Help the Bay by offering your input

In partnership with The Chesapeake Bay Trust, and OpinionWorks, the University of Maryland has launched The Bay Survey. This survey helps us understand how residents throughout the Chesapeake Bay area, Western Maryland, and the Atlantic Coastal Bays handle rainwater, vegetation, and other issues on their properties. Help out IAN by filling out the survey online at www.baysurvey.org.

Long Island Sound Report Card released

Long Island Sound gradesIAN and its many Long Island Sound partners held two simultaneous press conferences in Glen Cove, NY and Westport, CT to announce the inaugural Long Island Sound report card. Grades in the Long Island Sound ranged from an "F" in the Western Narrows to an "A" in the Eastern subregion, corresponding with increased development pressures and pollution towards New York City. For more information on the development of the Long Island Sound Report Card, and to view regionally-specific water quality grades, please visit the report card website.

Norwalk Harbor & Inner Hempstead Harbor Report Cards released

Norwalk & Inner Hempstead Harbor Report CardsTwo embayment report cards were released in conjunction with the Long Island Sound Report Card. The Inner Hempstead and Norwalk Harbors earned a grade of D+ and C+, respectively. Inner Hempstead Harbor earned moderately good scores (B+) for dissolved oxygen yet poor scores (F) for water clarity. Norwalk Harbor received a very good score for dissolved oxygen (A) but a moderately poor score for water clarity (C-). The three reports combined offer residents, resource managers, and policy-makers a complete picture of ecosystem health in the Eastern and Western Narrows of Long Island Sound.

Recent IAN science communication courses

Group photo from Knauss Fellows Science Communication CourseA 2.5-day science communication course was taught at the Horn Point Laboratory for participants in the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship program. Participants learned effective science communication techniques, including layout and design principles, conceptual diagrams, and presentation skills. Participants in the 2015 Maryland Sea Grant's Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program completed a one-day course in science communication. The course focused on effective science communication techniques, including conceptual diagrams and presentation skills, and included a walking tour of downtown Annapolis, with a special pit stop for ice cream on such a warm June day!

IAN welcomes Dylan Taillie

Dylan Taillie joins the IAN teamDylan Taillie is an Eastern Shore native of Denton who graduated from Tulane University with a Bachelors of Science degree in Economics and Environmental Studies. Dylan's previous work with the Midshore Riverkeeper Conservancy along with his experience studying abroad at James Cook University in Northern Queensland, Australia, piqued his interest in the field of environmental science. He will be working alongside Judy, Bill, and Simon on various projects throughout the summer and further, including the NY Harbor project and the USAUS-H2O project. Dylan loves the outdoors and has begun plans for hiking the Pacific Crest Trail before going to graduate school in the fall of 2016. He also enjoys a good game of soccer, a plate of french fries, and roughhousing with his dog, Sophie. As an intern with IAN, Dylan hopes to gain valuable experience in effective science communication along with an in-depth knowledge of past research and possible future research being done at UMCES.

On the Horizon...

A new course, Communicating Science Effectively, will be offered by the Integration and Application Network during the fall semester 2015. This course will focus on developing effective strategies for communicating scientific findings using a variety of data visualization tools, including conceptual diagrams, informative maps, photographs, and video clips. This 3-credit course will be offered through the University of Maryland Marine, Estuarine, Environmental Sciences graduate program. Please stay tuned for registration information!