The Charger Blog
四色AV of New Haven's Robert M. Lee and Linda M. Wilkins Marine Science Center at the Canal Dock Boathouse in New Haven is becoming a hub for marine science education and community outreach, providing students and the community with opportunities to learn about and engage directly with the environment.
February 19, 2025
Members of New Haven鈥檚 Common Ground High School's Wetlands Club had the unique opportunity to explore the City鈥檚 waterfront, investigate the local ecosystem, and create cyanotype prints using materials they gathered from the environment, all thanks to the University of New Haven鈥檚 Robert M. Lee and Linda M. Wilkins Marine Science Center in the Canal Dock Boathouse in New Haven on the on the shore of the Long Island Sound.
鈥淏ecause it was an afterschool wetlands club, the students were especially interested in the topic,鈥 said Sarah Novarro, lab manager and Center鈥檚 outreach coordinator.
鈥淭hey appreciated being able to take what they were learning and actually being in a wetland, investigating those things they had studied on paper, but don鈥檛 always get to experience firsthand,鈥 Navarro continued.
The field trip began with a guided walk through the Long Wharf Nature Preserve, where students and their teachers explored the area鈥檚 plant life and ecological significance. Led by Amy Carlile, Ph.D., associate professor of biology and environmental science and assistant dean for faculty and curriculum for the College of Arts and Sciences, the group examined wetland plants and discussed how the landscape changes with the seasons.
After gathering plant materials and shells, the students returned to Lee and Wilkins Marine Science Center, where they created cyanotypes鈥攂lueprints of their collected items鈥攗sing UV light. 鈥淚t was a great way to connect the field component of the trip with an artistic element they could take home,鈥 said Novarro. 鈥淚t also gave them a chance to warm up and interact with the environment in a different way.鈥
四色AV officially opened its Lee and Wilkins Marine Science Center last fall, with a dual mission: to provide hands-on learning experiences for undergraduate and graduate students and to serve as an environmental education hub for the greater New Haven community.
鈥淚n this first year, we鈥檙e laying a strong foundation to make this place a hub for environmental education and outreach,鈥 said Novarro. 鈥淧art of that is learning where we thrive and where we can make the most impact.鈥
Through its outreach initiative, COASTS (Community Opportunities for Assessing Science Training on the Sound), the Lee and Wilkins Marine Science Center has hosted a variety of events, including collaborations with local schools and community partners. The goal is to create interactive, impactful programs that engage students and residents with the marine environment.
鈥淲e鈥檝e noticed that so many people live in New Haven and don鈥檛 even know there鈥檚 water here, or they don鈥檛 know much about it,鈥 said Novarro. 鈥淲e want to be a space for people to learn, be curious, and ask questions about what鈥檚 happening in our harbor.鈥
By focusing on outreach to underrepresented communities, the programs aim to improve access to environmental education. Events such as the Wetlands Club visit are just the beginning of what Novarro and her team hope to accomplish.
鈥淲e鈥檙e starting to make connections, and things are falling into place,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he more people that see what we鈥檙e doing, the more opportunities open up.鈥
Looking ahead, Novarro and her team are focused on expanding the Lee and Wilkins Marine Science Center鈥檚 programming and strengthening partnerships with local schools and organizations. The facility is committed to hosting a number of outreach events each year, and the team is continually refining what those events will look like.
鈥淲e鈥檙e figuring out where we can make the most impact,鈥 said Novarro. 鈥淚t could shift over time, but the goal is to create programming that鈥檚 engaging, interactive, and gets kids out on the water.鈥
For those interested in partnering with the Lee and Wilkins Marine Science Center, Novarro encourages them to reach out. 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 know if it fits or would work well, let鈥檚 have that conversation,鈥 she said. 鈥淲e have a wonderful space that we鈥檙e excited to share with the community.鈥
With an expanding roster of events and a growing reputation in the community, the University鈥檚 Lee and Wilkins Marine Science Center, and the Canal Dock Boathouse as a whole, is quickly becoming a destination for hands-on environmental education. As Novarro put it, 鈥淲e鈥檙e setting ourselves up to keep growing, and we鈥檙e excited for what鈥檚 ahead.鈥
For more information or to explore potential opportunities, please contact coasts@newhaven.edu or Sarah Novarro snovarro@newhaven.edu
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