Ocean Science for Children
With a desire to help foster a harmonious relationship between humans and the ocean and to pass it on from generation to generation, ONCE has outreached and focused a marine science unit specifically for children.
During this unit, children can visit museums of marine science and technology (Figure 1) to develop an immersive experience of ocean. The ONCE team of personnel and students are voluntary to tell ocean-related stories (Figure 2) and provide guidance and knowledge to the young visitors. Specifically, young visitors can learn knowledge the properties of saltwater and about the power of marine animals (Figure 3, Figure 4). We, in this instance, offer a variety of fun marine science activities for children (Figure 5).
Figure 1.Visit Activity to the Museum of Marine Science and Technology
Figure 2. Illustration on Impact of Ocean Pollution
Figure 3. Marine Creatures in the Museum
Figure 4. Understanding the Characteristics of Marine Creature
Figure 5. Marine Knowledge Competition Activity
Popularization of Ocean Science
Developing ocean knowledge and distributing ocean knowledge contents are treated equally important. Ocean Science Day (OSD), which is generally observed in November annually since 2012, is an exemplary case of public outreach activities to educate and raise awareness of students and general public through various interactive and fun activities.
During the occasion, public visitors are welcomed to join our open house activities. Students, staffs and faculties will present their latest activities and findings, so visitors can get an interactive to peek on what life is like at marine field stations and what the labs are working on with a series of events and activities including hands-on training experiments, interactive displays and booths, lab tours, and guest presentations.
OCEAN SCIENCE DAY THEMES THROUGH THE YEARS：
The Ocean and Me/ Celebrate the Ocean/ We Love Our Ocean/ Along the Sea
Our Ocean, Our Future/ Our Mysterious/ Seas Voyage to Discovery
Surf the Seas
During the special occasion of Ocean Science Day, our visitors would have the opportunities to operate buoys, submarines, underwater robots, satellite remote sensing and other vehicle tools in the ocean. Moreover, it also gives the visitors a chance to observe aquatic life at a very close distance, such as coral, jellyfish, clownfish, shellfish and collections of fish specimens, marine phytoplankton. The interesting facts on the growing process of algae, how to distinguish the acidity and salinity of seawater and tap water, water eutrophication and pollution. Visitors get to feel the heartbeats of abalone and shellfish in-person, as well as try out some fun and simple experiments such as observing the growth of algae with microscopes. In addition, public visitors can also get an inner glance at the ongoing scientific research activities based on the model devices we built, such as the prototype of natural upwelling and artificial upwelling through artificial upwelling model, as well as the cutting-edge concept of an artificial upwelling system for ocean negative carbon emissions of offshore ecosystems.
As a part of the science popularization activities, we also organize special popular science lectures. Eminent scientists, technologists, photographers, and educationists are invited to give lectures in non-technical language for mixed audiences, sharing their stories related to the ocean, presenting the charm and scientific significance of the ocean and raising public awareness of marine environmental protection.
The annual activities attract a large number of visitors to participate. It has become a family favorite with educational attractions, and both adults and children would have fun here, feel more connected with the ocean, create a deeper affinity for the ocean, and gain an in-depth understanding of the relationships between humans and the ocean. Appreciation messages and positive feedback in various forms are received after the activities. Many children expressed that one day was far from enough and hope to be able to come back again soon. Many children also said they would study marine environmental science and become scientists in the future.
（Source: State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University）
Xiamen University Marine Science Museum
The department of oceanography at Xiamen University, established 70 years ago, has cultivated many talents in the field. The Marine Science Museum at Xiamen University was incorporated, opening to the public in 2016.
The Marine Science Museum is composed of 5 exhibition zones of different themes: a comprehensive exhibition area, a geological exhibition area, a biological exhibition area, an underwater acoustic communications exhibition area, and a view of the sea tides area. The comprehensive exhibition area shows the development history of marine science at Xiamen University. The geological exhibition area focuses on the basic elements of the geological discipline as well as the structure and evolutionary history of the ocean lithospheres. The biological exhibition area displays “tankahkeei” jellyfish (1926), Chinese white dolphins, and hawksbill turtles, among other national first-class protected animals and coral ecosystems. The underwater acoustic communications exhibition area provides an underwater interactive experience, revealing the acoustic repertoires of submarines, battleships, sonar and dolphins. The view of the sea tides area presents marine hydrological observation applied in the fields of information services, disaster prevention and climate mitigation.
The Marine Science Museum of Xiamen University tends to bring the public and peers to learn more about the development history of oceanography in Xiamen University and be informed of the latest advances in ocean science and technologies.
（Edited by Dapeng Xu)
(Editing Contact：xjz@xmu.edu.cn)