Image: Presenting the wonders of marine life to Athens-Clarke County residents at the annual "Scary, Oozy, Slimy Day" held at Sandy Creek Nature Center, Marine Sciences graduate students brought specimens and tanks to engage residents with the importance of preserving our oceans. Graduate student, Maria Letourneau says of the event "We wanted to introduce children to some parts of marine science that they might not have seen before, like sea urchins, starfish and spider crabs! We hoped to give them a hands-on way to get excited about the ocean and learn more about the critters inside it. We also had marine themed crafts, a demonstration about the insulation properties of blubber, and they got to make their own "marine worm" in a test tube to take home with them." The Department of Marine Sciences has participated for several years, and plans to continue in future events as part of our commitment to educating the broader public on issues concerning the oceans.
