Science center talks to examine herring, life in Antarctica

JOY LANDALUCE

December 06, 2007 at 9:13AM AKST

Cordovans interested in learning more about science and nature can take advantage of an ongoing lecture series held on Tuesdays.

"The PWSSC Community Education series has morphed quite a bit over the last five years," said Allen Marquette, Prince William Sound Science Center education programs coordinator, "from occasional programs given by education staff members once a month, to a weekly series with presenters from the Prince William Sound Science Center, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Forest Service other local agencies and organizations and even out of region scientists and researchers."

The series occurs at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays in the U.S. Forest Service Conference Room upstairs on the third floor.

On Dec. 11, Steve Moffitt of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game will speak on "Developing a Web Portal on Herring Information for Prince William Sound."

The local Audubon chapter and the center work together to sponsor the third week's lecture each month. On Dec. 18, David Loomis and Amy Lindsley will be giving a presentation called "The Life of Antarctica's King George Island."

This program will look at a study that was done during Antarctica's summer involving penguins and skuas. A broad overview of this ecosystem study and the species it encompasses will be presented.

Loomis and Lindsley will also look at the other wildlife species found on the island, the lives of the human inhabitants and the land itself.

On Nov. 27, the series celebrated the Hubble Space Telescope with a photographic journey into space.

The program celebrated the photos and discoveries the Hubble has made over the last 17 years.

After the introduction, participants took a journey through the solar system and into the deeper reaches of space back to a time when the universe was in its infancy.

Participants enjoyed a journey with a large-screen format slideshow of some of the most beautiful Hubble photographs ever taken backed with space music.

Marquette has improved the education possibilities for the upcoming months with some new programs.

"We do have some great programs coming up in the next few months for the PWSSC community education series," Marquette said.

"I recently organized a fieldtrip for the two marine biology classes of Cara Heitz at the high school," he added.

The education program will be taking 23 high school students, five Science Center education staff and three of the center's researchers to do physical and biological oceanography experiments with students for an all-day cruise on the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Sycamore.

"Capt. (Kevin P.) Dunn and his crew have been extremely helpful in helping to put this trip together. The cruise is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 10," Marquette said

"The other great thing about this cruise aboard the cutter is that the first dozen people from the community who sign up for the cruise will be able to accompany and participate with the students and researchers on the all day cruise," Marquette said.

Those interested in attending the cruise may contact Marquette at (907) 424-5800, ext. 237 or at

Educational programs scheduled this fall and winter include "Does the bird flu have you in a fowl mood?" This program will look at the ecology and epidemiology of avian influenza.

The history and current status of the H5N1 flu strain will be reviewed, including the results of an avian influenza surveillance conducted in Alaska over the last two years. The program will also discuss the role and relationship of avian influenza viruses to human pandemic strains.

Joy Landaluce can be reached at (907) 424-7181.

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