Expo-Science 2012 à Bergeronnes, Québec
Feb. 4, 2012 – On February 2nd, the Expo-Science 2012 took place in Grandes Bergeronnes on the upper north shore of the St. Lawrence estuary. The exhibit, which was at its second edition this year, attracts some 300 students, the general public, and the media. As part of the Mériscope’s public outreach program, we have been participating in the Expo-Science 2012 with an interactive display on bioacoustic research in the marine environment.
Our main goal for this event was to stimulate interest in marine sciences and related fields and to promote awareness for sustainable use of our ocean resources. Since the Expo-Science 2012 was organized by the regional school commission and open to the public, this science show represented a perfect opportunity for a marine educator to reach a broad audience.
With our interactive display, we integrated some essential components of a simple bioacoustic research project. Visitors were familiarized with various recording equipment, e.g. a parabolic microphone, a hydrophone, and a solid-state recorder. Furthermore, students were introduced to a specialized software for sound analysis and digital signal processing. Finally, high-quality playbacks of a dozen cetacean sounds and some sources of man-made noise quickly became the focus of interest for most visitors at our stand.
The Expo-Science 2012 was a very good platform to exchange with students, educators, and the public on a variety of levels. It was also a great opportunity to create increasing awareness for the marine environment. For more information on our current research projects, click here.