Research and Resiliency: Exploring the Ways Local Ecosystems are Responding to Our Changing Climate
A 5-Day Summer Professional Development Institute for Grades 6-12 Educators
How are human activities impacting our planets’ climate, water cycle, and the balance and distribution of species and ecosystems? How are scientists investigating these questions in Massachusetts, and what steps are people taking to help have a more positive impact?
Join the Wade Institute in this week-long program and explore habitats along the Massachusetts coast as you investigate the ecology of these environments. Coastal habitats are continually threatened by increased storm events, sea level rise, increased global temperatures, invasive species, coastal runoff and tidal restrictions, all of which are exacerbated by climate change. Learn how scientists and conservationists work together to protect and preserve the health of these local ecosystems.
Investigate how to determine and evaluate the health of an ecosystem, explore engineering solutions that could minimize the impacts of climate change on local habitats, and discover how plants and organisms are adapting to life in a continually changing climate. Tour labs at the UMass Dartmouth School for Marine Science & Technology (SMAST) in New Bedford and learn about research happening there. Venture into the field with scientists and use a variety of scientific tools and techniques to collect and analyze climate-related field data. Identify resources and methods for engaging you students in data collection and introduce them to scientific research and potential career opportunities. Each day will be filled with field trips, hands-on investigations, and discussions aimed at highlighting the resiliency of our local habitats. Learn how each collaborating partner site can be a resource for you and your students during the school year. You will leave the institute with a toolkit for using real life data with your students.
Registration Information:
Dates & Times:
July 14th – 18th, 2025 (8:30 AM – 3:30 PM ET)
Locations:
Lloyd Center for the Environment, Dartmouth, MA
New Bedford Whaling Museum, New Bedford, MA
Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA
Course Fee:
$500 per participant
$475 per participant if attending as a team with 2 or more other teachers from your school or district (3-person team minimum).
PDPs and Optional Graduate Credit:
40 PDPs available without graduate credit.
3 graduate credits and 67.5 PDPs are available from Cambridge College/Bay Path University for $225*
3 graduate credits and 67.5 PDPs are available from Bridgewater State University for $225*
*Additional work is required for graduate credit.
Collaborating Partners:
Lloyd Center for the Environment
New Bedford Whaling Museum
Marine Biological Laboratory
Massachusetts Science and Engineering Fair
