Educational Benefits
The Earth, Sea and Space Center will bring incredible educational benefits to people of all ages. Schoolchildren will gain hands-on learning opportunities in all facets of science, as well as other subjects. High schoolers can explore career opportunities, and college students can experience internships in a wide range of fields. Other programs would be offered for pre-schoolers, seniors and special interest groups.
As previously noted, schoolchildren who previously would not have been able to visit the museums and attractions of Boston would be able to come here. A first-class museum located in southern New Hampshire opens the doors to incredible opportunities for learning--and especially learning in the vital subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), areas in which our nation is eager to foster growth.
Among those involved in developing our museum are several people from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and NASA. The most prominent is Dr. Clyde Roper, who is also a member of our board adivsory. Dr. Roper is a native of Rye, NH who went on to become a renowned marine biologist at the Smithsonian, specializing in the study of squid and giant squid. He is the star of several television documentaries and a wonderful supporter of our efforts. Thanks to Dr. Roper we have been able to spend time discussing numerous aspects of our project in depth with members of key Smithsonian departments, including research, exhibits, membership, fundraising, public relations, and general planning, just to name a few.
Other educational supporters include the New Hampshire Science Teachers Association, the New Hampshire Educators Association, the New Hampshire Math, Science & Technology Association, and the Sylvan Learning Center.
As previously noted, schoolchildren who previously would not have been able to visit the museums and attractions of Boston would be able to come here. A first-class museum located in southern New Hampshire opens the doors to incredible opportunities for learning--and especially learning in the vital subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), areas in which our nation is eager to foster growth.
Among those involved in developing our museum are several people from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and NASA. The most prominent is Dr. Clyde Roper, who is also a member of our board adivsory. Dr. Roper is a native of Rye, NH who went on to become a renowned marine biologist at the Smithsonian, specializing in the study of squid and giant squid. He is the star of several television documentaries and a wonderful supporter of our efforts. Thanks to Dr. Roper we have been able to spend time discussing numerous aspects of our project in depth with members of key Smithsonian departments, including research, exhibits, membership, fundraising, public relations, and general planning, just to name a few.
Other educational supporters include the New Hampshire Science Teachers Association, the New Hampshire Educators Association, the New Hampshire Math, Science & Technology Association, and the Sylvan Learning Center.
The University of New Hampshire Connection
The aquarium portion of the center can offer many opportunities for University of New Hampshire (UNH) marine researchers thanks to its large-scale tanks, range of species, and ability to recreate habitat. The lab planned for the center can also be an asset to the University’s Marine Program, affording critical research and hands-on learning opportunities for both faculty and students interested in marine science and aquarium science. As noted earlier, the museum will offer numerous internships in many disciplines. Many UNH undergraduates dream of working at an aquarium or other science education facility. Through internships, they will have the opportunity to gain this experience firsthand at the center, while contributing useful services.
UNH’s Institute for the Study of Earth, Sea and Space (EOS) also hopes to be connected to the museum. Additional science exhibit areas, which will look at topics such as climate, weather, currents, soils, ice cores, and the like, can be of benefit to EOS in terms of research and educational outreach. Professors from EOS are excited about the possibilities. EOS is an internationally recognized center for the development of satellite remote sensing techniques, as applied to land and oceans. They are also affiliated with Dartmouth College, and collaborate directly with NASA on many projects. This knowledge, and these connections, can help bring unique learning opportunities to the Earth, Sea and Space Center.
The Center’s goals also follow a global view, as EOS does. The center will look at the role of the ocean and its relationship to weather, climate, terrestrial and marine studies. Programs, projects, and exhibits at the center can help with educational outreach to grades K-12, and also draw attention to EOS’ efforts.
Through NASA’s Space Grant program, EOS has a major goal of enhancing math, science and technology education at all school levels (K-12), as well as in informal educational settings. EOS facilities are involved in numerous educational outreach efforts to stimulate interest in these subjects among both students and the general public. The center will provide an educational venue for these efforts, and allow broader educational options for students of all ages.
The New Hampshire Sea Grant College Program, based at UNH, is also a potentially valuable partner with the center. New Hampshire Sea Grant offers extensive training programs for teachers, and these programs could benefit from collaborations with the center. A Sea Grant/Earth, Sea and Space Center partnership could also provide many more hands-on learning opportunities than Sea Grant alone can offer. Sea Grant’s experienced educational staff can be a valuable resource to center staff in program planning for the general public, K-12 youth audiences, educators, and other stakeholders. Sea Grant personnel are also experienced in developing expanded relationships between museum educators, researchers and scientists so that the strongest educational programming is offered.
