2017 After Hours Lectures
Loggerhead Sea Turtles
(January 26, 2017) Hundreds of loggerhead sea turtles wash up on Chesapeake Bay beaches each summer. But why? Learn how Dr. David Kaplan’s unusual research approach is being used to find the likely cause by first determining the location of injury or death via use of manufactured turtle models and ”Frankenturtles” (reconstructed turtle carcasses), which the researchers deployed last summer to map the effects of winds and currents. Join us to learn about this interesting research that aims to reduce mortality of these fascinating and iconic creatures. View archived video here.
Virginia Sea Scallops
(February 24, 2017) Sea scallops are a favorite seafood dish, the second most valuable commercial fishery on the East Coast, and a major fishery for the commonwealth of Virginia. Join us for an evening with Dr. David Rudders, as we learn about these unusual animals (a swimming shellfish with dozens of eyes), the sharp decline of the scallop industry in the 1990s, and the recent recovery of the wild sea scallop. View archived video here.
Biosensors
(March 30, 2017) Each time you get a flu shot or other vaccination, you benefit from your immune system’s ability to create antibodies that recognize and bind with foreign agents. Join us as Dr. Mike Unger explains how scientists at VIMS developed a biosensor that uses antibodies to detect oil spills and other threats in our waters. View archived video here.
The Pamunkey Indian Tribe
(April 27, 2017) Join us as Kathryn MacCormick—tribal member, reservation resident, biologist, and teacher—shares key environmental issues facing the Pamunkey—the only federal Indian tribe in the state. View archived video here.
The Nunnally Ichthyology Collection
(June 29, 2017) The Nunnally Ichthyology Collection at VIMS houses 300,000 specimens from the mountain streams of Virginia to the deep sea floor. Join us as collections manager Dr. Sarah Huber shares some of the most unusual specimens in the collection, along with preservation techniques. View archived video here.
Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program
(July 27, 2017) Each year 200 anglers tag hundreds of recreationally important fishes—cobia, summer flounder, speckled trout, and more—as part of the Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program. Join us as VIMS Marine Recreational Specialist Susanna Musick shares why this program is important to us all. You’ll also learn the “do’s and don’ts” for handling the fishes you release. View archived video here.
Drones in Marine Research
(September 28, 2017) Join us as VIMS scientist Donglai Gong shares how drones are being used to monitor harmful algal blooms, measure wind profiles, study shoreline changes, and more. You’ll see an actual drone flight demonstration while learning how this technology is being used by Dr. Gong and others to efficiently collect marine science data. View archived video here.
Greenland Sharks
(October 26, 2017) Sometime around the early 1600s, as Jamestown became an English crown colony, a Greenland shark was born. Could that same shark have been recently captured in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic? Join us as Dr. Richard Brill of VIMS shares his research on these fascinating creatures that live longer than any other known vertebrate. View archived video here.