"Women in Science Day" hopes to get yoiung women excited about science
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| Kate McElroy of Charlestown to the right |
Mystic Aquarium hosted its first-ever interactive Women in Science Day on Wednesday,
August 12th, highlighting the achievements of 17 of the Aquarium’s
very own women veterinarians, scientists, researchers and animal trainers, as
well as women of achievement from the local scientific community.
Among the 17 are three local women, leading off with Charlestown
resident Kate McElroy who works with the Aquarium’s beluga whales, research
fellow Maureen Driscoll of Wakefield and education intern Emily Bodell of Hope
Valley.
Intended to stimulate career interest in the sciences among
young people, while educating the public about research, rehabilitation and
conservation work ongoing at Mystic Aquarium, the women professionals offered
presentations throughout the Aquarium.
They spoke to interested visitors of all ages about their professional
responsibilities, as well as their individual career pathways and the
real-world impact they now have on their chosen fields.
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| Mystic is a cool place for kids AND adults |
The day is made possible through a generous grant from the
Petit Family Foundation. This grant also
provides complimentary admission to an estimated 50 people receiving services
from Safe Futures Foundation of New London. The organization provides shelter,
housing and counseling to people seeking assistance for domestic violence and
for sexual assault through hotlines, court-based advocacy and walk-in
counseling offices.
Leading the list on “Women
in Science Day” are these Mystic Aquarium scientists:
- Emily Pepin, Research and Veterinary Services Intern will discuss her current research on identifying local and regional rarity of Caribbean reef fishes and how citizen science is vital to this project.
- Carah Austin, Research Intern will highlight her research on Mystic Aquarium’s African penguins.
- Gayle Sirpenski, Animal Management Specialist; Dr. Allison Tuttle, VP Biological Programs; and Tabitha Rahmann, Veterinary Technician will focus on how veterinarians and animal care staff at Mystic Aquarium keep all of its animals healthy. They will demonstrate the tools used to examine animals and treat injuries.
- Dr. Laura Thompson, Postdoctoral Fellow; Dr. Maureen Driscoll, Research Fellow; and Dr. Ebru Unal, Postdoctoral Fellow will demonstrate how studying the animals at Mystic Aquarium contributes to our knowledge of animals in the wild. Each of these presenters is involved with the health assessment of Mystic Aquarium’s beluga whales, as well as research on belugas in Alaska, dolphins in Florida and snapping turtles in Connecticut.
- Kate McElory, Trainer, Belugas; and Melissa Kowalsky, Trainer, Pinnipeds will highlight husbandry and enrichment training programs for the animals at Mystic Aquarium and how their work can help not only the animals at the Aquarium, but also those in the ocean.
- Janelle Schuh, Stranding Coordinator; Kyrsten Holle, Animal Rescue Program Intern; and Jodi Berndtson, Animal Rescue Program Intern will introduce the public to Mystic Aquarium’s stranding program, which each year helps hundreds of lost or injured animals along the coastlines of Connecticut and Rhode Island. Guests can learn what it takes to be a marine mammal first responder as well as how to potentially help animals stranded on the beaches.
- Emily Bodell, Education Intern; and Courtney Reynolds, Education Intern will illustrate how our everyday actions can impact an entire ecosystem, by using colored drink mixes to represent different forms of pollution. They also will demonstrate how a typical community can affect marine ecosystems and water quality miles away.
Rounding out this year’s “Women in Science Day” are these scientists from the local
community:
- Kayla Flynn, University of Connecticut Master’s student; and Maria Aristizabal, University of Connecticut Postdoctoral Researcher will highlight the marine sciences program for undergraduates and graduates at UConn’s Avery Point campus. Their current research focus is on coastal physical oceanography.
- Dr. Amber Haugeto, Pfizer Research Scientist; Dr. Kristin Wiglesworth, Chemical R&D; Dr. Alicia Gutierrez, Chemical R&D; Dr. Barbara Spong, Drug Product Supply; Ka Yip, Materials Sciences; Jillian Zoglio, Analytical R&D; Amber Haugeto, Pharmaceutical Sciences will be on hand from Pfizer to discuss career paths, daily activities, and how they contribute to pharmaceutical development (getting from molecules to medicines).
In announcing “WOMEN IN SCIENCE DAY”, Kelly Matis,
Vice President, Education & Conservation noted: “The women scientists not
only enhance the experience of visiting Mystic Aquarium, they also contribute
to important research that helps animals. We hope that this day will encourage
young people, whether male or female, to consider a career in science.”
For more information about the Mystic Aquarium, visit
mysticaquarium.org.