CAMBRIDGE, MD (September 3, 2013)–The Horn Point Laboratory invites the public to take part in its annual Community Open House from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 12, 2013. Located on the banks of the Choptank River on Maryland's Eastern Shore, the laboratory is renowned for its study of marine ecosystems. The theme for this year’s event is “Science – Charting a Course for the Bay.” It features exhibits by the laboratory’s scientists of their investigations in the Chesapeake Bay and coastal areas along the Atlantic and around the world.
“Our displays tell the stories of our research so that visitors of all ages can understand how the tools of science are used to chart the course for informed solutions to our changing environment.” said Mike Roman, Director of the Horn Point Laboratory.
All Community Open House activities are free and open to the public, and children will receive a free t-shirt.
With more than 40 activities planned for all ages, visitors can:
- Tour Horn Point’s state-of-the-art laboratory
- Take part in kids’ activities in the Environmental Science Education Tent with nature crafts, a touch tank filled with Bay critters, face painting, games, and more
- Discover how the Horn Point Oyster Hatchery and other research investigations are helping to bring oysters back to the Bay and its rivers
- See and learn about underwater gliders that will be sent into the path of hurricanes to collect real-time data
- Learn about efforts to restore seagrass beds, wetlands and deteriorating islands, such as Poplar Island
- Explore the world of plankton, tiny in size but huge in importance to the marine environment.
The Horn Point Laboratory is located at 2020 Horns Point Road in Cambridge. For more information and directions, call (410) 221-8425 or visit www.hpl.umces.edu/openhouse.
A part of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, the Horn Point Laboratory on Maryland's Eastern Shore, has advanced society’s understanding of the world’s estuarine and ocean ecosystems. Horn Point scientists are world- respected for their interdisciplinary programs in oceanography, water quality, restoration of sea grasses, marshes and shellfish, and investigations of sea level rise and storm surge.
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science unleashes the power of science to transform the way society understands and manages the environment. By conducting cutting-edge research into today's most pressing environmental problems and training the next generation of environmental scientists, we are developing new ideas to help guide our state, nation, and world toward a more sustainable future. From the mountains to the sea, our five research centers include the Appalachian Laboratory in Frostburg, the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in Solomons, the Horn Point Laboratory in Cambridge, the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology in Baltimore, and the Maryland Sea Grant College in College Park. www.umces.edu
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