Please make your way to the SHOW AND TELL exhibit at the Discover Portsmouth Center in beautiful downtown Portsmouth curated by the amazingly talented Tess Feltes and Meredith Affleck. The exhibition is meticulously displayed and perfect for families.

 

Please click HERE for more details about the other contributing authors and illustrators.

 

Don't forget to purchase your books from G. Willikers toyshop in downtown Portsmouth.

 

If you would like to purchase an autographed copy or request a book plate, please contact me.

Josie James

DIVING DEEP WITH MARIE THARP

 

The very moment I stumbled upon the story of Marie Tharp I was fascinated. I couldn’t believe that I didn’t know anything about her nor her once-in-a-lifetime discovery of the Mid-Ocean Ridge and Rift Valley, the largest geological feature on Earth. I grabbed my notebook and pen and dove into months and months of research.

 

I admire Tharp’s independence of thought and fearlessness.  She was brave and confronted the scientists who dismissed her discovery because it challenged their preconceived ideas. Marie’s maps of the ocean floor made it clear that it isn’t a scientist’s job to make things the way one wishes them to be, they simply are as they are.

 

As I worked on Marie’s story, I began to think a bit differently about time.  In comparison to the hundreds of millions of years it took one continent to separate into seven, our lifetimes are brief.  To be alive on this incredible planet is a gift. Be amazed. Be curious. Be in awe of the beauty that can and can’t be seen.

 

I am so grateful to my editor, Christy Ottaviano, for allowing me to bring Marie Tharp’s story to life in scientific and historic detail. For well over a year, I worked on the first draft. Thereafter, there were many more drafts and many, many more edits and revisions.

 

I am honored that MARIE’S OCEAN was selected to be part of this exhibition. 

Thank you to all of you who registered for our “Celebrating Women Ocean Mappers and Their Stories” seminar, part of our Girls and Women in Science Day event. 

We have recorded the seminar, the link to it is here. Celebrating Women Ocean Mappers and Their Stories (https://vimeo.com/513952947)

 

Below we will list some resources that we hope you will find helpful. We do also have students and researchers who may have the capacity to visit with your classes and groups virtually. Should you be interested in connecting with our students, please reach out to Tara Hicks Johnson at tjohnson@ccom.unh.edu.

 

First, a note from Josie James - 

Thank you, students, teachers, fellow Tharpophiles and lovers of science and the ocean for joining us to celebrate Girls and Women in Science Day.  I was honored to be part of such a prestigious and adventurous panel of researchers and explorers. It is important to remember that one does not need to be a scientist to explore the wonders of Earth. I hope that books like MARIE’S OCEAN bring young readers to feel as much joy about discovering scientific wonders as they do when they hear their favorite song or settle in to watch their favorite television program.

 

Resources

Ocean mapping resources  

UNH Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping (CCOM) has two objectives, to develop the tools to advance ocean mapping, and to train the next generation of hydrographers and ocean mappers. Students and researchers map the ocean floor with such groups as the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, and the Ocean Exploration Trust. For listings of opportunities and educational resources, please see the sites listed below. 

CCOM - https://ccom.unh.edu/

NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research - https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/

Ocean Exploration Trust - https://nautiluslive.org/

 

STEM Education resources 

The Joan and James Leitzel Center for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Education at UNH works to transform education in mathematics, science, and engineering in elementary and secondary schools and in non-formal settings through high quality research, carefully examined practice, and interdisciplinary collaboration. We facilitate partnerships and initiate programs with the goal of developing educators' knowledge of science, mathematics, and engineering concepts, along with human learning strategies—developing learners who experience the joy of discovery and the challenge of understanding; providing learning environments that support active engagement.

https://www.unh.edu/leitzel-center

 

The UNH Cooperative Extension STEM Education team addresses NH’s science literacy needs head on by engaging K-12 educators, adults, and youth in research-informed STEM learning experiences. We are transforming K-12 STEM education in the Granite State by providing professional development workshops for educators, STEM enrichment for learners, and leadership throughout the state to collaboratively achieve science literacy for all.

https://extension.unh.edu/topics/stem-education

 

The School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering is the University of New Hampshire’s first interdisciplinary school, designed to address today’s highly complex ocean and coastal challenges through integrated graduate education, research and engagement. As such, it serves as an interdisciplinary nexus for marine science and ocean engineering teaching and research across the University.

https://marine.unh.edu/

For more information about virtually connecting your class or group with a UNH ocean explorer, please contact Tara Hicks Johnson at tjohnson@ccom.unh.edu.