Mountains in the Sea 2004 Expedition - May 8 launching (07/05/04)

Hello CEPA people:

NOAA (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, USA) Ocean Exploration will be launching the Mountains in the Sea 2004 Expedition on May 8th (tomorrow!). The expedition will run through May 24, as scientists explore the New England seamount chain. The core objective is to document and better understand the coral communities of the New England Seamounts. The team of investigators on board the NOAA Ship Ron Brown has a wide range of interests and expertise, and will focus on coral genetics, larval dispersal, coral commensalism, and fish ecology.

The Ocean Explorer Web site page for this expedition is live and can be found at http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/04mountains/welcome.html.

This site contains essays and lesson plans, directed at students in Grades 5-12, that tie directly to the expedition. These lessons are inquiry-based, and tied to the US National Science Education Standards. Once the expedition begins, live web logs will be written by educators and scientists that capture daily activities and discoveries. These logs, which will contain compelling video and images, will be posted within 24 hours of their receipt from the explorers on the Ocean Explorer Mountains in the Sea 2004 Web page. An "Ask an Explorer" feature will also be available to for students to submit questions to, and receive answers from, the explorers while at sea.

Further information from Paula Keener-Chavis (paula.keener-chavis@noaa.gov), NOAA's National Education Coordinator.

Best weekend wishes, Sandra Hails, Ramsar Secretariat

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Sandra Hails, CEPA Programme Officer
Ramsar Convention Secretariat
Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 999 0176; Fax: +41 22 999 0169
E-mail: hails@ramsar.org
Web Site: http://ramsar.org
CEPA mini-Web site: http://ramsar.org/outreach_index.htm

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