Talked with Gabby Barbarite McHenry, Ph.D., Director of Outreach & Engagement, Florida Atlantic University, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. "FAU Harbor Branch prioritizes solution-oriented research that addresses critical issues affecting coastal zone, oceans, and human well-being." As part of their outreach, they've created a boat tour on a floating lab, Discovery. On this educational tour listeners can learn about the Indian River Lagoon and it's importance in the ecosystem. The lagoon reaches 156 miles along Florida's east coast and has more that 4,000 plant and animals species (50 are threatended or endangered). It's offered 10:30am on Fridays and Saturdays and again at 1pm on Saturday. To book a boat tour, listeners can go to www.fau.edu/hboi/bookatour or by calling 772-242-2293. They also have a campus tour, volunteer opportunities, upcoming events at IRL Science Festival in November, Ocean Science lecture series, Marine Science Friday lecture series, speakers bureau, ocean science art contest, citizen science projects - one includes dolphin spotting. For more info, listeners can go to fau.edu.
