Blue Horizon Coastal Science Lab for High School Students

Blue Horizon Coastal Science Lab for High School Students

August 6–7 | 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Dive into the world of aquaculture, fisheries, and the blue economy at Massachusetts Maritime Academy’s immersive two-day science camp! Designed for high school students with a passion for marine science, this hands-on program blends fieldwork, laboratory exploration, leadership development, and interactive learning on our beautiful waterfront campus.
Program instructors: Dr. Heather Burton & Dr. Kristin Osborne

 

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Program Contacts:

Administrative Director: Dana Ferris, dferris@maritime.edu, (508) 830-6600
Academic Director: Dr. Heather Burton, hburton@maritime.edu, (508) 830-5326

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Blue Horizon Coastal Science Lab Itinerary

Day 1: August 6
8:00 – 8:30 AM Welcome registration, check in and icebreakers

  • Meet the instructors and fellow participants
  • Overview of program goals and safety briefing

8:30 – 9:30 AM Introduction to the Blue Economy: Aquaculture & Fisheries

  • Presentation
  • Group discussion: Local and global importance

9:30 – 10:30 AM Water Quality Testing Workshop

  • Learn about equipment and tools
  • Test samples from the dock

10:30 – 10:45 AM Break
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM MMA Experimental Aquaculture Farm and Lab Tour

  • Discuss shellfish life cycle
  • Record water quality measurements from farm
  • Measure growth rates of oysters

12:00 – 1:00 PM Lunch
1:00 – 2:30 PM Leadership Workshop with MMA cadets
2:30 – 2:45 PM Break
2:45 – 3:30 PM Careers in Coastal Science Discussion
3:30 – 4:00 PM Daily Wrap-Up & Reflection

Day 2: August 7

8:00 – 8:15 AM Morning Check-In & Review
8:15 – 9:30 AM Seaweed field work and lab

  • Seaweed collection & identification
  • Create seaweed prints

9:30 – 10:45 AM Fish Dissection Lab

  • Hands-on dissection of local fish species
  • Anatomy, adaptations, and ecological roles

10:45 – 11:00 AM Clean up & break
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Plankton & Microscopy Lab

  • Collect plankton samples from dock
  • Use microscopes to identify organisms with plankton Bingo
  • Discuss why plankton are critical to coastal ecosystems & the Blue Economy

12:00 – 1:00 PM Lunch
1:00 – 2:30 PM Invasive species treasure hunt

  • Identification
  • Impacts of invasive species

2:30 – 2:45 PM Break
3:00 – 4:00 PM Program Wrap-Up & Certificates