Nine Maine high school educators completed a week in residence at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences on August 10. They worked alongside Bigelow Laboratory scientists, went on a research cruise, conducted experiments, and learned how to analyze their results as part of the ninth annual BLOOM Educators Program.

The four-day summer workshop provides Maine’s teachers an opportunity to spend a week immersed in science education and curriculum development. Through hands-on experience, they learn about the biological, chemical, and geological characteristics of the local marine environment. The educators return to schools across Maine equipped to teach ocean science in a local and global context.

“This is a fantastic continuing education opportunity for Maine’s science educators,” said Research Scientist Nicole Poulton, one of the program’s leaders. “It highlights the importance of the ocean in our everyday lives, from a food resource to an important influence on global climate.”

All teachers received curriculum materials, field sampling and laboratory equipment, and support for the following academic year. Bigelow Laboratory Senior Research Scientist David Fields led the program alongside Poulton. The two scientists gave instruction on a broad range of oceanographic topics, from how to calibrate scientific instruments to the global carbon cycle.

“This program has brought ocean literacy into the classroom of over 80 educators, and has indirectly reached nearly 5,000 students.” Fields said. “That’s a huge educational impact for the state of Maine.”

The nine Maine educators who participated in the 2018 Keller BLOOM Program were:

• Patricia Millette, Mt. Blue High School 

• Kyle Beeton, Lisbon School District

• Catherine Bursk, Deering High School

• Amy Petelo, Sanford High School

• Brandy Tanner, Mt. Abram High School

• Sharon Kozura, Fort Fairfield Middle/High School

• Lisa White, North Haven Community School

• Steven Cheff, Lincoln Academy

• Patricia Mendelson, Philip W. Sugg Middle School