Explore the dazzling diversity of
sea life at free summer lecture

Narragansett, RI -- July 26, 2000 -- Prepare to be dazzled by strange and wonderful plants and animals never seen with the naked eye. The URI Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO) and the Naval War College Foundation invite the public to Explore the Dazzling Diversity of Microscopic Life in the Sea, a multi-media presentation given by GSO biological oceanographer Dr. Jan Rines. The lecture will be held on Tuesday, August 8, at 8 p.m. in Spruance Auditorium at the Naval War College in Newport. Science exhibits will be on view in the auditorium lobby prior to the lecture.

Almost everyone has looked through binoculars or a telescope, but not everyone has had the opportunity to explore the microscopic universe in a drop of water. This lecture is a different perspective on Narragansett Bay in which the viewer will meet the countless strange plants and animals and otherworldly creatures that inhabit the bay on a microscopic scale. This incredible diversity helps maintain a healthy ecosystem in Rhode Island's waters, which, in turn, supports commercial fishing, recreation and tourism.

A resident of Wakefield, Rines received her B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. from the University of Rhode Island. She is a leading authority on the identification and description of different species of marine phytoplankton. Her work allows scientists to catalogue the biodiversity of planktonic life in the sea, much like the census takers who study the human population. Funded by the Office of Naval Research, her research considers how microscopic plants are distributed throughout the ocean. Her photographs of phytoplankton have been displayed in the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC. Rines' lecture incorporates colorful slides and videos of a world that will fascinate and dazzle the viewer. For more information visit http://thalassa.gso.uri.edu/rines/nwc.htm.

This summer series is co-sponsored by the Naval War College Foundation through the generosity of the Colonel John A. and Eileen F. Carr Fund and the URI Graduate School of Oceanography.

Due to limited seating, reservations are required. To order free tickets, call the URI Graduate School of Oceanography at (401) 874-6513.

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Contact: Lisa Cugini, 874-6642, lcugini@gso.uri.edu