Winner of Regional Ocean Sciences Competition Will Compete in the 23rd Annual National Ocean Sciences Bowl Finals

On Saturday, February 1, students from the Westwood Marine & Oceanographic Academy from Fort Pierce, FL won the Manatee Bowl, a regional ocean science academic competition that is part of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB). The Manatee Bowl, which was hosted by the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, is part of a nationwide competition that tests students’ knowledge of ocean science disciplines through buzzer-style, multiple-choice questions and open-ended team challenge questions. The Westwood Marine & Oceanographic Academy team will join winners from 22 other regional bowls April 16-19 in Long Beach, Mississippi, for the NOSB Finals. Students on the championship team include Salvatore Piazza, Matthew Zoll, Caleb Stacey, Chad Adkins, and Casie Schulz (team photo below). They are coached by Allen Ruppert.

The NOSB, a program of the Consortium for Ocean Leadership, is building our next generation of marine scientists, policy makers, teachers, explorers, researchers, technicians, environmental advocates, and informed citizens by educating them in timely and relevant ocean science topics that are already a part of our future. This year’s competition theme, Understanding Human, Economic, and Environmental Resiliency in the Gulf of Mexico, let students explore the many fascinating and complex functions of the Gulf of Mexico, America’s “living laboratory,” while also connecting scientific processes to the many people who call the Gulf their home. From its role in regulating global ocean temperature to its importance as a home to a diverse array of flora and fauna, the Gulf provides researchers with the opportunity to study the intersections of oceanography, biology, geology, chemistry, and the social sciences across both large- and small-scales.

This year’s theme is especially relevant as 2020 marks the 10-year anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill — considered to be the largest marine oil spill ever — and comes as we reach a critical turning point in Gulf research: Ten years on, scientists who have been studying the environmental and social impacts of the spill are now synthesizing what they’ve learned about response, restoration, recovery, and resiliency, and how they can apply that knowledge to other events.

“Economically, ecologically, and culturally, the Gulf of Mexico is a valuable resource where you can really see how closely linked science and society are, so we’re thrilled that NOSB students got the chance to focus on it this year,” said Kristen Yarincik, director of the NOSB at the Consortium for Ocean Leadership. “Giving students the opportunity to learn about some of the groundbreaking research going on in the Gulf as well as the social implications of that work is key to the mission of NOSB — We want to help students become thoughtful, ocean-literate citizens who understand the broader value of scientific research, even if they don’t become scientists. Congratulations to all the brilliant students who competed this year, and we can’t wait to see all of our regional winners in Mississippi.”

The 2020 National NOSB program is made possible through the following major sponsors:

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Gulf Research Program
• Wendy & Eric Schmidt
• Deerbrook Charitable Trust
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• Shell Exploration & Production Company
• Lockheed Martin
• American Honda Foundation
• Sharon and Wayne Sternberger
• Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
• Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory
• IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society
• MacGregor Norway AS
• Marine Technology Society

A complete list of sponsors can be found here. For more information about NOSB, click here.