The Friday Morning Lecture Series presents:

The State of the Oceans
presented by Tracy Rogers of the New England Aquarium
Friday, November 9, 2012 at 10 a.m.
in the McCarthy Meeting Room

Covering about 70% of the Earth’s surface, the ocean is home to thousands of species living in a variety of habitats. It plays a critical role in both the Earth’s climate system and the carbon cycle. While there is increasing public awareness that human activity can cause global and long-lasting effects on the environment, the consequences of anthropogenic impacts on the ocean remain relatively unknown and un-discussed.

Scientists have identified five major challenges (Climate Change, Overfishing, Invasive Species, Pollution, and Acidification) to the oceans. This introductory lecture will give attendees a general overview of how these challenges are impacting oceans, as well as discuss the solutions and technologies being used to tackle this global issue. We hope to improve your understanding of the issues impacting the oceans and how these relate to humans.

Some resources suggested by our speaker:
http://www.fishwatch.gov/
http://www.globalpartnershipforoceans.org/
Ocean Health Index http://www.oceanhealthindex.org
and of course, The New England Aquarium

Bio - Tracy Rogers
Tracy Rogers, M.S. works as the Education Resource Coordinator at the New England Aquarium. Tracy earned her B.S. in Biology at Northeastern University and spent her first Co-op experience at the Aquarium in 2000. Since then, she received her M.S. in Ecology and Evolution at East Carolina University and spent six years as a science teacher in North Carolina and Boston. Tracy has experience in field biology and classroom curriculum development and loves incorporating both into her position in the Teacher Resource Center.

Read about the Library's Friday Morning Lecture series at http://www.chelmsfordlibrary.org/programs/programs/friday_morning_lectures.html