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Free online lectures: Explore a world of ideas

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New England Aquarium

Opened on the Boston Waterfront in 1969, the New England Aquarium is one of the world’s first modern aquariums. Visitors can explore the ocean and visit thousands of marine animals in three levels of world-class exhibits. Combining education, entertainment and action to address the most challenging problems facing the ocean, the New England Aquarium aims to create a new generation of ocean stewards. Since 1972, the Aquarium has been providing free lectures and films by scientists, environmental writers, photographers and many more. Through the generosity of the Lowell Institute, the Aquarium Lecture Series is free and open to the public. Registration is requested and all programs start at 7 p.m. in the Aquarium's Simons IMAX Theatre, unless otherwise noted. Programs last approximately one hour. For more information or to join our mailing list, visit: www.neaq.org/aquariumlectures

http://www.neaq.org/

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    The Biomimicry Opportunity: A Panel Discussion

    Wed, Feb 25, 2015
    Biomimicry is the process of emulating nature's strategies—which have been evolving for 3.8 billion years—to solve complex human problems. Join us for an introduction to this fascinating topic and its potential for advancement in education and sustainable design. Biomimicry, an approach to innovation that seeks inspiration from nature, often looks to the oceans and marine animals. Panelists will share their experience on this topic and how they are helping to address many of today’s environmental issues and inspire a new group of innovators to look to nature to create sustainable solutions.
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    Partner:
    New England Aquarium

  • Peter Molnar: A Story of Climate and Life

    Thu, Oct 16, 2014
    Understanding and predicting global climate change may be one of the most complex scientific challenges we face today. MIT’s School of Science launched the Lorenz Center, a new climate think tank devoted to fundamental inquiry, to foster creative approaches to learning how climate works. **Peter Molnar** describes when ice covered Canada for the first time, three million years ago during the first Ice Age in hundreds of millions of years. Concurrently, mountain lions crossed the Isthmus of Panamá from North America to South America, while Armadillos moved into North America, in the Great American Interchange. Many geologists imagine that the Isthmus of Panamá emerged three million years ago not only to provide a land bridge for the Interchange, but also to facilitate Ice Ages. During Ice Ages, however, Panamá cools and dries out. Could it have been global climate change instead, associated with an ice-covered Canada, that temporarily transformed Panamá’s uninviting jungles into a savanna highway conducive to overland travel? The annual Carlson Lecture features exciting new results in climate science each year to the general public; it is made possible by a generous gift from MIT alumnus John H. Carlson to the Lorenz Center at MIT.
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    Partner:
    New England Aquarium

  • Changing the Face of Science: Dispelling Stereotypes and Exploring Careers

    Sat, Sep 29, 2012
    Allie Wilkinson, freelance science writer and founder of the website This Is What a Scientist Looks Like discusses her work at New England Aquarium. When children are asked to draw a scientist, they typically draw a white man with glasses wearing a lab coat. And when Americans were asked to name a living scientist in a recent study, more than 60 percent of participants said they could not. The absence of scientists in the public eye and the portrayal of scientists by the entertainment industry leads to the pervasive stereotype that scientists are unattractive, socially inept hermits, or that science is a career predominantly for white males. These stereotypes lead to decreased interest in science and make scientific careers look less appealing. This Is What a Scientist Looks Like is a community photo project looking to dispel these stereotypes by showcasing scientists in their natural habitat, whether it be the lab, the field or enjoying their hobbies. Recorded 9/29/12.
    Forum Network
    Partner:
    New England Aquarium

  • Shark Research Confessions: Introductions and Adventures in the Field with New England Shark Experts

    Tue, May 6, 2014
    New England is home to many different species of sharks: great white, basking, blue and thresher sharks to name a few. It is also home to many shark researchers who travel all over the world to help the conservation of these fascinating yet vulnerable animals. The speakers will provide an overview of the amazing work they conduct, while providing information on shark biology and their career paths. This lecture is not to be missed by any shark enthusiast! Panelists include: Tobey H. Curtis, shark researcher and fisheries manager, NOAA Fisheries Service Dr. James Sulikowski, associate professor of marine science, University of New England Dr. Jeff Kneebone, research biologist Dr. Greg Skomal, senior fisheries scientist, Massachusetts Marine Fisheries Heather Marshall, Ph.D. candidate, University of Massachusetts -- Dartmouth Dr. Diego Bernal, associate professor, University of Massachusetts -- Dartmouth John Chisholm, marine fisheries biologist, Mass. Division of Marine Fisheries Shark Research Program Dr. Lisa J Natanson, senior research fisheries scientist, Apex Predators Program, National Marine Fisheries Service, Narragansett, RI Hosted by Dr. John Mandelman, director of research and senior scientist, John H. Prescott Marine Laboratory, New England Aquarium, and Cynthia Wigren, president and co-founder, Atlantic White Shark Conservancy
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    New England Aquarium

