
See what's going on right now at the HMSC - or onboard one of OSU's research vessels while it's in port or at sea!
OCEAN LEARNING PODCASTVisitors to the HMSC Visitor Center now tune in to video tours that describe the center's exhibits, the work of HSMC researchers and what goes on behind the scenes to keep the public aquarium healthy and functioning.
The short videos, produced by Oregon Sea Grant Communications, are available as a free podcast from the iTunes store, downloadable to your personal computer, iPod or other hand-held device. Just sign on to iTunes and search for "Ocean Learning."
Download or watch the videos at home to get a preview of what's in store when you visit - or check out an iPod when you arrive at the center and use it as a portable guide to our interactive exhibits. (If you have your own iPod or similar device, download the videos ahead of time from iTunes and bring them along!)
It's all part of a larger effort to understand more about how people learn in "free-choice" settings such as the Visitor Center. Sea Grant's Free-Choice Learning educator, Shawn Rowe, and his team of student assistants are conducting research to determine whether adding iPods to the Visitor Center mix might change or enhance learning.
A new iPhone application gives visitors an inside look at Oregon's newest state park, the Beaver Creek State Natural Area south of Newport. The application, "Paddle Beaver Creek," was developed jointly by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and Oregon Sea Grant at Oregon State University. It is available free for downloading from the iPhone store.
The Center's 160-seat Hennings Auditorium is equipped with all the equipment necessary for high quality presentations and entertainment.
Visitors can choose from more than 100 natural science videos in categories including mammals, birds, intertidal animals, fish, coastal hazards, marine ecosystems, research and global issues. Videos range from six to 60 minutes long and are available for viewing at almost any time. We also offer a wide variety of videos and presentations that are especially good for visiting school groups. Download a .pdf of some of our favorite titles for young viewers.
The auditorium can also be reserved for group meetings and classes, and is often the setting for public lectures and seminars featuring OSU researchers talking about their work or current ocean and coastal issues.
Additional marine science videos, including some of those available for viewing in the Visitor Center, are available for purchase - and, in some cases, online viewing - from the Oregon Sea Grant Web site. Recent titles include Beach Safety Basics, Wave Power: The Potential of Oregon's Ocean Energy and A New View of Oregon: Offshore Underwater.
Follow the links to OSU MediaSpace to see short videos of some of the events that have taken place at the HMSC Visitor Center in recent months:
Interested in keeping up with news about ocean science, the Oregon Coast - and what's going on at the Visitor Center? Subscribe to Oregon Sea Grant's news blog, Breaking Waves.
Sea Grant faculty are writing other blogs and podcasts about specific areas of ocean science that may interest you. Check them out: