Aquarium Awarded Major NOAA Grant
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Office of Education awarded the North Carolina Aquarium Society $580,000 for the Aquarium at Fort Fisher’s proposal “Using marine mammals to communicate solutions to ocean issues”. The Aquarium plans to increase public understanding and appreciation of the interconnectedness of people and the environment, with a focus on climate change impacts, through statewide outreach using a portable, inflatable GeoDome theater and an on-site exhibit upgrade.
The Aquarium will work in collaboration with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, the Elumenati LLC, University of North Carolina Wilmington and Duke University Marine Laboratory to develop marine mammal and climate change programs for GeoDome presentations. Ultimately, teenagers aged 14-17 will become engaged in climate and ocean literacy through a better understanding of marine mammals.