Outreach

In March, Aleezah was invited to be a keynote speaker at Northeastern's annual High School Marine Science Symposium! Every year, the Symposium welcomes hundreds of high school students and their teachers to hear from expert speakers, explore marine science career pathways, and participate in hands-on science workshops led by scientists, policymakers, graduate students, and other professionals in the field. This year's Symposium hosted over 250 students! 

In Aleezah's talk, she spoke about her behavioral research on sea robins (our resident fish with legs) and what her journey to becoming a Research Assistant has looked like. At her table, Aleezah spoke with students about the lab's sea slugs and their trait-stealing abilities, and even brought live slugs! The students asked such thoughtful questions about our research, we can't wait to see how they shape the future of science. 

Aleezah and Elissa have been presenting on sea slug trait theft at the HMNH! They completed a training program to become Science Education Partners with the museum and now participate in museum education events, like the pictured I Heart Science and Meet a Scientist events. During these events, Aleezah and Elissa showed community members of all ages live sea slugs under the microscope and answered questions about their unique abilities to steal traits from their prey; this includes the lettuce sea slug Elysia clarki which steals chloroplasts and can photosynthesize and the stinging sea slug Berghia stephanieae that steals stinging organelles from the anemones they eat. 

In January, Elissa and Corey gave a talk about trait theft in sea slugs at the MIT Museum's After Dark Series. The lab brought an educational poster about our sea slug research, as well as live slugs for guests to enjoy! The MIT Museum's After Dark series connects adults in the community with research in a themed evening of science, entertainment, and interactive play.