Throughout the remainder of the year, Tabor Academy will again host “Science at Work” lectures, a series built on the goal of exposing both the Tabor and local communities to scientific leaders from the region and beyond.
The series will commence on Monday, October 17, at 6:30 pm at Tabor Academy’s Lyndon South Auditorium with Dr. Michael Moore, director of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) Marine Mammal Center.
Dr. Moore will discuss modern methods of assessing the condition of whales, specifically those off the coast of Cape Cod. Among the methods discussed will be the use of drones to monitor species, and the utilization of “forensic examination” to better comprehend the biggest threats to the whales.
Dr. Moore will draw from years of research experience on whales, having worked in the field since he entered the WHOI as a graduate student in 1986. In that time, on top of providing veterinary support to the Marine Mammal Rescue and Research Division of the International Fund for Animal Welfare in Cape Cod, he has, among many projects, experimented with methods to sedate whales in order to free them from ropes or netting, worked to better understand the effects of impact with boats on the creatures, and analyzed the unsuccessful rebound of the North Atlantic Right Whale.
As the “School by the Sea,” Tabor naturally has a unique connection to the rich aquatic environment of Sippican Harbor and Buzzards Bay. Thus, the Science at Work lectures not only provide a means to further enrich the marine science learning environment at the school, but display these programs to the South Coast community.
“I want the presentation to reach, educate, and interest the student body and the public,” said Tabor Director of Marine Sciences Jay Cassista. “This is an opportunity to sit side by side with our neighbors to enjoy and learn from scientists all over the nation.”
The enrichment brought by each speaker is not limited to the lecture itself. The speakers spend the day on the Tabor campus, talking with students in the classroom and integrating their expertise with the curriculums of each course they visit. Paired with the evening lecture, students are able to get an in-depth look at real-world scientific research being done both in the community and around the world.
The lecture by Dr. Moore is the first of three lectures scheduled in this year’s series. On December 12, Executive Director of the Coalition for Buzzards Bay, Mark Rasmussen, will discuss the work done by the Coalition to protect and raise awareness about the local marine environment.
The third lecture will be by Dr. Yolanda Cruz, a Professor of Biology at Oberlin College, who will speak about stem cell research and “designer babies.” The final presentation has yet to be scheduled. Each lecture is free and open to the public.
The speaker series began as the brainchild of Cassista and Tabor Director of Communications Kerry Saltonstall, who merged their ideas of inviting scientists to campus and hosting a speaker series into one event combining the two.
Last year, the school hosted five presentations on a diverse range of topics. The subjects of the talks included using Citizen Science to aid pollination research, understanding recent unusual weather patterns, and even photographing penguins in Antarctica.
The lectures drew hundreds of people from the Tabor community and beyond, even drawing a presence from many other researchers in the area.
“This seemed like a fantastic way to bring scientists in the field of marine research to Tabor and for our students to benefit from research that is being done by passionate professionals,” said Cassista.
By Jack Gordon