New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium, in partnership with New Jersey Natural Gas, will be hosting Ocean Fun Days 2022 this weekend!
May 21, 2022 at Island Beach State Park, Seaside Park
May 22, 2022 at New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium on Sandy Hook
Both locations 11AM – 3PM rain or shine
Free admission and free parking!
Enjoy hands-on marine and environmental programs and exhibits. There will be giveaways and plenty of excitement, plus fun ways to learn about our coastal environment and energy conservation for the whole family to enjoy.
Learn how to use a seine net to catch native fish, crabs and other marine creatures. Test your local coastal knowledge or become a sand sampler and search for natural treasures on a guided walking tour. Hear first hand from New Jersey scientists and researchers all about the inner-workings of the ocean and the coastline and how to protect them for generations to come.
Don’t miss out on these two days of FREE Family Fun!
GET SOCIAL by using the #OFD2022 or #OceanFunDays2022 hashtags!
Ocean Fun Days is returning this year as an in-person event. All attendees should follow all government guidelines regarding face coverings and social distancing and check with their own healthcare providers for advice if they have any concerns based on their own, or their child’s, medical condition.
The 6th Jersey Shore Junior Science Symposium (JSJSS) hosted by Ocean County College in Toms River was again held virtually on March 25, 2022. The symposium included presentations of 10 student research papers, 6 posters and a guest speaker. The primary goal of the JSJSS is to promote research and experimentation in the sciences, engineering, and mathematics at the high school level, and to publicly recognize students for outstanding achievement. The event includes presentations from New Jersey high school students on their individual science research projects.
The NJSGC provides awards to the students with the Top Environmental Paper and Top Environmental Poster. At the 2021 Symposium, NJSGC presented a $300 award for the Top Environmental Paper to Saachi Kuthari from Millburn High School, Millburn, for her paper on Inactivation of MS2 Bacteriophage for Water Disinfection via Microwave Radiation and $200 awarded to Eric Wang from Millburn High School, Millburn, NJ for his paper on Effects of Various Soil Microbiomes on Native and Invasive Plants.
As a member of the Executive Committee, the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium proudly serves many JSJSS activities such as recruiting members to be Technical Paper Reviewers, Student Mentors, and Symposium Judge for Presentations and Poster Session. NJSGC’s Diana Burich and Jody Sackett served as volunteers. Special thanks to the Delaware Estuary Program, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Rutgers University, Kean University, Monmouth University, Georgian Court University, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, The College of New Jersey, George Mason University, Save Barnegat Bay for also reviewing papers
From Headwaters to Coastal Waters Sea Grant Programs in The Mid-Atlantic Region Work Together to Enhance Coastal and Great Lakes Resources
Scenes from the 2022 Mid-Atlantic Sea Grant Regional Meeting held in Ocean City, Maryland on Apr. 4-7, 2022. (Photo by Aileen Devlin | Virginia Sea Grant)
Several members of the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium team attended the Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting, which occurred April 5-7, 2022, in Ocean City Maryland. The conference is one of the best opportunities for programs within the region to network and collaborate with neighboring states. The meeting featured a variety of breakout sessions, mobile field trips, and panel discussions highlighting the impressive work of Sea Grant programs.
From left to right: Laura Kerr, Samantha Kreisler, Pete Rowe, Tom Herrington, and Diana Burich. (Photo by Samantha Kreisler | New Jersey Sea Grant)
Our team was able to share information, form new partnerships, and learn about innovative projects happening in our states. NJSGC representatives included Pete Rowe (Executive Director), Diana Burich (Director of Education), Samantha Kreisler (Communications Specialist), Laura Kerr (Coastal Resilience Specialist), and Tom Herrington (Coastal Community Resilience Specialist).
Many of our staff were given the opportunity to showcase their impressive work at NJSGC. Diana Burich gave an informative presentation on NJSGC’s work with underserved minority students in Asbury Park and Neptune. Laura Kerr and Tom Herrington also gave presentations on the tools they’re using in the New Jersey community.
Diana Burich gives an informative presentation on NJSGC’s work with underserved minority students in Asbury Park and Neptune. (Photo by Aileen Devlin | Virginia Sea Grant)
The awards ceremony took place at Fager’s Island for the presentation of the Mid-Atlantic Awards. NJSGC’s own extension specialist Tom Herrington received the 2021 Outstanding Outreach Award was for his work with residents and government officials in Ocean City, NJ to find solutions for chronic nuisance flooding in the community.
