New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
See Abby feed the fish! See Abby plant a coral! See Abby operate Science on a Sphere®!
These are just some of the skills Abby employed during her visit to the Ocean Explorium. Dressed in miniature waterproof overalls, and with her sleeves rolled up, Abby came prepared to work.
As soon she was issued her official Ocean Explorium Volunteer badge, Abby was taken to the Ray and Shark Touch Tank to assist with the morning feeding. Exhibit Curator Warren Gibbons explained to guests that Abby was a special assistant for the day, and lots of photos were taken as she helped broadcast chopped fish and shrimp to the hungry animals. Abby then moved to a tank in the Living Laboratory where, with Warren’s help, she planted a coral fragment. This activity enables guests to learn about and propagate corals for sale to aquarium hobbyists, relieving some pressure on the commercial harvest of these delicate colonies in the wild.
Later, with guidance from Education department staff, Abby presented a “Tour of the Solar System” program on the Science on a Sphere® exhibit. Using an iPad to interact with the sphere and datasets, Abby downloaded animated, remotely-sensed satellite images of the planets as well as the sun and Earth’s moon. While our own planet Earth was displayed, guests were treated to a personal tour of Australia, a destination for a future visit. Good on ya, Abby!
Abby’s visit anticipates the Girls Interested in Real Life Science (GIRLS) program this month. Through the generosity of the Women’s Fund, the Ocean Explorium introduces middle school girls to the STEM subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math and helps them tie their experiences to academic achievement and possible careers.
Abby is the brainchild of Mike and Heidi de Maine who blog “Abby’s Aquarium Adventures” at www.abby.co.za. Upon leaving the Ocean Explorium, Abby will make her way to the Georgia Aquarium. Some of the institutions Abby visited before arriving in New Bedford include the Florida Aquarium, the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, the Oregon Aquarium and the Santa Monica Aquarium.
