the BREAKWATER 
A newsletter from the Prince William Sound Science Center
July 2019
SMALL FRY ACTIVITIES AT SALMON JAM
Research Assistant Anne Schaefer helps a small fry with a fish print.
Copper River Salmon Jam  is this weekend, July 12-13 at the Mt. Eyak Skill Hill! Join us Saturday from 1-3 pm for all of the fun and diverse Small Fry activities for the young and young at heart. These activities are free.
     PWSSC Education Director Lauren Bien helps plan and organize an array of educational activities for children at the Salmon Jam festival including fish printing, salmon scale extraction, trivia, and live salmon filleting demonstrations. 


HANDS-ON WITH ROVs
Students in Hooper Bay assemble their ROV. Photo by Lauren Bien.
Among the many engaging education programs at PWSSC, perhaps one of the more unique is the hands-on ROV program. An ROV is a Remotely Operated Vehicle that is used for underwater exploration, scientific research, infrastructure work, and much more. This technology is useful in the world of marine science and helps provide scientists with data that would otherwise be difficult to obtain.
     The Science Center is committed to helping encourage the next generation of marine scientists and fostering scientific literacy among students of all ages. With creative simulations and challenging competitions, the education department has certainly discovered an exciting way to accomplish these goals within our region. Read more about this program in our News .
MIDDLETON ISLAND PUFFIN UPDATE
Tufted Puffin photo by Kristen Gorman
Prince William Sound Science Center scientists Kristen Gorman and Anne Schaefer recently returned from Middleton Island where they were retrieving geolocators - a tracking device - from Tufted Puffins  that they banded at this same site last summer. The puffins have "worn" these leg bands for the past year during their migratory season. 
     As this species may be vulnerable to rapid changes in the environment, these observations have important implications for advancing knowledge of Tufted Puffin ecology, management of the species, and education regarding seabird ecology in the Gulf's changing environment.
     Stay tuned for updates later this month as the team heads out again to place more geolocators and capture another year's worth of migratory data. 
SUMMER EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Campers getting muddy at Sheridan Glacier. Photo by Lauren Bien
The Science Center's environmental science camps provide an opportunity for campers to experience the amazing landscape that surrounds us in an educational and exciting way. We've just successfully  completed the first few summer camps of the year and had a lot of fun, all while learning about the world around us. Summer education programs are continuing this month and next with the Copper River Stewardship Program in partnership with the Copper River Watershed Project, and H2O Overnight Camp.
     Stay tuned and follow along with us on Facebook for opportunities to learn about our bioregion through "mini-explorations" with the Discover Cordova summer programs.
FISHERIES ACHIEVEMENT AWARD AND COPPER RIVER NOUVEAU UPDATES
Megan McKay, Portia Babcock, and Renee Reeve at Copper River Nouveau. Photo by Bree Mills.
If you were one of the many involved with Copper River Nouveau--whether as a guest or a volunteer--you know that the night of June 8 was buzzing with laughter, great food, and generosity.
     The evening kicked off with the Fisheries Achievement Award ceremony, where Gary Martinek was honored for his decades-long work of  pioneering otolith marking techniques and improving sockeye salmon hatchery management practices.
     Sen. Lisa Murkowski hosted the Nouveau dinner, with a gourmet meal prepared by Nancy Alip of Jens' Restaurant. Guests were entertained with "summer camp jams" (performed by a handful of guests); music by Rachel Kallander, David Volland, and John Bitney; and our live auction, led by April Powers of Magic 98.9fm.  
    Thanks to everyone involved, we smashed all previous fundraising records. These funds help bolster our research and education programs. Read more details of the night in this Cordova Times article.
The Science Center is committed to understanding how one place on earth can maintain a reliable economy and natural environment for the long term. 
 
We invite you-- donors, researchers, partners, funders, elected officials, citizens--to join us in better understanding one of the world's last, great natural regions, home of the world's richest waters.

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