Presentation Summary
When you hear the term ocean acidification, what does it actually mean? How is coastal acidification different from ocean acidification? This talk will give an introduction into the chemistry, causes, and processes going on in our marine waters causing them to increase in acidity. We’ll also debunk some myths, learn about recent scientific findings, and give an outlook into what the future may hold for the ocean’s pH. Finally, we’ll look at the big picture of what this all could mean for the ocean’s ecosystems.
In the second half of this presentation, participants will learn how to use NOAA’s new Data in the Classroom module to explore the science behind ocean and coastal acidification. Can ocean conditions can support the growth and survival of marine life, both now and in the future? The interactive module provides authentic research questions and scaled data interactions that give students the opportunity to explore this question (and more).
Presenter's Biographies
Kari St. Lawrent
Kari is an environmental scientist with the State of Delaware and research coordinator for the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve. She holds a Ph.D. in oceanography from the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and is perfectly okay being a total science nerd. She is currently the state representative on the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network’s steering committee and the co-lead for the NERRS Coastal and Ocean Acidification Workgroup.
Amy Dean
Amy has worked in science education for 20 years. She holds a Masters Degree in Marine Biology and is fascinated by the wonderful and bizarre world of marine invertebrates. She has been working with NOAA for 15 years, managing education programs, designing curriculum and providing teacher training services. In her spare time, she is a full time teacher of Biology and Environmental Science for high school students in the San Francisco Bay Area.