2020 After Hours Lectures

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Plastics in the Ocean

(February 27, 2020) In recent years, headlines about marine debris, microplastics, and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch have filled our news feed. While the accumulation of plastic waste in our oceans and other bodies of water is a serious concern, it is not a simple problem to understand or study. Much of this debris exists as tiny pieces called microplastics, which are able to interact with even the smallest ocean animals but very difficult for scientists to trace. The chemical makeup of plastics varies greatly and adds another layer of difficulty in understanding how plastics affect the marine environment. Join us as Meredith Seeley, a doctoral student at VIMS, walks us through the complex story of plastics in the ocean—where they come from, where they go, and how they impact ocean organisms. She will help us understand what the future may hold and our role in the story. View the archived video.

Expedition Nepal

(January 30, 2020) In 2019, a team of fisheries biologists from VIMS traveled to Nepal to study the country's freshwater fishes. Their goal was to understand how national parks—primarily designed to protect large land animals—may also protect fish habitats and diversity. Along the way they learned a great deal about the rewards and challenges associated with conducting international research. Join Dr. Mary Fabrizio, Dr. Troy Tuckey, and Vaskar Nepal as they provide a first-hand account of their expedition. From extreme heat to wild rhinoceros encounters, they will detail their expedition and what they hope to discover with the information they gathered. View the archived video.