Peter Rowe (left) presents Tom Herrington (right) with the 2021 Outstanding Outreach Award (Photo by Aileen Devlin | Virginia Sea Grant)
With lots of new ideas, learned skills, and important connections the meeting was an overall success! Special thanks to those who helped put the event together. It was a pleasure seeing our colleagues at Delaware Sea Grant, Maryland Sea Grant, New York Sea Grant, North Carolina Sea Grant, Pennsylvania Sea Grant, Virginia Sea Grant, and National Sea Grant.
Last week, staff members from 34 different Sea Grant programs across the United States attended Sea Grant Academy. The week- long event, hosted by Oregon Sea Grant, took place in Annapolis, Maryland. The second session will take place in Georgia in September. The program was created as a professional development workshop to give Sea Grant employees valuable training and background information in a variety of fields, advancing working knowledge and the advancements of all Sea Grant programs.
Boats moored on the Severn River.
Annapolis, State capital of Maryland.
Jacqueline Guild (Left)
Deputy City Manager for Resilience & Sustainability at City of Annapolis and Zoe Johnson (Right)
Community Planning Liaison at Naval Facilities Engineering Command, speak about the impact of sea level rise and resilience planning within Annapolis/U.S. Naval Academy.
Zoe Johnson,
Community Planning Liaison at Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) points to map of United States Naval Academy Annapolis, MD
New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium representative Samantha Kreisler, Communication Specialist, reflects on her academy experience: “Sea Grant Academy was rewarding and valuable. Not only did I further my knowledge of the inner workings within the Sea Grant network, but I also learned a lot about the different projects of the other state’s programs. I am looking forward to seeing my Sea Grant cohorts again in September!”
Liana Vitali, Naturalist at Jug Bay Wetland Sanctuary explains native species of the area’s vernal pools.
Yellow-Spotted Salamander found in a vernal pool at Jug Bay.
Samantha Kreisler (NJSGC) and Nina Sassano (Georgia Sea Grant) enjoy a tour of Patuxent River Park.
Dr. Patricia Delgado, Superintendent & Wetland Ecologist at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, speaks to academy participants about the wetlands and tidal reaches of the Patuxent River.
New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium is currently updating our Strategic Plan for 2024-2027 to guide our work in the coming years. An important component of this Strategic Plan is stakeholder feedback to help drive our priorities and programs for the future. Do you have issues or concerns you’d like to see us address? Share your thoughts and opinions by completing our stakeholder survey.
This anonymous survey allows for stakeholders like you to provide input on significant issues affecting New Jersey’s marine industries, natural resources, coastal communities, environmental literacy, aquaculture, and more. Your responses will help us ensure that our Strategic Plan incorporates and addresses stakeholder needs. Please complete the survey by 5/18/2022 by clicking here.
New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium, in partnership with New Jersey Natural Gas, has announced the official dates for Ocean Fun Days 2022:
May 21, 2022 at Island Beach State Park, Seaside Park
May 22, 2022 at New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium on Sandy Hook
Both locations 11AM – 3PM rain or shine
Free admission and free parking!
Enjoy hands-on marine and environmental programs and exhibits. There will be giveaways and plenty of excitement, plus fun ways to learn about our coastal environment and energy conservation for the whole family to enjoy.
Learn how to use a seine net to catch native fish, crabs and other marine creatures. Test your local coastal knowledge or become a sand sampler and search for natural treasures on a guided walking tour. Hear first hand from New Jersey scientists and researchers all about the inner-workings of the ocean and the coastline and how to protect them for generations to come.
Don’t miss out on these two days of FREE Family Fun!
The NMFS-Sea Grant Joint Fellowship Program in Population and Ecosystem Dynamics and Marine Resource Economics is designed to help Sea Grant fulfill its broad educational responsibilities and to strengthen the collaboration between Sea Grant and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Since 1990, Sea Grant and NMFS have partnered to train students through this joint fellowship program in two specialized areas: population and ecosystem dynamics as well as marine resource economics.
2022 National Marine Fisheries Service-Sea Grant Joint Fellowship Program
Population and Ecosystem Dynamics Federal Funding Opportunity
The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Program in Population and Ecosystem Dynamics anticipates funding at least four new Ph.D. Fellowships in 2022 to students who are interested in careers related to marine ecosystem and population dynamics, with a focus on modeling and managing systems of living marine resources. The emphasis will be on the development and implementation of quantitative methods for assessing marine ecosystems, for assessing the status of fish, invertebrate, and other targeted species stocks and for assessing the status of marine mammals, seabirds, and other protected species.
