With World Oceans Day coming up on 8 June, the Marine Institute has joined together with a host of partners for Oceans of Learning 2021, to celebrate our seas and Ireland’s marine resource. Over the next four weeks, Oceans of Learning will enable everyone to engage with our ocean from anywhere with a new podcast series, videos and short films, news and online resources all about our ocean. There’s something for everyone as we explore all aspects of our marine resource – from our rich marine biodiversity, to our changing ocean climate, and our oceans future.
Here are five amazing resources to help you learn about our ocean from the Oceans of Learning 2021 series:
- European Maritime Day Webinar
For European Maritime Day, the Marine Institute ran a live webinar, hosted by Irish marine scientist and author Finn van der Aar. We heard from filmmaker Ken O’Sullivan and Professor Louise Allcock at NUI Galway about Ireland’s marine life, and Roberta O’Brien the first woman in the Irish Naval Service to achieve the rank of Commander. The webinar also included a climate change panel discussion with Marie Donnelly, Chair of Ireland’s Climate Change Advisory Council, Professor Andrew Wheeler of University College Cork, and Glenn Nolan, Manager of Oceanographic and Climate Services, Marine Institute. You can watch the webinar recording here.
- Oceans of Learning Podcast
A new Oceans of Learning podcast series, also presented by Finn van der Aar, will share the stories from the people and professionals who have a connection with the sea. The first episode focuses on the link between oceans and our health and wellbeing with scientist and big wave surfer, Dr Easkey Britton. Dr Aaron Lim, Lead Data Scientist at Green Rebel Marine, Sibéal Regan of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group and Debbi Pedreschi, Post-doctoral Researcher at the Marine Institute, discuss marine life on rocky seashores to the bed of the deep sea. Download from Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
More details can be found here.
- Ireland’s Marine Life – Meet the Cast
A new short film Ireland’s Marine Life – Meet the Cast, is a collaboration between the Irish Chamber Orchestra, Kerry based wildlife and underwater filmmaker Vincent Hyland and the Marine Institute will also premiere this week. Ireland’s Marine Life – Meet the Cast takes a dive beneath the waves of Ireland’s wild Atlantic waves to explore the variety of sea life found in Irish waters.
- Sea Science Series
This week will also see the Marine Institute launch its Sea Science series with Mark Langtry, ‘The Science Guy’. In this four-part series Mark will bring the wonders of sea science to the screen with his entertaining, sometime explosive, and totally educational sea science shows. View here.
- #SeaToMe social media competition
To enter the ‘Sea to Me’ competition, simply share ‘what the sea means to you’ on social media using the hashtag #SeaToMe. Draw a picture, take a photo, upload a video, make some music, share a photo from a past holiday by the sea or favourite place along Ireland’s coast, or be inspired to write a poem, or quote about what the sea means to you. We are offering some great weekly prizes inspired by our seas!
You can view the full suite of Oceans of Learning resources on marine.ie. Have an amazing World Oceans Day from all of us here at Leave No Trace Ireland.
