CELC Kiosk Project Overview GCOOS Education and Outreach Council Meeting June 15-16, 2011 Chris Simoniello, Sharon Walker, and Ann Jochens

Gulf of Mexico CELC Collaboration The EPA Gulf of Mexico Program and the GCOOS- RA are funding the development of exhibits at five* Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ecosystem Learning Centers. Each is focused on a different GOMA Priority Issue (environmental education is incorporated into all). – The EPA funds will be used to develop short (2-3 minute) videos of each priority issue. – The GCOOS-RA funding (on average $19,000 for each) will support an interactive exhibit component. *The EPA GOMP also funded an exhibit at Acuario de Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico

CELC Education Representatives Audubon Aq. of the Americas Habitat Conserv. & Restoration Tricia LeBlanc Dauphin Island Estuarium Nutrient Reduction Tina Miller-Way Robert Dixon Florida Aquarium Water Quality Debbi Stone Inst. for Marine Mammal Studies Coastal Comm. Resilience Sharon Walker Texas State Aquarium EIA Tara Schultz ”Putting the Pieces Together” Veracruz Aquarium Water Quality Ricardo Aguilar-Dura Paty Estrada

Overarching Goal To enhance the awareness and understanding of the relevance of the Gulf of Mexico to the everyday lives of the citizenry within the five U.S. states and one of the six Mexican states, Veracruz, bordering this region.

Expected Outcomes and Benefits It is anticipated the slightly less than three million, annual guests visiting the six CELCs will have an increased awareness and understanding of science education, in general, and more specifically GOMA’s Priority Issues.

Preliminary GOMA Kiosk Designs for Gulf of Mexico Front View Lateral/Front View

Four Phases of Exhibit Design Conceptual Planning Design Fabrication Installation

Six Components that Drive Exhibit Design Models Curiosity Confidence Challenge Control Play Communication

Draft Kiosk Narratives Water Quality Water is the basis of life, and clean water is essential for the health of the entire planet. To keep Gulf of Mexico waters healthy for swimming and fishing, and to ensure its seafood is safe for us to eat, four priorities have been indentified: Reducing disease-causing microorganisms (pathogens) Minimizing the occurrence and effects of harmful algal blooms Identifying sources of mercury in Gulf seafood Improving water quality monitoring throughout the Gulf of Mexico You can help! Reduce the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and other household chemicals. What goes into the water in Iowa (or any of the 31 U.S. states and two Canadain provinces within the Gulf of Mexico watershed) can eventually make it to the Gulf of Mexico! EIA: Putting the Pieces Together If we don’t know what’s out there, how can we protect it? As new technology becomes available, we are learning more about coastal ecosystems and their value within the Gulf of Mexico and our world. As new data about our ecosystems are collected, they can immediately be uploaded and shared online with scientists, resource managers, and communities to help develop and implement programs for conserving our coastal and watershed resources. You Can Help! Support local organizations that work to restore wetlands and keep beaches and harbors clean.

Co-Sponsors Proposal submitted to the EPA-Gulf of Mexico Program; Coastal America & its 24 CELCs; NOAA-Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (GCOOS); and The Corporate Wetlands Restoration Program (CWRP).