State of the Coast Conference in Coos Bay

The annual State of the Coast Conference is slated for Coos Bay on Saturday, Oct. 24.  The all-day event, which surveys a wide range of coastal issues and seeks to educate an equally wide range of stakeholders, takes place in the Hales Center of Southwestern Oregon Community College from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

CoastWatch will be there.  Volunteer Coordinator Fawn Custer will lead a citizen science session on monitoring for sea stars, and spend the rest of the time meeting the public beside her table full of information.  She will be joined by Sabrina Ehler, our CoastWatch intern, who has been organizing our sea star survey, and Michael Tate, a graduate student who is analyzing the data we've gathered through our marine debris monitoring survey.

Keynote speaker will be Dr. Wallace J. Nichols.  An author and marine biologist, Dr. Nichols will talk about the research behind his book Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected and Better at What You Do.  The result of more than a decade of research, Blue Mind combines cutting-edge neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, human biology, and ecosystem analysis with compelling personal stories from top athletes, leading scientists, military veterans, and gifted artists to reveal just how relevant water is to our lives.

Other topics of lectures and breakout sessions include the changing state of the ocean, marine reserves, citizen science, marine debris, the coming Cascadia earthquake and more.  There will also be hands-on learning opportunities and a student poster session.

The event is sponsored by Sea Grant.  Conference fees are $35 for the general public, $25 for students, and include snacks, lunch and a reception.

For more information or to register, go to http://www.stateofthecoast.com/about/.