Maine nonprofits receive grant to celebrate 50th anniversary of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring

Jan. 26, 2012 - PRLog -- Brunswick, Maine – Cornerstones of Science, the national science literacy initiative based in Brunswick, is the recipient of a $5,000 grant to recognize the 50th anniversary of the publication of Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, heralded as one of the most significant books of the 20th century and the beginning of the environmental movement.

To mark the occasion, Cornerstones of Science is partnering with the Marine Environmental Research Institute (MERI) in Blue Hill to sponsor MERI’s 2012 Rachel Carson Lectures, a monthly series that increases public awareness and understanding of critical ocean issues. In addition to Dr. Susan Shaw, director of MERI and leading marine toxicologist, the series will bring other national and international scientists to speak on current topics from aquaculture to climate change to science communication and microplastics. The lectures will be recorded for online viewing and will be part of Cornerstone of Science’s year-long program, Silent Spring Revisited: Rachel Carson’s Legacy and Ocean Health Today.

MERI’s first 2012 Rachel Carson Lecture is on January 26, 2012, with University of Maine professor Dr. Stephen Coghlan. He will speak on:
The Penobscot Undammed: Restoring the River: A thousand square miles of river habitat will open up when the Veazie and Great Works dams on the Penobscot River come down. With the construction of a fish bypass on a third dam, 11 species of sea-run fish will be able to return to their historic spawning grounds. This is a significant step in addressing more than 100 years of damage to the river’s fragile ecosystem. Dr. Steve Coghlan from the University of Maine’s Department of Wildlife Ecology will discuss the impacts of dam removal and answer the question: Can we restore the Penobscot to its historic natural state?

Location: MERI Center for Marine Studies, 55 Main Street, Blue Hill, Maine from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. A reception honoring the speaker begins at 6:00 p.m. Seating is limited, so please arrive early. For information, call (207) 374-2135 or email info@meriresearch.org . For directions and more information, please visit MERI’s website: www.meriresearch.org

Funding for this program is in part from the New England Ocean Science Education Collaborative (NEOSEC) and the Centers for Ocean Science Education Excellence – Ocean Systems (COSEE-OS).

In addition to MERI’s 2012 Rachel Carson lecture series, the statewide celebration will include the following:

• Cornerstones of Science will host book clubs, and science café-style book discussions at local libraries throughout the state. Upcoming lectures and activities throughout 2012 can be found at the Cornerstone of Science website, www.cornerstonesofscience.org .
• Marine Environmental Research Institute (MERI) Director Dr. Susan Shaw will be a featured speaker at World Ocean Day, a Rachel Carson celebration on June 8 at the Portland Art Museum, sponsored by the Maine Coastal Program. The event features three women leaders in ocean sciences: Dr. Shaw, marine toxicologist, explorer and doctor of Public Health; Nancy Knowlton, world-renowned coral reef scientist; and Anne Doubilet, hall-of-fame diver, oceanographer and explorer.
• Portland Public Library and Cornerstones of Science will host an end-of year celebration featuring a panel discussion and film screening of A Sense of Wonder, the award-winning play based on Rachel Carson’s final months at her home in Maine, performed by Kaiulani Lee (Details TBA).

Other events and activities will be announced throughout the year.

Media Inquiries:

Bill Fallon/ Keating Co. /212.925.6900/ bfallon@keatingco.com