Exhibit: Exploring Marine Biodiversity and Environments

The focus of the exhibit is to elucidate the process of biological and physical scientific research, both in the field and back at the lab.

Michael Dawson, colleagues and students in his lab travel across the world, hike in gear through remote areas, and spend countless hours in the water with jellyfish and other marine life, collecting specimens and compiling data before the lab work even begins. Dawson’s research of seawater lakes includes topics of biodiversity, molecular evolution and computational biology, demonstrating the rigors of research and the variety of techniques now available.

In the spirit of scientific travelogues such as the “Sea of Cortez” by John Steinbeck and Edward Ricketts’ “Between Pacific Tides,” come visit the third floor of the library to learn more about marine life, ecology and research as a process. Biological specimens, including several jellyfish, will be on display, along with field equipment, research tools, photographs and film footage taken underwater and of the surrounding environment in locations such as the Pacific Island Nation of Palau and closer to home on the Mexico and California Coasts.

Exhibit is curated by Joe Ameen, Amanda Morgan and Michael Dawson.