  • Jenny Montague: There Will Be Blood

    Tue, May 13, 2014
    Blood sampling is an important part of monitoring the health of seals and sea lions at the New England Aquarium, but how do you find a blood vessel under all of that fur? The seals and sea lions recognize the marine mammal staff, and they spend hours eating, playing, observing and interacting each day. This familiarity plays a role in the animals' willingness to cooperate during blood samplingand other diagnostics. In an effort to gain a fuller understanding, Jenny Montague, assistant curator of marine mammals, applied for the 2013 John H. Cunningham Award, a professional development program for Aquarium staff to further their knowledge in a particular area. She has known several of the seals in the collection since they were newborns but needed training to locate and draw from a large blood vessel under the fur and blubber. Her award funded a trip to The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, Calif., and the experience of a lifetime.
    Forum Network
    Partner:
    New England Aquarium

  • Jennifer Jacquet: Why Consumers Alone Can't Save Our Fish

    Tue, May 20, 2014
    Seafood is one of the only wild foods (aside from mushrooms) that Westerners eat with any regularity, and demand for it is only increasing. This talk discusses the rise of consumer-based initiatives to save the world's marine life, such as seafood wallet cards and the Marine Stewardship Council's eco-label for wild-caught fish. The principle that consumers should make a point of choosing products that reflect their ideals is a good one, but there are also challenges with initiatives that focus on end consumers'particularly because they ask us to engage as consumers rather than as concerned citizens and relate to fish as a commodity rather than as wildlife.
    Forum Network
    Partner:
    New England Aquarium

  • John Mandelman: Solving a Cod-undrum

    Wed, May 28, 2014
    The Atlantic cod'a culturally, economically and ecologically important fish species with a rich New England history'has not recovered from stock collapses in recent years, despite substantial management intervention and a major reduction in commercial fishing effort. Although research attention has increased, many questions on cod meant to aid management and promote recovery are not yet fully answered, such as what happens to those cod that are caught by certain fishing gears, but not harvested. Dr. John Mandelman describes ongoing work by the New England Aquarium and colleagues to better understand the fate of undersized cod that by law must be released after capture in recreational fisheries, and which strategies may increase the probability of survival. Dr. Mandelman also provides historical context on cod in the region, and describe how evolving tracking technologies are being used to answer important fisheries questions.
    Forum Network
    Partner:
    New England Aquarium

  • Robinson Fulweiler: The Immortal Life of Nitrogen

    Tue, Jun 3, 2014
    Without nitrogen there would be no life'no me, no you, no blue whale, no Atlantic cod, no Antarctic krill. But too much nitrogen leads to a series of negative consequences. Human activities have more than doubled the amount of nitrogen cycling through the biosphere in the past 100 years, and in doing so we have introduced large amounts of nitrogen to coastal waters. This excess nitrogen has led to eutrophication, loss of submerged aquatic vegetation, harmful algal blooms, increased low oxygen conditions and dead zones, fish kills, and loss of biodiversity. Fortunately, we can take steps to mitigate this excess nitrogen and to decrease future inputs to marine waters. Fulweiler will tell the story of how one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century transformed our planet and how each of us can help save our coastal ocean through simple, easily adaptable changes.
    Forum Network
    Partner:
    New England Aquarium

  • Curtis Felix: Oyster & Salt Marsh Impacts on Cape Cod

    Thu, May 1, 2014
    Can oysters save the world? Curt Felix talks on the latest large-scale restoration effort in Wellfleet, Mass. and the efforts in the Commonwealth to bring back the bi-valve from its nearly 99 percent reduction in population. He also discusses how oysters can clean the water, help restore lost fish populations in MA Bay, prevent coastal erosion, buffer against ocean acidification and taste great!
    Forum Network
    Partner:
    New England Aquarium

  • Lost Steamer Portland

    Wed, Nov 6, 2002
    John Fish, director of the Historical Maritime Group of New England traces his group's decade-long effort to find the Portland's final resting place and to divulge the clues that led them there. The loss of the passenger steamer Portland in November, 1898 represents one of the worst maritime disasters in coastal New England. With over 190 lives lost in the sinking, significant changes were subsequently made in ocean transportation regulations, as well as in the design criteria for new coastal passenger vessels.
    Forum Network
    Partner:
    New England Aquarium
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