Modern technology provides us with many opportunities to explore the natural history of our surroundings. Satellite images of the East Coast from New Jersey to Georgia clearly show circular or elliptical areas in undeveloped land. The coastal areas of North and South Carolina have perhaps the highest density of these areas – the Carolina Bays. In this program, Mr. Ovsenik will explain how to spot them and what is known about them, as well as the leading hypotheses regarding their formation. Perhaps you live on what was once a Carolina Bay.
Ed Ovsenik received a BA in Biology, worked towards an MS in Marine Botany, and has a Juris Doctorate in Law. His career was centered on Environmental, Health, and Safety compliance in government and industry, including technology driven companies in the chemical and computer software sectors. He currently advises clients on Governance, Risk, and Compliance issues impacting their for-profit and non-profit organizations. During his career, Mr. Ovsenik worked closely with students on technical and scientific matters. His current interests include researching the genesis of Carolina Bays, photographing the Green Swamp ecosystem, and researching the timber and lumber industry of the Green Swamp and the Marine Stores industry in Brunswick County during the 18th and 19th centuries.
This fall, on Thursdays at 11:00, the Museum of Coastal Carolina invites preschoolers to a fun, educational series of programs called Budding Scientists. Do you know a child who loves to explore outside, collect bugs and plants, or dig for shells at the beach? Bring him or her to the museum where young science lovers can learn all about our local environment through fun science experiments.
Each month, the program focuses on a different theme:
September – Budding Scientists become Super Earth Protectors by learning about different types of pollution and how to help protect the environment.
October – Budding Scientists learn Spooky Science by making a ghoulish potion, learning all about pumpkins, and performing some creepy chemistry experiments.
November – Budding Scientists learn about Backyard Science by investigating different types of soil, birds, and bugs.
December – Budding Scientists become Budding Meteorologists by learning how thunderstorms form, how to make snow, and how the ocean affects weather.
These programs will be hosted by Jamie Justice, the Education Coordinator for the Museum of Coastal Carolina and Ingram Planetarium. She received her Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from Bowling Green State University and her Master of Science in Environmental Science with concentrations in Marine and Coastal Education and Coastal Management from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Jamie is originally from Portsmouth, Ohio and moved to Wilmington, North Carolina for graduate school in 2017. Before coming to the Museum, she worked in a variety of educational positions at summer camps and schools.
You’re invited to get up close with some of the more familiar creatures found in our ocean.
Our touch tank pool allows you to gently touch marine animals such as sea stars, sea urchins, whelks, horseshoe crabs, and hermit crabs. These animals live in a variety of habitats and have developed many ways to survive the waves and predators. Volunteers are on hand to assist and teach you about these incredible animals.
Did you know, when a sea urchin “hugs” your finger if you gently touch its spines, it’s actually checking you out: Are you food or predator? If you’re neither, the animal will just gradually release you.
What is a watershed? It’s an area of land where rainfall runoff collects and drains to a common point, such as a river, stream, lake, and – eventually – the ocean. Do you ever wonder where that litter you saw by the side of the road goes when it rains? Marybeth Watkins and Elliot Swain will show you by using their Coastal Enviroscape, a watershed model. Individuals interact with the Coastal Enviroscape by using different colored sprinkles to illustrate different pollutants (soil, oil, fertilizer, litter, pesticides, etc.). Once pollutants are identified, rainfall is simulated. The model helps illustrate what happens to pollutants in our watersheds and how they affect our water quality.
Marybeth Watkins is the Educational Coordinator at Brunswick Soil and Water Conservation District. She started with the district in 2016 and enjoys teaching individuals about the importance of conserving our natural resources.
Elliot Swain is the Director at Brunswick Soil and Water Conservation District. He has a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Master of Science in Environmental Studies. He worked with environmental consulting firms for several years as an Environmental Technician and Staff Scientist before deciding to return to his passion for agriculture and conservation. He operates a row-crop farm with his father where they grow corn, soybeans, and small grain.
This program concerns North Carolina ocean animal rescue efforts including the Sea Biscuit Wildlife Shelter and the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. The program will also include a discussion of the largest marine mammal hospital in the world in California that has rescued over 25,000 sea lions and seals. All of these rescue efforts have a similar purpose: rescue, rehabilitation, and release. The program will detail why an animal needs to be rescued, how it is rescued, and what determines if and when the animal is released. The program will have a brief discussion of how the health of ocean animals is connected to the health of the ocean. The program will include an art activity for children.
