Students Gather for 25th Annual Alaska Tsunami Bowl
Students are researching climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies for the annual Tsunami Bowl competition, including renewable marine energy.
What do Earth’s oceans, climate and energy have in common?
Students will share their answers to this and many other related questions at the 25th Annual National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) Regional Competition held in Seward, Alaska February 4-6, 2022.
Each year, NOSB teams from across the state complete a research project to present to a panel of scientists in Seward, competing against other Alaska teams to advance to the National Competition. Each region has their own name for their local NOSB, and Alaska calls theirs the Tsunami Bowl.
An NOSB team presents their project on Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning at a past Tsunami Bowl. Image from UAF SeaGrant.
Seeking Solutions
The 2022 Tsunami Bowl project challenges participants to consider climate change adaptations and mitigations for their research.
From the UAF SeaGrant NOSB organizers, “The goal of this year’s Tsunami Bowl project is to identify a specific problem climate change has brought about and potential solutions to that problem. For example, there are many examples of ocean-based renewable energy technologies such as offshore wind, tidal, ocean current capture approaches that can reduce the overall carbon footprint of energy generation and curb emissions.”
Because each community in Alaska has its own unique climate and energy problems, we expect to learn a great deal from students across the state as they present their community’s climate challenges and solutions.
Past, Present, Future – NOSB Makes Its Mark
NOSB has made quite an impression on thousands of young adults over its remarkable 25 years – including two REAP STEM educators! Colleen and Clay are both veterans of the NOSB – Colleen participated as a student in high school, and Clay coached many NOSB teams over 10 years in Juneau – including seven State Champion Teams! We are excited to see the issues and innovative solutions students present in Seward this February.
Good Luck to all and may the best team win!
Speaking of Ocean Energy, REAP’s fall Speaker Series wrapped up in November with an update on tidal in Cook Inlet – the recording can be seen here.