Marine Resource Economics Federal Funding Opportunity
The NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Program in Marine Resource Economics anticipates funding one new Ph.D. Fellowship in 2022 to students who are interested in careers related to the development and implementation of quantitative methods for assessing the economics of the conservation and management of living marine resources.
Applications are due to NJSGC by 5PM on January 27, 2022. Interested candidates should contact Dr. Peter Rowe, Acting Executive Director NJSGC for more details. Please forward this opportunity to interested PhD students. Review the 2022 2022 NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Student Guide and the Student Applicant Guide to Sea Grant Fellowships to Sea Grant Fellowships for application preparation tips. This combined Federal Funding Opportunity can also be accessed here. If the link does not work search for NOAA-OAR-SG-2022-2007042.
The goals of the NOAA Fisheries/Sea Grant Fellowship Program are:
• To encourage qualified applicants to pursue careers in either population and ecosystem dynamics and stock assessment or in marine resource economics
• To increase available expertise related to these fields
• To foster closer relationships between academic scientists and NOAA Fisheries
• To provide real-world experience to graduate students and accelerate their career development.
With the pandemic still looming in our midst, this year’s family-friendly Ocean Fun Days was once again held virtually. The event was a whale of success celebrating 18 years of ocean discovery, coastal stewardship, and energy conservation with a month-long educational extravaganza.
Starting October 1st through the end of the month, Ocean Fun Days participants gained access to online video presentations from over 30 exhibitors, at-home activities, and educational resources to provide eco-friendly fun… right from home. Some videos focused on New Jersey’s most important local animals and their value to the ecosystem including horseshoe crabs, eels, and sharks, while others concentrated on anthropogenic themes such as micro-plastics, saving energy and water, and the environment. New this year, New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium educators led LIVE presentations via zoom on topics like diamondback terrapins, horseshoe crabs, and ocean swimming safety.
Ocean Fun Days Goes Virtual
Rosemary Higgins and Mindy Voss teach students about sharks and rip currents.
Student learning about horseshoe crabs!
Rosemary Higgins, College & Special Programs Coordinator expressed “I just love coordinating Ocean Fun Days and working with many sponsors and exhibitors who help make the event a great success! The last two years Ocean Fun Days has been virtual with fun and exciting videos from our exhibitors for visitors online to enjoy. One of the most frequently visited pages the “Teachers Corner” gave teachers many resources with dozens of interactive classroom activities and lesson plans.”
From left to right: Diana Burich (NJSGC), Samantha Kreisler (NJSGC), Thomas Hayes (New Jersey Natural Gas), and Rosemary Higgins (NJSGC) celebrate the success of Ocean Fun Days.
Thomas Hays of New Jersey Natural Gas notes: “As a company committed to achieving a low-carbon, clean energy future that has built the most environmentally sound natural gas system in the state, we’re proud to have collaborated on Ocean Fun Days 18 years ago and thrilled with our partnership with the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium and other participants. Next’s year’s event promises to make an even bigger splash!”
At New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium, we appreciate all of the partners that made Ocean Fun Days possible. Thank you to our many exhibitors who took the time and energy to showcase their knowledge and expertise, especially Ocean Fun Days sponsor New Jersey Natural Gas. Most importantly thanks to all participants, whose desire to learn about our marine world makes events like Ocean Fun Days worthwhile. Although we loved seeing your smiling faces on our computer screens, we hope to see you in person next year! Stay tuned for more updates on Ocean Fun Days 2022.
The Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship provides a unique educational and professional experience to graduate students who have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. The Fellowship, named after one of Sea Grant’s founders and former NOAA Administrator John A. Knauss, matches highly qualified graduate students with “hosts” in the legislative and executive branch of government located in the Washington, D.C. area, for a one-year paid fellowship.
Any student, regardless of citizenship, is eligible to submit to this opportunity if:
The student is enrolled towards a degree in a graduate program at any point between the onset of the 2021 Fall Term (quarter, trimester, semester, etc.) and February 18, 2022;
The graduate degree will be awarded through an accredited institution of higher education in the United States or U.S. Territories, and;
The student has an interest in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources.
