This blog post discusses the seminar given by Bob Wood of the Cooperative Oxford Laboratory, at the IAN Seminar Series on August 26, 2010. There was a lively discussion following Bob Wood's seminar. The observation was made that several of Bob's slides were 'Tufte' approved, in that they contained a large amount of content, with little 'chart-junk'. The talk was characterized as being both data-rich and idea-rich.

Read more

This blog post discusses the seminar given by Bill Dennison of the Integration and Application Network, at the IAN Seminar Series on July 27, 2010. The use of smart phones by citizen scientists to access the eco-hub portal was discussed and the issue of a) lack of coverage and b) limited availability to some citizen scientists was raised. While technological advances will continue to make both of these issues less profound, they are important considerations.

Read more

This blog post discusses the seminar given by Walter Boynton of the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, at the IAN Seminar Series on July 29, 2010. Walter Boynton at the IAN Seminar Series. The discussion focused on the bioavailability of nitrogen in its different forms. The dissolved inorganic nitrogen forms (e.g., nitrate and ammonium) were contrasted with dissolved organic nitrogen and particulate nitrogen.

Read more

This title refers to our attempt to use science communication to make a difference in the world. We really do aim to make a global impact with our science communication applications. An indicator of how science communication is applied globally is that the free IAN symbol libraries have been utilized extensively. Over fifty-five thousand people from around the world have now downloaded this from two hundred and thirty-seven countries, virtually, the entire planet.

Read more

In order to create a map of stream health in the Chesapeake watershed, Katie Foreman, Scott Phillips, Claire Buchanan and colleagues in the Non Tidal Workgroup of the Chesapeake Bay Program generated a data set of benthic macroinvertebrate condition using data collected by state agencies in the Chesapeake watershed. The original map created by Katie and her team in 2009 had approximately 3,200 data points, distributed throughout the watershed.

Read more

The National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE), based in Washington, D.C., supports a group of university administrators called the Council for Environmental Deans & Directors (CEDD). This group has two annual meetings; a winter meeting in Washington, D.C. and a summer conference in different locations around the country. The 2010 summer conference was hosted by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) in Boulder, Colorado.

Read more

We recently held our annual Integration and Application Network retreat, titled "Creating synergies and leveraging impacts". It was conducted at the Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology, on the Wye River, a tributary of Chesapeake Bay. Attending this retreat were the Science Integrators and Science Communicators from a) the 'bathhouse' on the Horn Point Laboratory campus, b) the EcoCheck team based at the Cooperative Oxford Laboratory and c) the Annapolis Synthesis Center.

Read more

Ben Fertig, graduate student, became Dr. Ben Fertig following his successful dissertation defense at Horn Point Laboratory on 6 July 2010. His thesis is titled "Stable nitrogen isotopes (δ15N) in the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) as an indicator of nitrogen source". Ben gave a powerpoint thesis summary (5 years compressed into 45 minute talk) to a large gathering of Horn Point faculty and students.

Read more

The Maryland Coastal Bays Program report card was released at an interesting venue in Ocean City in late afternoon, June 30. Macky's Barside & Grill on 54th Street in Ocean City provided a bayside venue for the release with perfect weather. Jet skis and motorboats were buzzing in and out of the canal, a roosting colony of laughing gulls in the marsh and the babble of dinner guests eating in the sandy beach provided a lively backdrop to the proceedings.

Read more

This blog post discusses the seminar given by Howard Townsend, of the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office, at the IAN Seminar Series on June 24, 2010. Following Howard's seminar, two short videos were aired. The first one depicted some of Howard's hidden talents on the dance floor, and the second one was a 6 minute Computer Generated Image (CGI) film entitled "Life in the Chesapeake Bay", produced by NOAA in conjunction with Lenfest Ocean Program and the University of British Columbia.

Read more