney National School about the thousands of shipwrecks discovered in Irish Waters, including the RMS Lusitania which sank off the coast of Cork in 1915

On the vessel the children meet with the fisheries research team who showed the children a wide range of fish from the deep ocean.  The seabed mapping researchers showed bathymetry mapping images of key shipwrecks around Ireland as well as the newly discovered submarine mountain ranges mapped by the RV Celtic Explorer on its latest expedition from Newfoundland to Galway.  The remotely operated vehicle ROV Holland I, which is to be used in the vessels next expedition filming cold water corals on the Porcupine bank, was also on display.  This provided a key opportunity for the children to learn about marine history, marine technology well as taking part in some simple experiments demonstrating pressure.



Aqua TT and Cushla Dromgool-Regan from the Marine Institute present the new Sea For Society information booklets and Exploring our Ocean materials during the Open Day on the RV Celtic Explorer.


AquaTT also asked the teachers and children to think about the small changes we can make in our lifestyle which have a significant impact on the ocean, such as using less water, eating fish that has been caught sustainably, disposing plastics in a responsible way, to taking part in beach cleans.



Pupils from Glenageary Killiney National School discuss what their ‘One Thing’ would be to raise awareness of our ocean resources and activities as part of Sea for Society’s Blue Society initiative.

Galway Atlantaquaria provided tactile learning opportunities where the students got to touch and see marine animals native to Irish seashores and ocean.

Teachers and pupils alike described the event as a unique and wonderful experience. “I’ve attended many trips with the school, but this one really stood out. We learned so much, ranging from how phytoplankton in our ocean provide up to 50 percent of the oxygen we breathe, to how to tell the age of a fish using their ear bones - otoliths. Raising awareness of our ocean and the impact that the ocean has on us is so important,” said Maire Ni Fhoghlu, from Gaelscoil Uileog de Burca, Claremorris.



Gael Scoil Uileog de Burca pupils and Marine Institute scientists explore the contents of a box of Dublin Bay Prawns during the Wet Laboratory demonstration

The children who attended the open day had taken part in the Marine Institute’s Explorers Education Programme which is run by Galway Atlantaquaria, Blackrock Education Centre, SeaLife – Bray and Lifetime Lab in Cork, and is also supported by other education centres in Mayo and Galway. 
 

  Pupils from Glenageary Killiney National School are surprised to learn that aging a fish involves removing its otoliths (earbones) as part of the Wet Laboratory demonstrations onboard RV Celtic Explorer



Cork Educate Together School and Marine Institute scientists investigate the different species of flatfish and sharks on display in the Wet Laboratory



Scoil Iognaid Galway pupils have a closer look at whiting earbones (otoliths) using microscopes in the Wet Laboratory



“The excellent marine activities and projects completed this year by the schools were evident in the enthusiasm and knowledge of the children who visited the Celtic Explorer.  For an island nation it is heartening to see that the children are learning about our ocean, understanding the importance of scientific marine research, as well as taking personal responsibility for caring for our marine environment,” Cushla Dromgool-Regan further said.

The Explorers Education programme also provides a range of cross curricular teaching resources and lesson plans for all primary schools to freely download at www.explorers.ie

School Children Eager to Do Just One Thing for the Sea



After their success at the Dublin Port Riverfest and the Galway Atlantaquaria’s World Oceans Day celebrations, the Irish Sea for Society team continued their activities at the open day of the national research vessel Celtic Explorer in Galway on 10 June, which was organised by the Marine Institute. More than 150 children from across Ireland visited the ship and were given tours of its facilities by its crew and Marine Institute staff members. 

The Sea for Society team was present with their special Information Kiosk in front of the Celtic Explorer, interacting with the children and raising awareness about how the ocean affects our lives and how our actions in turn affect the ocean. 

The students pledged to do at least one thing from a list of ten simple and achievable actions that collectively would help the sea. These actions included the recycling of plastic products or volunteering in a beach clean.

 Pupils from Glenageary Killiney National School eager to do just one thing for the sea


All of the children were eager to learn more about the sea and to spread the word about what they had learned during their visit. If everyone in Ireland would be as willing to Do Just One Thing for the Sea as these students, we could vastly improve the state of our seas.

