Professional Development
For Ocean Science Educators
Educator workshops are offered during the summer and throughout the year. Ranging in length from one hour to one week; some courses carry graduate credit. All workshops provide teaching resources and the practical application of current marine science to the classroom setting.
Workshops
Workshops combining scientific updates with standards-correlated teaching resources are offered periodically throughout the year. Past topics have included: sea turtles, oyster reef ecology, blue crabs, sharks, benthic communities, biological invaders, habitat restoration, bycatch, Atlantic sturgeon, sea level rise, ocean observing systems, and more.
Summer Field Courses
Since 2001, staff from the Virginia Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program have conducted summer field courses for educators at the VIMS Eastern Shore Laboratory (ESL) in Wachapreague, Virginia. Here, classroom teachers and informal educators are the students as they explore the diverse habitats of Virginia's Eastern Shore and its barrier islands. For details on our next offering, visit: ESL Field Course
Special Topics Graduate Course (MS-548)
This course provides laboratory and field studies led by VIMS faculty and staff via William & Mary's School of Marine Science. Past courses have included: Experimental Design for in the Marine Laboratory; Environmental Issues in Virginia; Fisheries Science & Management; Application of Molecular Markers in Marine Science.
Conference workshops and presentations by the Education Team offer a quick update on the latest resources and methods in marine education.
For Culinary Arts Educators and Professionals
Seafood Education
An annual Chefs' Seafood Symposium, co-sponsored by the Virginia Chefs Association is conducted each March. This event combines fisheries science updates that are relevant to seafood issues with cooking demonstrations by local and nationally known chefs. It offers recertification credit from the American Culinary Federation and is open to chefs, educators, students, and others involved in the culinary field.
For other seafood resources and information, including culinary education, contact Lisa Ayers Lawrence.