I see the sea…or at least the science relating to it! The number of people diving into aquatic sciences during our Open House more than doubled this year, with 1,200 visitors of all ages joining us for a day of hands-on activities.
Hosted by UW student-led outreach program SEAS – Students Explore Aquatic Sciences – guests were treated to displays from the entire breadth of science relating to water. From peering at tiny organisms under a microscope and watching demos of remotely operated underwater vehicles, to dressing up as a narwhal and exploring Arctic waters, 30 booths were present from across the University of Washington and partner research organizations.
“Open Houses like this are really important, one for the University to highlight what we’re doing in the area, but also for engaging the next generation of scientists,” said Corey Garza, SAFS Professor and Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the UW College of the Environment. “It’s been really great seeing how many young kids are here taking an active interest in science, along with their families.”
All new this year and a big crowd pleaser were a face painting booth and raffle, sponsored by the education research organization foundry10. At the face painting booth, kids could choose from a variety of marine species designs such as whales, dolphins and octopuses. Raffle prizes included microscopes, waterproof cameras, tidepooling guides, and a children’s book written by SAFS professor, Jackie Padilla-Gamiño. Opening up their vessel at midday, the R/V Rachel Carson hosted tours of their deck, galley and research stations, to demonstrate what life is like on board as a UW scientist.
“Young folks are often not aware of the wide array of jobs within specific industries,” said Handa, Yoh, Career Connected Learning and Life Skills Team Lead at foundry10. “The Open House is an energizing and engaging environment that paints a broader picture of career pathways and specializations through first-hand demos and displays run by industry professionals, which helps demystify large industries like aquatic sciences.”
Peeking at the world’s oldest fish at the UW Fish Collection table, seeing in real-time how water temperature affects the color of coral, and witnessing the movement of ocean currents with the use of dye, were just some of the fantastic displays of science this year. One visitor commented that “the variety of topics was expansive yet not redundant, and the activities were fun and engaging. The students and staff were great with the children and knew how to speak at their level.”
As always, one of the main drivers of the Open House is to make aquatic science accessible to local communities and show how important research is in tackling environmental issues both here in Washington and further afield. Opening up science and making it engaging, fun, and inspiring, goes a long way to demonstrate to the youngsters of Seattle and surrounding areas that there are fulfilling, impactful, and successful careers to be had in aquatic science.
From the deepest depths of the ocean to soaring seabirds, each year the Open House event brings to life how diverse and far-reaching the science relating to water really is.
Interested in related news? Read UW Daily’s coverage
Click and scroll through the 2024 Open House album
