Citizen Opportunities for Accessing Science Training on the Sound (COASTS)
Through the support of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Long Island Sound Futures Fund, University of New Haven faculty have created a Long Island Sound stewardship program to provide marine environmental education opportunities to members of the community.
We are looking for 20 community members, a diverse group of residents from New Haven and West Haven who are at least 16 years old, to be trained as “COASTers.” Those selected will take part in a comprehensive summer training course taught by experts from the University of New Haven and Gateway Community College. During this course, COASTers will become acquainted with field skills and techniques for understanding the ecology, water quality, flora, and fauna of Long Island Sound. Participants will also learn the human dimensions of coastal management and how to discuss conservation, policy, and science with the general public.
Our newly trained citizen scientists will then apply their knowledge in educating their communities about our “blue backyard” through a series of community events and professional development workshops.
These interactive programs will be held along Long Island Sound, at field sites throughout the New Haven area, and at the University of New Haven’s new marine lab at the Canal Dock Boathouse. A year-end conference will be held to review lessons learned, successes, and challenges as well as provide recommendations for future training sessions and community outreach events.
All costs for supplies and travel will be covered for those selected as COASTers.
Tentative Training Schedule – Summer 2024
Training includes evening zoom class sessions and trips in person to local field sites between July 19 – August 14, 2024. Evening zoom classes will be 7-8 pm on Wednesdays.
Field trips (in person) will take place on:
- June 29: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- July 13: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
- July 20: 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.
- July 27: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
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Benefits for COASTers
In addition to the training they receive through the COASTS program, COASTers who do not have a computer or access to the internet can apply to receive a Chromebook to use in class training sessions as well as internet access. At the completion of the COASTS training program, some of the newly trained COASTers will be identified as our Community LIS Experts and serve as ambassadors with local communities, contributing to our community events.
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Training and Visits to Local Coastal Environments
Class sessions will provide COASTers with training on the diverse environments and organisms of Long Island Sound by leading experts.
Field days will bring COASTers to these coastal environments to put what they learn into practice. University of New Haven faculty members and experts from COASTS community partner organizations will train COASTers to recognize and identify organisms (both native and invasive), measure and interpret water chemistry, and characterize physical environments.
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Community Events
Following the program, trained COASTers will work with University of New Haven faculty at public community events, where they will introduce members of our local communities to our shared “Blue Backyard,” Long Island Sound.
In the past year, trained COASTers have brought what they’ve learned from the program to the public at local events.
Fall 2023
"Coastal Cleanup and Exploration"
Part of the International Coastal CleanupCOASTS partnered with Save the Sound to hold a clean-up event along the waterfront next to Long Wharf. Just like last year’s "What’s in Your Watershed" event, this clean-up was part of the OceanConservancy’s International Coastal Clean-Up and Save the Sound’s Connecticut Clean-Up. As part of this effort participants recorded the trash and waste they collected, and this data was included in Save the Sound’s Connecticut Clean-Up. This event also featured nature walks along the New Haven waterfront guided by our program experts.
Spring 2023
“Community Science Fair for a Sustainable Future”COASTS held a community event highlighting sustainable living and taking an active role in protecting our local marine ecosystems. The event was centered around a science fair featuring a diverse group of community members and organizations who all focus in some way on sustainability. Participants that set up displays and interacted with event attendees included Algae Art the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund’s eeSmarts iniative, Connecticut Sea Grant, Metropolitan Business Academy, the Nature Conservancy, the New Haven Climate Movement, the CPEN-Community Placemaking Engagement Network, and Save the Sound.
Download the Spring 2023 Flyer
Fall 2022
“What’s in Your Watershed”COASTS held a community event for International Coastal Cleanup Day to enhance the public’s exposure to the important subject of marine pollution and its impacts on local ecosystems. The event was organized with Save the Sound and the New Haven Climate Movement community organization. In addition, the University of New Haven’s Seton Gallery brought in sTo Len, the NYC Department of Sanitation Public Artist in Residence, to participate in the event. This collaboration led to an exhibition at the Seton Gallery “To Dissolve into the Hydrocommons, One Drop at a Time” showcasing art created by sTo Len using pollution items found at the cleanup event.
The event was organized around a clean-up of the New Haven waterfront and featured short lectures from program experts Dr. Amy Carlile, Dr. Jean-Paul Simjouw, and Dr. Karin Jakubowski, as well as artist sTo Len. Participants, including COASTers from our inaugural training course, collected trash and discarded waste from the beaches and seagrass meadows adjacent to Long Wharf. Participants were also asked to identify items they feel could have potential for use by sTo Len. At the end of the clean-up, sTo Len selected items from the selected trash to use in his art exhibit.
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Meet Our Program Experts
Leading the COASTS program are University of New Haven faculty and staff members who are experts in ecosystems and ecology; oceanography and water quality; fish and other marine vertebrates, marine pollution and microplastics; and marine science education and outreach. The program will also be joined by experts from Mystic Aquarium and the National Audubon Society.
Amy L. Carlile, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Chair, Biology and Environmental Science
Charger Plaza 13
(203) 479-4257
ACarlile@newhaven.edu
Christian Conroy, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Coordinator, M.S. Environmental Science
Charger Plaza 17
(203) 932-7436
CWConroy@newhaven.edu
Jean-Paul Simjouw, Ph.D.
Senior Lecturer
Coordinator, B.S. Environmental Science and Coordinator, B.S. Marine and Environmental Sciences
Dodds Hall Office 319
(203) 932-1253
JSimjouw@newhaven.edu
Gail Hartnett, Ph.D.
Practitioner in Residence
Charger Plaza Office 103
(860) 304-5425
GHartnett@newhaven.edu
Community Partners:
- Mary Ellen Mataleska, Director of Education and Conservation, Mystic Aquarium
- Alissa Dragan, State of Connecticut Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Aquaculture
- Gio Koch and Suan Long, Capital Region Education Council (CREC)
- Stephanie Fitzgerald, West River Watershed Coalition
- Marine and Environmental Programs at the University of New Haven