Dolphin Doctor, On the Front Lines of Marine Mammal Medicine
Abstract
Since 1959, the U.S. Navy has trained dolphins and sea lions as teammates for our Sailors and Marines to help guard against underwater threats. The National Marine Mammal Foundations team of researchers and veterinarians incorporates the latest advances in veterinary medicine to care for U.S. Navy Marine Mammals in locations around the world. We propose a new educational workshop aptly named Dolphin Doctor: On the Front Lines of Marine MammalMedicine, that will focus on marine mammal medical research and technology and will also introduce students to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) principles. This project recognizes and shares the lifetime work of Dr. Sam Ridgway, the original Dolphin Doctor and current President of the National Marine Mammal Foundation. ONR funding for this project will allow us to expand classroom visits at local military impacted schools and bring this new exciting program to local youth organizations, such as the Girl Scouts of San Diego, the Fleet Science Center, and the Ocean Discovery Institute, in addition to outreach events coordinated by the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC Pacific). The 2-hour workshop will be offered through our collaborating organizations approximately twice per month. Our primary objectives are: Develop a 2-hour educational workshop that focuses on hands-on activities and direct interaction with NMMF scientists. Create a Dolphin Doctor Guide for Educators to share the program activities with teachers and educational organizations. Provide the workshop twice per month over two years, initially through collaborations with our established outreach partners, with an expectation of reaching approximately 4,000 students. Create a page on the NMMF website specifically dedicated to the Dolphin Doctor program with information and engaging educational activities.Workshop materials will be made available online for other organizations, educators, and community members to utilize at no cost. Our unique program will inspire students by sharing the extraordinary history of service of Navy animals, including veterans, and their role in protecting Navy Sailors and our countrys freedom. We also hope to spark lasting interest and provide training for the next generation of Navy scientists with innovative and interactive STEMeducational programing.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Apr 29, 2020
- Source ID
- N000142012295
Entities
People
- Celeste Parry
Organizations
- National Marine Mammal Foundation
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy