At BIOS, we believe that ocean science for human good involves not only research with tangible benefits for communities and the environment, but also education programs that highlight the many ways our lives are connected with the ocean. We view education as a crucial part of ocean science research, helping to translate the work of our faculty into meaningful experiences for visitors, students, teachers, and Bermuda residents.

Between April 1, 2011 and April 1, 2012, a total of 622 babies were born at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.  The wellbeing of these babies and their mothers is of great importance to the health and vibrancy of the local community. To this end, Laval University’s Atlantis Mobile Laboratories, stationed at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) and supported by a grant from the Lepercq Foundation, is facilitating a National Maternal Nutrition Survey to assess the nutritional status and needs of pregnant women in Bermuda.

Back in 2006 when Forrest Williams first arrived at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) as a Waterstart student, he wasn’t sure where the experience would take him. “My science teacher in school referred me to the program…I guess she thought I was a good student,” recalls Forrest.

Girl Power in Science! As part of her NOAA Teacher at Sea experience, Kaitlin Baird (BIOS’s Science in Education Coordinator) compiled a list of women working in diverse aspects of ocean science research and education.

Between April 1, 2011 and April 1, 2012, a total of 622 babies were born at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.  The wellbeing of these babies and their mothers is of great importance to the health and vibrancy of the local community. To this end, Laval University’s Atlantis Mobile Laboratories, stationed at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) and supported by a grant from the Lepercq Foundation, is facilitating a National Maternal Nutrition Survey to assess the nutritional status and needs of pregnant women in Bermuda.

Adding to its already-distinguished staff, the Risk Prediction Initiative (RPI2.0) recently welcomed Dr. Mark Guishard as its new Science Program Manager. RPI2.0— part of the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS)—works to create effective and efficient dialogue between scientists and (re)insurers involved in catastrophic risk by funding and showcasing academic research relevant to the (re)insurance industry and assisting in translating science into applications for the industry.

In mid-February, the strong winds felt across the island almost wreaked havoc on a moored buoy that is part of the Bermuda Ocean Acidification and Coral Reef Investigation (BEACON) project at BIOS. Luckily, BIOS Research Technician Andrew Collins noticed the buoy at Hog Reef had broken loose from its primary fixed mooring line, setting in motion a coordinated effort to recover the buoy and its suite of scientific equipment.

Since 1978 the Oceanic Flux Program (OFP) has been studying particle fluxes in the deep Sargasso Sea. This year, the OFP celebrates 35 years of continuous measurements, making it the longest running time-series of its kind. “This is a monumental achievement for oceanography and for the US National Science Foundation, which supports the OFP. It is remarkable to look back at all we have learned about the workings of the deep ocean since the OFP began. And as we add ever more sophisticated instruments on the OFP mooring, it is really exciting to look forward to more discoveries about the deep,” says Dr. Maureen Conte, Associate Scientist at BIOS and Adjunct Scientist at the Marine Biological Laboratory Ecosystems Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

During April’s all-hands Board of Trustees meeting, attendees unanimously voted to name current Trustee Sir John Swan, K.B.E., J.P., as a Life Trustee in recognition of his 37 years of service to BIOS.

This month marks the first year that students at Furman University can take the “Oceans and Human Health” (OHH) course at BIOS for their May Experience, an optional three-week term following commencement that allows students to participate in unique academic experiences, including shorter study abroad courses and instruction in research methods. Coordinated by BIOS’s Dr. Andrea Bodnar, the course is offered through the International Center for Ocean and Human Health at BIOS, which was established in 1998 to encourage interdisciplinary research among the ocean and medical sciences.