As our exhibits, programs and research plans are further developed, we look forward to continued input from these UNH departments. Likewise, our partners at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and NASA will also continue to provide guidance, both during the development phase, and when the project becomes a reality.
Research Opportunities
The Earth, Sea and Space Center also provides important opportunities for research as conducted by UNH and other partners. Our labs, large tanks, science staff, habitats, range of species, and connections to other institutions, such as the Smithsonian, are all valuable resources. Our facility would offer fantastic resources for unraveling the mysteries and benefit’s offered by some of our planet’s greatest resources--its waterways and oceans.
Outdoor Education
The fact that Dover has so many acres of parkland and nature trails, and that the museum will be located adjacent to conservation land, is very exciting to us. We will be able to enhance our environmental exhibits and programming by taking some of these efforts outside. Visitors will be able to see the direct correlation between what we are talking about via internal exhibits and the real natural world. Nature education is very important today, as many states are launching initiatives to bring children and families back to the outdoors. This helps in the fight against obesity, in weaning kids from over-use of computers, games, and television, and in restoring some of the nature knowledge that recent generations have lost. Having the Earth, Sea and Space Center close to the great outdoors give tremendous impact to our educational message. We look forward to working in partnership with local conservation groups in enhancing their mission.
The aquarium portion of the center can offer many opportunities for University of New Hampshire (UNH) marine researchers thanks to its large-scale tanks, range of species, and ability to recreate habitat. The lab planned for the center can also be an asset to the University’s Marine Program, affording critical research and hands-on learning opportunities for both faculty and students interested in marine science and aquarium science. As noted earlier, the museum will offer numerous internships in many disciplines. Many UNH undergraduates dream of working at an aquarium or other science education facility. Through internships, they will have the opportunity to gain this experience firsthand at the center, while contributing useful services.
UNH’s Institute for the Study of Earth, Sea and Space (EOS) also hopes to be connected to the museum. Additional science exhibit areas, which will look at topics such as climate, weather, currents, soils, ice cores, and the like, can be of benefit to EOS in terms of research and educational outreach. Professors from EOS are excited about the possibilities. EOS is an internationally recognized center for the development of satellite remote sensing techniques, as applied to land and oceans. They are also affiliated with Dartmouth College, and collaborate directly with NASA on many projects. This knowledge, and these connections, can help bring unique learning opportunities to the Earth, Sea and Space Center.
The Center’s goals also follow a global view, as EOS does. The center will look at the role of the ocean and its relationship to weather, climate, terrestrial and marine studies. Programs, projects, and exhibits at the center can help with educational outreach to grades K-12, and also draw attention to EOS’ efforts.
Through NASA’s Space Grant program, EOS has a major goal of enhancing math, science and technology education at all school levels (K-12), as well as in informal educational settings. EOS facilities are involved in numerous educational outreach efforts to stimulate interest in these subjects among both students and the general public. The center will provide an educational venue for these efforts, and allow broader educational options for students of all ages.
The New Hampshire Sea Grant College Program, based at UNH, is also a potentially valuable partner with the center. New Hampshire Sea Grant offers extensive training programs for teachers, and these programs could benefit from collaborations with the center. A Sea Grant/Earth, Sea and Space Center partnership could also provide many more hands-on learning opportunities than Sea Grant alone can offer. Sea Grant’s experienced educational staff can be a valuable resource to center staff in program planning for the general public, K-12 youth audiences, educators, and other stakeholders. Sea Grant personnel are also experienced in developing expanded relationships between museum educators, researchers and scientists so that the strongest educational programming is offered.
As our exhibits, programs and research plans are further developed, we look forward to continued input from these UNH departments. Likewise, our partners at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and NASA will also continue to provide guidance, both during the development phase, and when the project becomes a reality.
Research Opportunities
The Earth, Sea and Space Center also provides important opportunities for research as conducted by UNH and other partners. Our labs, large tanks, science staff, habitats, range of species, and connections to other institutions, such as the Smithsonian, are all valuable resources. Our facility would offer fantastic resources for unraveling the mysteries and benefit’s offered by some of our planet’s greatest resources--its waterways and oceans.
Outdoor Education
The fact that Dover has so many acres of parkland and nature trails, and that the museum will be located adjacent to conservation land, is very exciting to us. We will be able to enhance our environmental exhibits and programming by taking some of these efforts outside. Visitors will be able to see the direct correlation between what we are talking about via internal exhibits and the real natural world. Nature education is very important today, as many states are launching initiatives to bring children and families back to the outdoors. This helps in the fight against obesity, in weaning kids from over-use of computers, games, and television, and in restoring some of the nature knowledge that recent generations have lost. Having the Earth, Sea and Space Center close to the great outdoors give tremendous impact to our educational message. We look forward to working in partnership with local conservation groups in enhancing their mission.