HSBC Corporate Partnership Breathes New Life into BIOS Ocean Academy Program

Over the last five years, the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) has welcomed thousands of primary students through its doors to participate in the Explorer Program. Part of BIOS’s yearlong Ocean Academy, the program offers students and teachers an opportunity to learn about local issues through a variety of hands-on lessons and activities.

This year, thanks to a generous donation from HSBC, the new HSBC Explorer is poised to have an even greater impact, with new interactive materials and visually integrated program components. From January 27 to February 7, hundreds of P4 and P5 students will visit BIOS and learn about “The Secret Life of Fish” – everything from fish anatomy and physiology to the various technologies that scientists use to study and understand their behavior and ecology.

“We are very excited to have HSBC as our partner, and as the title sponsor of Explorer. With their support we can bring a whole new level of ocean science education to Bermuda’s students and teachers,” said JP Skinner, Director of Ocean Academy.

HSBC Explorer represents the next phase in a decades-long relationship between the international banking institution and the oceanographic research and education facility. The HSBC Group has a long history of supporting communities where it operates, and HSBC Bermuda is committed to supporting programs and events island-wide. As the most recent example of this, HSBC Explorer provides much-needed relevance to the science curriculum, effectively linking classroom activities and learning with the excitement of local research.

“The environment is a key focus for the HSBC Group, and here in Bermuda we are very pleased to support the HSBC Explorer program that teaches our young people about our surrounding ocean,” said Chris Brown, Head of Compliance, HSBC Bermuda. “Through programs like these, our children can better understand marine life, their ecosystems, and the importance of preserving them. We are pleased to partner with BIOS in support of this fantastic educational program.”

To give HSBC employees a sneak peek of this year’s HSBC Explorer Program, BIOS brought components of the program—including displays, aquariums with live fish (including a lionfish!), microscopes, and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) —to a 2-day “open house” at the Harbourfront Centre January 22 and 23. In addition to learning facts about “The Secret Life of Fish,” visitors to the open house could ask questions, test their knowledge of fish anatomy, and even take a quiz to win prizes and takeaways.

On the first day of the open house, “approximately 150 HSBC staff and clients stopped by to learn about the program. While everyone seemed to enjoy the colorful displays and video clips, the live lionfish definitely stole the show,” said JP. “The only disappointment HSBC staff expressed was that the display would only be in place for a few days!”

To learn more about HSBC Explorer, please visit the Ocean Academy section of the BIOS Education website. To learn more about HSBC in the community, please visit their website or contact Karen Madeiros, Head of RBWM Marketing, at Karen.madeiros@hsbc.bm.

The HSBC Explorer is part of BIOS’s Ocean Academy. Ocean Academy is generously supported by the Bank of Bermuda Foundation, ACE Foundation-Bermuda, PartnerRe Foundation, Montpelier Re Foundation, Argo Foundation, KPMG and Platinum Underwriters Bermuda Ltd.