SRAP has collaborated in the interactive event «The enigmatic world of Sharks, Whales and Jellyfish«, that was held at Currumbin RSL, Gold Coast (Queensland) on Sunday 20th August 2023. Indeed, precisely our SRAP member and coordinator of the SRAP Queensland node, Dr Mariel Familiar López (Griffith University) was the main organiser of this event for Australia’s National Science Week. Our member Dr Ana Rubio also participated as one of the key speakers.
Dr Mariel Familiar López (left) and Dr Ana Rubio (right).
Sharks, jellyfish, and whales are iconic marine creatures that sparked people’s interest in ocean sciences. This interactive and engaging event brought the experience of marine researchers to lure and submerged young and adult minds into the charisma of marine animals and the science behind them. It provided new ways to learn about the marine environment through creative presentations and interactive exhibits, bridging the gap between scientists and the local community.
Dr Mariel Familiar López during one of her presentations.
The event also inspired community participation in STEM by highlighting opportunities in local citizen-science projects. It was free for all ages and was held on the Gold Coast at a venue easily accessed by public transport, as well as live-streamed for online viewing.»
Dr Ana Rubio (SRAP) showing an oyster with a digital microscope during the event.
Program of the event «The enigmatic world of Sharks, Whales and Jellyfish».
Extra information about this event
Shark Ecology Australia (SEA) welcomed an exciting marine science event that is perfect for all ages. We are passionate about the wonders of marine life and are excited to share marine research with you.
Our oceans are teeming with a diverse range of organisms, from tiny microscopic creatures to the magnificent blue whale. Come join us as we take you on a journey into the underwater world of the ocean’s most iconic organisms.From awe-inspiring sharks to the mesmerizing jellyfish, and the majestic whales, the participants learnt about their unique characteristics, behaviour and habitats. They saw live jellies under the microscope, get hands-on with sharks, touch their skin and teeth and learn how they use our water ways. Participants also immersed in whale songs sung in the big blue as they rest along the Gold Coast.
Live presentations connected the participants, the majority form the local community, with researchers sharing important information about marine life and what is happening in our local marine environment. Participants enjoyed fascinating underwater videos, learnt about citizen science opportunities, and were a part of humpback whale surveys.
The event included over ten speakers from different organizations, including Griffith University, Spanish Researchers in Australia Pacific, Fisheries QLD, University of Sunshine Coast, and several local NGOs. In addition to the engaging line-up of speakers, they showcased First Nations Science during the event. The event included the participation of Uncle John Graham, a traditional custodian of the Gold Coast region and a Kombumerri man belonging to the wider Yugambeh Language Group, as one of the key speakers. His presence provided a unique perspective and deepen our understanding of the local culture and its connection to science.
On top of the hands-on activities and amazing informative videos, those seeking to solve the mysteries of the deep were able to immerse themselves in educational talks from expert guest speakers including marine ecologist and shark expert Johan Gustafson and wildlife biologist Mariel Familiar López, whose documentary Bull Shark Bandits recently premiered in National Geographic’s 2023 SharkFest. Johan says that the event hopefully inspired the community to participate in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). “The Gold Coast has some amazing marine life, and we are inviting everyone who attends our event to interact with and learn more about the ocean by becoming citizen scientists,” said Johan. “At the event, we will be highlighting a number of exciting citizen-science projects that people can get involved in, such as humpback whale and dolphin surveys that help us collect data to better understand the mysterious lives of marine animals.”
Want to become a citizen scientist? This is your chance! The enigmatic world of sharks, whales and jellyfish is free for all ages and a livestream will be available from the Shark Ecology Australia website if you can’t make it in person.
SRAP has collaborated in the interactive event «The enigmatic world of Sharks, Whales and Jellyfish«, that was held at Currumbin RSL, Gold Coast (Queensland) on Sunday 20th August 2023. Indeed, precisely our SRAP member and coordinator of the SRAP Queensland node, Dr Mariel Familiar López (Griffith University) was the main organiser of this event for Australia’s National Science Week. Our member Dr Ana Rubio also participated as one of the key speakers.
Dr Mariel Familiar López (left) and Dr Ana Rubio (right).
Sharks, jellyfish, and whales are iconic marine creatures that sparked people’s interest in ocean sciences. This interactive and engaging event brought the experience of marine researchers to lure and submerged young and adult minds into the charisma of marine animals and the science behind them. It provided new ways to learn about the marine environment through creative presentations and interactive exhibits, bridging the gap between scientists and the local community.
Dr Mariel Familiar López during one of her presentations.
The event also inspired community participation in STEM by highlighting opportunities in local citizen-science projects. It was free for all ages and was held on the Gold Coast at a venue easily accessed by public transport, as well as live-streamed for online viewing.»
Dr Ana Rubio (SRAP) showing an oyster with a digital microscope during the event.
Program of the event «The enigmatic world of Sharks, Whales and Jellyfish».
Extra information about this event
Shark Ecology Australia (SEA) welcomed an exciting marine science event that is perfect for all ages. We are passionate about the wonders of marine life and are excited to share marine research with you.
Our oceans are teeming with a diverse range of organisms, from tiny microscopic creatures to the magnificent blue whale. Come join us as we take you on a journey into the underwater world of the ocean’s most iconic organisms.From awe-inspiring sharks to the mesmerizing jellyfish, and the majestic whales, the participants learnt about their unique characteristics, behaviour and habitats. They saw live jellies under the microscope, get hands-on with sharks, touch their skin and teeth and learn how they use our water ways. Participants also immersed in whale songs sung in the big blue as they rest along the Gold Coast.
Live presentations connected the participants, the majority form the local community, with researchers sharing important information about marine life and what is happening in our local marine environment. Participants enjoyed fascinating underwater videos, learnt about citizen science opportunities, and were a part of humpback whale surveys.
The event included over ten speakers from different organizations, including Griffith University, Spanish Researchers in Australia Pacific, Fisheries QLD, University of Sunshine Coast, and several local NGOs. In addition to the engaging line-up of speakers, they showcased First Nations Science during the event. The event included the participation of Uncle John Graham, a traditional custodian of the Gold Coast region and a Kombumerri man belonging to the wider Yugambeh Language Group, as one of the key speakers. His presence provided a unique perspective and deepen our understanding of the local culture and its connection to science.
On top of the hands-on activities and amazing informative videos, those seeking to solve the mysteries of the deep were able to immerse themselves in educational talks from expert guest speakers including marine ecologist and shark expert Johan Gustafson and wildlife biologist Mariel Familiar López, whose documentary Bull Shark Bandits recently premiered in National Geographic’s 2023 SharkFest. Johan says that the event hopefully inspired the community to participate in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). “The Gold Coast has some amazing marine life, and we are inviting everyone who attends our event to interact with and learn more about the ocean by becoming citizen scientists,” said Johan. “At the event, we will be highlighting a number of exciting citizen-science projects that people can get involved in, such as humpback whale and dolphin surveys that help us collect data to better understand the mysterious lives of marine animals.”
Want to become a citizen scientist? This is your chance! The enigmatic world of sharks, whales and jellyfish is free for all ages and a livestream will be available from the Shark Ecology Australia website if you can’t make it in person.