Field-based hands-on education programs increase marine, environmental science, STEM literacy
Relevance:
Field-based hands-on education programs can increase marine and environmental science and STEM literacy through active involvement in learning. Sea Grant’s goals include an environmentally literate public. Increased literacy will ensure that the public incorporates broad understandings of their actions on the environment into personal decisions.
Response:
In 2015, field-based hands-on learning experiences at three MASGC-supported environmental centers in Mississippi and Alabama enabled 11,614 students and teachers to develop a personal understanding of and relationship to coastal habitats (e.g., estuaries, wetlands, forests, barrier islands), their resident organisms and their ecological processes. All programs addressed specific science, ocean and climate literacy concepts while developing science, technology, engineering and math skills through authentic methods of data collection.
Results:
A total of 4,108 pre- and post-test assessments indicated significant improvement in student content knowledge at all three environmental education center locations with statistically significant content knowledge gains ranging from 19 percent to 37 percent. Evaluations indicated teachers considered the field-based professional development to be valuable or very valuable (n=92).
Recap:
Almost 12,000 students and teachers increased their marine and environmental science and Science Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) literacy by participating in environmental field-based education experiences through MASGC supported programs at Discovery Hall Programs (Dauphin Island Sea Lab), the Environmental Studies Center (Mobile County Public School System) and the Marine Education Center (Gulf Coast Research Laboratory). (2015)
Community Resilience Index serves as model for two sector Indices
Relevance:
The evaluation of the Community Resilience Index revealed that, though the CRI is a useable tool and model for an effective approach to identifying resilience strengths and weaknesses, other sectors within the community structure would benefit from similar resilience planning.
Response:
MASGC enlisted stakeholders from fisheries businesses and tourism businesses to develop resilience indices specific to these sectors. Both indices were piloted with businesses for feedback and refined, and once finalized, introduced as part of a greater resilience toolbox for the Gulf of Mexico region. Introductory workshops were held for current CRI facilitators and during a Gulf Sea Grant Extension Regional meeting.
Results:
MASGC now has broader outreach capabilities related to resilience planning for fisheries and tourism businesses and has begun introducing the concepts of resilience gap planning to new audiences and providing new tools to the region.
Recap:
Two sector indices, fisheries and tourism, were developed and disseminated, following the community resilience index model and in response to feedback from the CRI evaluation. (2015)
Increasing local government capacity to foster community resilience
Relevance:
Municipalities in coastal areas face unique planning challenges related to coastal erosion, flooding and the threat of hurricanes. City land use planners and floodplain managers may lack the resources, tools, and knowledge to address the issues in a comprehensive manner.
Response:
MASGC, with its diverse team of coastal scientists and outreach specialists, is uniquely positioned to bring the latest coastal science and policy to local government officials. In 2015, MASGC partnered with the Mississippi Chapter of the American Planning Association to organize a climate workshop series, which provided continuing education for planners and floodplain managers on coastal sustainability and local resiliency. MASGC also continued to provide technical assistance and support to Mississippi’s Coastal Hazards Outreach Strategy Team (CHOST).
Results:
Fifty individuals received professional development training and continuing education credits through the 2015 climate workshop series. MASGC has also facilitated numerous CHOST events and activities, including the annual mall outreach event and a February 2016 workshop co-sponsored by the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and MASGC to provide an introduction to FEMA’s Community Rating System program.
Recap:
MASGC serves as a valuable outlet for continuing education by addressing diverse coastal disciplines through planning workshops, while also directly facilitating community engagement by rendering aid to professional support groups such as CHOST. (2015)
Communities receive technical assistance on Program for Public Information
Relevance:
In 2013, FEMA revised the eligible activities for points under the Community Rating System (CRS). User groups no longer receive points. Communities need new ways to recoup lost points, to maintain class ratings and associated discounts on flood insurance policies. Under the new CRS manual, communities gain points by participating in the newly created Program for Public Information (PPI). Because the PPI is complex and requires approval from local governments, communities requested technical assistance.
Response:
MASGC worked with partners, including national PPI experts, to develop a daylong intensive PPI training targeted to floodplain managers and CRS coordinators in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The workshop was held Jan. 22, 2015 and attended by 42 individuals representing 7 organizations, 22 communities, and 6 counties. Following the workshop, MASGC provided individual technical assistance on the formation of a PPI to Mississippi coastal communities. To date, MASGC has met with the cities of Long Beach, Pass Christian, Biloxi and Harrison County. MASGC has facilitated Biloxi’s creation of a PPI by drafting documents, inventorying flood insurance outreach activities, and facilitating PPI committee meetings.
Results:
With facilitation from MASGC, Biloxi, MS has established a PPI committee that brings together local government officials and community stakeholders. Through the committee, Biloxi has developed a stronger dialogue with community stakeholders that will allow Biloxi to further refine flood insurance outreach strategies in the future.
Recap:
MASGC facilitates creation of Program for Public Information to assist communities with maintaining Community Rating Scores and associated discounts on flood insurance policies. (2015)
City evaluates vulnerability of infrastructure, prioritizes actions based on predicted flooding due
Relevance:
As climate continues to change, localized flooding is becoming more frequent. Local hazard mitigation plans generally do not take into consideration the increased flooding risks due to sea level rise. Data is not available at a scale where decisions can be made to protect critical infrastructure and facilities.
Response:
The City of Ocean Springs used funds from a small grant provided by MASGC to produce localized maps depicting vulnerability of roads, beaches and other infrastructure to flooding due to sea-level rise. The study outlined recommended mitigation actions along with a summary of their pros and cons (e.g. adapting infrastructure to coastal drainage, erosion prevention and transportation infrastructure). The city then conducted a public outreach campaign to determine what types of mitigation measures residents would support to address these vulnerabilities.
Results:
The City of Ocean Springs conducted a sea-level rise study to identify critical infrastructure at risk to flooding. The city prioritized mitigation actions and is working to address its vulnerabilities through applying for grant opportunities, updating codes and revisiting their comprehensive plan.
Recap:
The results of The City of Ocean Springs’ sea-level rise vulnerability study and subsequent public outreach led to updates in its zoning code and comprehensive plan. The city also used information from the study to prioritize capital improvements. (2015)
Field-applicable Vibrio parahaemolyticus detection kits validated for use
Relevance:
Despite Vibrio parahaemolyticus management plans and industry efforts, illness rates continue to go up indicating that industry and regulators have been unable to manage the problem. Rapid and easy-to-use tests kits for enumeration of total and pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus in oysters will provide investigators a rapid and cost-effective tool to evaluate not only the practice of re-submersion following anti-biofouling, but also other aquaculture practices that state and federal regulators may find likely to increase the risk of vibrio illness.
Response:
The team of Mississippi State University and FDA has developed a simple, rapid and low cost Vp assay kits to currently accepted methods that will expand industry capacity to develop new PHP approaches, such as high-salinity relaying or depuration.
Results:
These tests provide a simple, rapid (18 hour) result for total and potentially pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus levels in oysters. Initial testing demonstrated 100 percent specificity against 48 V. parahaemolyticus and 26 non-Vp and sensitivity of less than 10 cells/test. Using the 96-well plate format, comparability testing demonstrated excellent reliability of these test kits, with 183 naturally-incurred oyster samples from the Gulf, Atlantic and Pacific coasts tested and good agreement (P < 0.05) was observed between the test kit for total V. parahaemolyticus and Most Probable Number real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction.
Recap:
Scientists create a rapid, easy-to-use and cost-effective Vp assay kit to detect V. parahaemolyticus in oyster samples. (2015)
