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Ocean First Education to Host Webinar on Deep Ocean Coral Reefs on Monday, April 18

Dr. Caine Delacy will host twilight reef specialist, Dr. Sonia Rowley


Boulder, Colo. – WEBWIRE
Dr. Sonia Rowley
Dr. Sonia Rowley

Ocean First Education will host a free webinar on Monday, April 18 that will provide the latest research on the rarely studied deep ocean reefs. Caine Delacy, Ph.D., Ocean First Education’s director of science and research, will host the webinar and will be joined by Sonia Rowley, Ph.D., a mesophotic coral reef specialist. The event will kick off at 11 a.m. MT.
 
Rowley is one of five early career scientists supported by Ocean First Education. She dives to great depths, beyond typical scuba limits, to study mesophotic or ‘twilight’ reefs, which are reefs located below 50 meters (160 feet). Mesophotic reefs are among the greatest unexplored realms on the planet, hosting a wealth of scientific discovery and fascination. Rowley’s field research of these deep reefs in the Philippines has yielded more than 20 new species to science in the last year alone.
 
During this 30-minute live webinar, Rowley will explain: 

  • The definition of mesophotic reefs
  • Why research is needed
  • Pioneering technology used to research ocean depth greater than 50 meters
  • The latest research and discoveries


Educators and scientists are encouraged to register for this free webinar today at http://bit.ly/1RKk7wI. Participants will have an opportunity to ask Rowley and Delacy questions live during this event.
 
About Sonia Rowley
Sonia J. Rowley, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral research associate at the Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Hawaii, and invertebrate zoologist at the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Honolulu. Raised on diving vessels in the United Kingdom by her parents, Rowley has more than 30 years of diving and expedition experience around the globe. Primarily focused on the exploration and discovery of twilight reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific, her field research in the Philippines has yielded more than 20 new species to science in the last year alone.
 
About Caine Delacy
As the director of science and research at Ocean First Education, Caine Delacy, Ph.D., aligns educational efforts with current scientific research. Delacy’s background as a marine ecologist focuses on understanding the structure and function of reef fish communities and the role Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and other management strategies play in conserving these communities. He has studied tropical and temperate reefs throughout the world, focusing largely on the East African coastline. He earned a Ph.D. from the University of Western Australia, and became a divemaster at age 20.
 
About Ocean First Education
Founded in 2008 and based in Boulder, Colorado, Ocean First Education provides innovative and dynamic digital marine science curricula for K-12. Our team of educators, scientists and researchers are committed to increasing awareness of marine environments and engaging students through interactive experiences. Ocean First Education is grounded in its mission to inspire students, teachers and community to become stewards of the sea. For more information, visit www.OceanFirstEducation.com.


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 coral reefs
 STEM education
 science education
 online learning
 digital curricula


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