The Irish Sea for Society team will continue to spread the word about the importance of the sea and to mobilise people to Do Just One Thing for the Sea at the Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth and Seafest events in Cork from 10-11 July and at their ‘Blue Talks’ event in Science Gallery Dublin on 14 July. 

Watch this space for more information about these events!

Monday 8 June 2015

Sea for Society in Belfast and Galway this week

The Irish Sea for Society team are out and about in force this week spreading the word about the project and the need to live in sustainable harmony with the Sea.

'Black John' - doing his bit for the Blue Society
The first event took place on Saturday 6th June when AquaTT joined forces with the interactive science discovery centre W5 in Belfast in a series of marine related cartoon workshops about the sea featuring that eco-friendly buccaneer 'Black John the Bogus Pirate'.

Young people who completed Black John's 'Cartoon Workbook of Marine Beasts' and promised to dispose of their plastic waste in an eco-friendly way were awarded a PhD (a 'Pirate's Higher Diploma') and copies of the Irish Sea for Society Compendium.

Cliona O'Ceallachain and Niamh Dornan on the Sea for Society pop-up bar
outside the Galway Atlantaquaria

Irish Sea for Society workbooks (and 'Black John's' sword)
on display at the AquaTT stand in Galway

On Sunday 7th June, the AquaTT roadshow went west to the city of Galway with their specially designed 'pop-up bar' where Niamh Dornan, Cliona O'Ceallachain and John Joyce distributed Sea for Society information and 'Citizen Pledges' at the Galway Atlantiquaria to celebrate World Oceans Day.

On Tuesday 9th June, the team return to Galway to collaborate with the Marine Institute as young people from all over the area descend on the docks area for an exciting tour of the national research vessel R.V. Celtic Explorer. 

News of that event in our next blog . . . 


Monday 1 June 2015

Sea for Society a Big Hit at Dublin Port Riverfest 2015

Visitors commit to doing 'Just One Thing' to protect the Ocean
 Mobilisation for Sea for Society continues apace in Ireland with a specially designed 'Sea for Society' exhibition stand at the Dublin Port Riverfest 2015 this weekend. This prestigious national event, which drew tens of thousands of visitors to the Dublin port area was themed around 'Pirates' and members of the Irish SFS team lost no time in getting into the spirit of the event, while making sure that the message of sustainable development came across loud and clear.


Getting into 'Pirate Mode' on the Sea for Society stand
 On the Sea for Society stand members of the public were asked to commit to doing 'Just One Thing' to protect the Sea and issued with a very attractive and innovative gift - "The Irish Sea for Society Compendium - a handy miscellany and round sea-loving production" masterminded by the AquaTT Communications Team led by Trevor Purtill.  This 66-page booklet contained not only the Sea for Society Quiz, but also articles and information on each of the six Sea for Society Pillars - 'The Sea as a Place to Live / A Source of Food / A Means of Transport / A Source of Energy / A Support for Human Health / A Place for Leisure and Tourism - but also notes on Irish Sea Heroes and Heroines, Sea Creaures, 10 Songs / Films and Books about the Sea, as well as colouring pages and even a 'Summertime Shanty'. The book was written by Niamh Dornan, Tanja Calis, John Joyce and Trevor Purtill and illustrated by Lluis C. Catchot and John Joyce.

A wide selection of Sea for Society educational items on offer
 Visitors to the stand were also issued with 'I Love the Sea' stickers and handy, business-card sized lists of 'Ten Actions to Protect Our Seas'.

The 'Just One Thing' board begins to fill
 
The Dublin Port Riverfest ran through the Bank Holiday weekend on Saturday and Sunday 30th and 31st May and continues today (Monday 1st June). More information on this event at http://dublinriverfest.com/
'Ready for Action'
Sea for Society mobilisation continues this week with events in Belfast at the W5 interactive science centre next Saturday 6th June and in Galway the week after starting at the Galway Atlantaquaria on Sunday 7th June (World Oceans Day) and at the national research vessel R.V. Celtic Explorer in Galway Dock on 10th June.

Sea for Society stickers were a bit hit with everyone

Further events are planned throughout the Summer.