So much to seal at Marine Science Day

Photo by Douglas Klug

Dive into hands-on science when Newport’s Hatfield Marine Science Center hosts its annual Marine Science Day this Saturday, April 11.

The event offers an open house and science fair showcasing marine research and engineering on the Hatfield campus, with activities designed to highlight how ocean science connects to everyday life along the coast.

Visitors can explore more than 40 interactive exhibits covering topics such as marine mammals, aquaculture, fisheries, seabirds and sharks. Activities include touching tidepool creatures, examining plankton under microscopes, exploring ocean engineering displays and climbing aboard the R/V Kalipi, a research vessel used in nearshore studies.

The event also features the return of the mini Big Blue Film Festival, showing a selection of short films celebrating the marine world from 11:15 am to 12:15 pm in the Carem Ford Phillips Auditorium.

Expanded behind-the-scenes tours will run throughout the day, offering a closer look at facilities and research areas including the seawater system, Yaquina Estuary Trail, tsunami vertical evacuation structure, coastal monitoring station, marine operations and aquaculture program. The free tours will be offered from 10:15 am to 2:20 pm and last roughly one hour. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the courtyard welcome area.

The day’s keynote speaker will be Dr. Danny Pimentel of the University of Oregon, who will speak about artificial ocean intelligence and virtual experiences that allow people to interact with marine ecosystems in new ways. The presentation begins at 1 pm in the Carem Ford Phillips Auditorium.

The visitor center will also be open with free admission throughout the day.

Saturday’s event runs from 10 am to 4 pm at the Hatfield Marine Science Center, located at 2030 SE Marine Science Drive. For more information, go to hmsc.oregonstate.edu.