This fall, on Thursdays at 11:00, the Museum of Coastal Carolina invites preschoolers to a fun, educational series of programs called Budding Scientists. Do you know a child who loves to explore outside, collect bugs and plants, or dig for shells at the beach? Bring him or her to the museum where young science lovers can learn all about our local environment through fun science experiments.
Each month, the program focuses on a different theme:
September – Budding Scientists become Super Earth Protectors by learning about different types of pollution and how to help protect the environment.
October – Budding Scientists learn Spooky Science by making a ghoulish potion, learning all about pumpkins, and performing some creepy chemistry experiments.
November – Budding Scientists learn about Backyard Science by investigating different types of soil, birds, and bugs.
December – Budding Scientists become Budding Meteorologists by learning how thunderstorms form, how to make snow, and how the ocean affects weather.
These programs will be hosted by Jamie Justice, the Education Coordinator for the Museum of Coastal Carolina and Ingram Planetarium. She received her Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from Bowling Green State University and her Master of Science in Environmental Science with concentrations in Marine and Coastal Education and Coastal Management from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Jamie is originally from Portsmouth, Ohio and moved to Wilmington, North Carolina for graduate school in 2017. Before coming to the Museum, she worked in a variety of educational positions at summer camps and schools.
You’re invited to get up close with some of the more familiar creatures found in our ocean.
Our touch tank pool allows you to gently touch marine animals such as sea stars, sea urchins, whelks, horseshoe crabs, and hermit crabs. These animals live in a variety of habitats and have developed many ways to survive the waves and predators. Volunteers are on hand to assist and teach you about these incredible animals.
Did you know, when a sea urchin “hugs” your finger if you gently touch its spines, it’s actually checking you out: Are you food or predator? If you’re neither, the animal will just gradually release you.
Come and learn about one of the most popular fish species in this family-friendly program. The museum has two species of pufferfish in its aquariums: burrfish and balloonfish. Ever wonder how pufferfish inflate or who their natural predators are? This program explores fun facts about pufferfish with a focus on the ones in the museum’s aquariums and includes a fun pufferfish craft for kids.
This program is presented by Jamie Justice, the Education Coordinator for the Museum of Coastal Carolina and Ingram Planetarium. She received her Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from Bowling Green State University and her Master of Science in Environmental Science with concentrations in Marine and Coastal Education and Coastal Management from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Jamie is originally from Portsmouth, Ohio and moved to Wilmington, North Carolina for graduate school in 2017. Before coming to the Museum, she worked in a variety of educational positions at summer camps and schools.
This program concerns North Carolina ocean animal rescue efforts including the Sea Biscuit Wildlife Shelter and the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. The program will also include a discussion of the largest marine mammal hospital in the world in California that has rescued over 25,000 sea lions and seals. All of these rescue efforts have a similar purpose: rescue, rehabilitation, and release. The program will detail why an animal needs to be rescued, how it is rescued, and what determines if and when the animal is released. The program will have a brief discussion of how the health of ocean animals is connected to the health of the ocean. The program will include an art activity for children.
This fall, on Thursdays at 11:00, the Museum of Coastal Carolina invites preschoolers to a fun, educational series of programs called Budding Scientists. Do you know a child who loves to explore outside, collect bugs and plants, or dig for shells at the beach? Bring him or her to the museum where young science lovers can learn all about our local environment through fun science experiments.
Each month, the program focuses on a different theme:
September – Budding Scientists become Super Earth Protectors by learning about different types of pollution and how to help protect the environment.
October – Budding Scientists learn Spooky Science by making a ghoulish potion, learning all about pumpkins, and performing some creepy chemistry experiments.
November – Budding Scientists learn about Backyard Science by investigating different types of soil, birds, and bugs.
December – Budding Scientists become Budding Meteorologists by learning how thunderstorms form, how to make snow, and how the ocean affects weather.
These programs will be hosted by Jamie Justice, the Education Coordinator for the Museum of Coastal Carolina and Ingram Planetarium. She received her Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from Bowling Green State University and her Master of Science in Environmental Science with concentrations in Marine and Coastal Education and Coastal Management from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Jamie is originally from Portsmouth, Ohio and moved to Wilmington, North Carolina for graduate school in 2017. Before coming to the Museum, she worked in a variety of educational positions at summer camps and schools.