Sea
Keeper Profile, Sally Carson.
Sally's interest in Marine Science began when she became qualified
to SCUBA dive. Intrigued with this foreign environment, she was
determined to learn as much as she could about it. She took a
M.Sc. degree in Zoology and her thesis research focused on reproduction
in sea stars. As a post graduate she ran a successful marine education
programme for the Western Canadian Universities on Vancouver Island.
In 1991, Sally came to New Zealand to develop an education programme
in Dunedin. Today, she is the Public Education Co-ordinator for
the Department of Marine Science, University of Otago. At the
Portobello Marine Laboratory in Dunedin, she guides students through
unique "hands-on, feet-wet" experiences on the seashore,
in the laboratory, on the research vessel and in the Aquarium.
Sally writes resource material for teachers and has just completed
her first book, "Seashore Secrets, an exploration of New
Zealand's rocky shore." Sally and puppet personality Sid
Shag, present marine items on Tiki Tiki Television, a Channel
3 children's natural history at 7 AM Saturday morning.
Sally likes teaching and especially wants people to be more involved
with protecting the marine environment. Through her programmes,
she is able to raise the general public's awareness and knowledge
of the marine environment, so that we are all better able to make
informed decisions about its future.
Sally is co-ordinator of the Marine Education Society of Australasia (MESA) Seaweek 96 (March 23-31) with the theme Living on the Edge. This annual public awareness week is designed to
