Friday, April 01, 2022

As part of the 2022 NC Science Festival, UNCW MarineQuest and Battleship North Carolina are joining forces to co-host the Coastal Climate Science and Engineering Expo from 1 to 4 p.m. on April 30 at Battleship Park.

The event will provide opportunities for attendees to learn about coastal locations and the science of climate change. MarineQuest has participated in the state Science Festival since its inception in 2010. This year’s theme, “Engineering Tomorrow,” emphasizes how engineering is helping communities respond to the pressures of climate change. 

“This theme really resonated with us, so we came up with a concept and reached out to our campus and community colleagues to start planning,” said Sue Kezios, director of youth programs at UNCW.

Event organizers initially considered holding the event at one of the beaches but had concerns about access and the cost of parking for a large public event. While considering other sites that would be a good fit with the theme, the downtown riverfront was suggested. 

“The Battleship is a highly recognizable symbol of Wilmington and in recent years has been experiencing extreme flooding events due to sea level rise. This made it a perfect location to hold an event focused on climate change and related issues,” said Kezios.

In response, Terry DeMeo, director of development for Battleship North Carolina, shared that they were in the process of launching the “Living With Water – A Coastal Community Resilience Project” and welcomed the chance to partner to host the expo.

The expo is free to attend and includes access to the walkway that surrounds the Battleship. If participants wish to visit the Battleship, they can purchase tickets to do so. Children ages 11 and under can tour for free with a ticketed adult. Wilmington Water Tours will also be on site offering short waterfront tours for a small fee. For a list of exhibitors or to host a station or volunteer, see the expo website.

-- Caroline Cropp

#MarineQuest