Learn about Rainforests, Food Production in the Mekong River, and Unusual Sea Creatures Through the Aquarium’s Lectures in July

July 1, 2020

WHAT: Explore rainforest, river, and ocean environments during the Aquarium of the Pacific’s virtual Guest Speaker Series in July. Take a virtual expedition into a lush Costa Rican rainforest with William Cooper on July 1 at 7:00 p.m. PDT. Pierella Ecological Garden in Costa Rica is the vision of William Camacho, who decided to use a small patch of land to raise butterflies sustainably and ended up creating a 7.5-acre rainforest reserve. In his lecture, Cooper will discuss his experiences visiting Pierella as a resident scientist and videographer, the hundreds of species that call it home, and the effort to expand the reserve. Cooper is a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of California, Irvine.

Journey to Asia’s Mekong River to learn about natural food production efforts in this area with John Sabo’s lecture on July 8 at 7:00 p.m. PDT. For the Mekong River, researchers used a data-based time series modeling approach to estimate the features of the river’s flow regime that optimize the fishery that is crucial to food security in Cambodia. Given the development trajectory of the Mekong, one of the most needed technologies is data-driven dam operations coordinated across national boundaries. More broadly, such data-driven approaches can be used to link hydrology to ecology and food production and specify design principles that could help to deliver food security in other river systems. Sabo is a professor of river ecology and water resources in the School of Life Science and founding director of Future H20 in the Office of Knowledge Enterprise Development at Arizona State University.

On June 15 at 7:00 p.m. PDT, Charles Colgan will present a lecture on the blue economy. National governments, international organizations, and businesses have committed to the search for new ways to derive value from ocean and coastal resources and to do so in ways that assure future sustainability of ocean resources and ecosystems. This presentation will introduce the ideas behind the blue economy, assess current efforts to create it, and explore the problem of how we will know if we have been successful in creating a blue economy. Colgan is director of research for the Center for the Blue Economy of The Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey and professor emeritus of public policy and planning at the University of Southern Maine.

Join professional diver Mike Bartick on a virtual journey into the water depths to meet “fantastic beasts” on July 22 at 7:00 p.m. PDT. Dragons of the deep, gelatinous sea creatures, slugs with solar panels, and fish with hair are real. Learn about some of our planet’s most exotic animals and where they live in the ocean through this lecture. Bartick is a professional diver residing in Anilao, Philippines. Bartick’s fascination for strange and beautiful sea life has taken him nearly around the globe. Join Bartick as he shares some of his favorite photographic subjects and discusses their interesting designs and “superpowers” for survival in one of our planet’s harshest environments, the ocean.

The Guest Speaker Series is part of the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Online Academy, which offers free live and on-demand educational resources for both kids and adults.

WHEN: Wednesday, July 1, 2020, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. PDT / Rainforest: William Cooper
Wednesday, July 8, 2020, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. PDT / Mekong River: John Sabo
Wednesday, July 15, 2020, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. PDT / Blue Economy: Charles Colgan
Wednesday, July 22, 2020, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. PDT / Fantastic Beasts: Mike Bartick

WHERE: Aquarium of the Pacific’s website: aquariumofpacific.org

COST: Anyone can tune in for FREE (no RSVPs required)

INFO: (562) 590-3100 or visit aquariumofpacific.org/news/lectures

LECTURE SERIES SPONSORS: Courtyard Long Beach Downtown and Gazette Newspapers

ONLINE ACADEMY: With many kids and adults staying at home, the Aquarium is offering them free online resources with daily live and on-demand content through its Online Academy. In addition to daily live classes, exhibit webcams, and other fun and educational content, the Aquarium is offering its Guest Speaker Series. You can visit the Aquarium’s website or follow its social media channels for live feeds and updates. A schedule and links to these resources can be found on the Aquarium’s Online Academy webpage.

AQUARIUM: The nonprofit Aquarium of the Pacific is a community gathering place where diverse cultures and the arts are celebrated and where important challenges facing our planet are explored by scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders in search of sustainable solutions. The Aquarium is dedicated to conserving and building nature and nature’s services by building the interactions between and among peoples. Home to more than 12,000 animals, Aquarium exhibits include Pacific Visions and the new Coral Reefs: Nature’s Underwater Cities exhibition. Beyond its animal exhibits, the Aquarium offers educational programs for people of all ages. The Aquarium offers memberships with unlimited FREE admission for 12 months, VIP Entrance, and other special benefits. Visit the Aquarium’s website for reopening information at aquariumofpacific.org or call (562) 590-3100.