Science by the Sea with Minorities in Shark Sciences

By Jasmin Graham, Safina Center Junior Fellow

On March 12th, 2022 we hosted our first Science by the Sea event of the year. These events are supported by the Safina Center and the Tampa Bay Estuary Program in collaboration with Manatee County Parks .We braved the elements and dodged a large thunderstorm, but were still able to host a successful event. Though our participant numbers dropped off dramatically with the impending storm, we decided to host the event for those willing to brave the elements.

We were fortunate enough to kick off the program before the storm began with a nature walk through Emerson Point Preserve. During this nature walk, we collected water samples from several brackish and freshwater locations around the park. We also got a chance to brush up on our plant identification. We made it back to the indoor classroom just as the skies opened to a torrential downpour. Impeccable timing! Once in the classroom we discussed watersheds and how what we do on land can affect our rivers, streams, and estuaries. We then took some water quality measurements on the samples we had collected. It was about this time that the rain stopped which gave us an excellent opportunity to go out to our closest water collection spot and collect a post-rainstorm sample for comparison. Our participants were able to see how the rainstorm had affected the overall water quality which was a silver lining to the storm. It just goes to show you that sometimes rolling with the punches can give nature a chance to open new opportunities for learning.

If you’re in the Tampa Bay area and interested in attending one of these events, you can learn more about the program by visiting www.misselasmo.org/science-by-the-sea-youth-program .