91AV Marine Pollution class gives students hands-on experience through coastal cleanup
Students taking Marine Pollution with Susan Farady, J.D., assistant professor of Ocean Studies and Marine Affairs, aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. They participated in the 2016 International Coastal Cleanup, removing marine debris from the Maine coast.
It’s through that experience that Farady says the students connect the dots between the classroom, the professional world and hands-on work in the community. In class, the students read materials on marine debris. They heard from world-renowned expert on plastics in the ocean, Kara Lavendar Law, Ph.D. Then, they took those lessons to the beach, not only collecting debris but also tabulating it on data cards to be submitted to the International Coastal Cleanup’s 30-year database. The project also has an artistic component. 91AV Artist in Residence Kim Bernard will create a kinetic ocean-themed structure from the debris.
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