Coastal Marine Field Station: The University of Waikato is holding an open day at its new Coastal Marine Field Station on Saturday 3 March.
Marine curiosities, student research presentations and a biking lecture will be part of the line-up next Saturday 3 March when the University of Waikato holds an open day at its new Coastal Marine Field Station, at Cross Road, Sulphur Point, from 9.30am-4.00pm.
The day marks the start of Sea Week, a national event which runs from 3-11 March, and the University is teaming up with its Bay of Plenty tertiary partners (Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi) as well as Tauranga Environment Centre, Maanaki Taha Moana (MTM) and BOP Regional Council to hold a family day with a marine focus.
Opportunities for families to connect with local research
University of Waikato Chair in Coastal Science Professor Chris Battershill hopes families will take the opportunity to come and find out more about the region’s coastal environment.
“There’s been a hive of research activity happening in and around the Bay of Plenty and we want to give people an opportunity to hear about what’s going on. We’d also encourage people to bring down their marine curiosities and some of our scientists will help identify them.”
Professor to lead biking lecture
Kicking off the day, Professor Battershill and Caine Taiapa, who is lead researcher with the Tauranga Harbour Ecological Survey, will lead a biking lecture from Sulphur Point, to Ferguson Park, and back via a stop at Waikareao Estuary. The Coastal Discovery Bike Ride celebrates the launch of Sustainable Backyards month run by Tauranga Environment Centre and will include commentary on the biodiversity and ecology within Tauranga Harbour together with an historical and cultural overview of points of interest.
During the afternoon a series of brief lectures will update visitors on the research into the environmental effects of Rena, the ecological survey being conducted around Tauranga Harbour and the Regional Council’s coastal monitoring programme.
Students to present research in three minutes
Students will also give three-minute presentations about their research. They include University PhD and Masters students, as well as summer scholarship recipients from the Bay of Plenty Tertiary Partnership and Bay of Plenty Regional Council.
The Bike Ride leaves the Coastal Marine Field Station at 10am, Saturday 3 March. Bring bikes (suitable for gravel tracks), helmets and a packed lunch. To register for the ride, please email Lydia Hale at The Environment Centre, [email protected]. For more information on the event please visit http://events.waikato.ac.nz and click on lectures and seminars.