Τομέας Εκπαίδευσης

HCMR Education Unit

The history of Education Unit (EdU): The educational activities of the HCMR started in 1995 with the organization of conferences and events for the public and young people. Since 2001 the EdU operates with educational programs for schools of all levels, courses for students and teachers, summer lectures, summer schools, workshops etc. These programs are attended each year by approximately 2000 students. The EdU was created and supported by volunteer scientists of HCMR, who, along with research and administrative activities, intend to transmit their knowledge and expertise of the aquatic environment in the educational community. Currently, the education activities of Hellenic Centre for Marine Research expand throughout the levels of education from the primary education to research aiming to promote the marine and inland water science and inspire the next generation of environmentalists:
Academic Education: Scientists and researchers of HCMR elaborate with all relevant to the aquatic environment academic institutes giving lecture series in graduate and post-graduate level. Also they provide guest and invited lectures at both undergraduate and post-graduate level at various Hellenic Universities and international special courses.
Research Education: HCMR welcomes under-graduate and post-graduate students, on short-term rotations, or long–term thesis related work. High quality and engaging sessions are prepared by experts across many subjects: marine science and technology, geology and natural hazards, pollution and public protection, aquaculture, cultural heritage and marine resources. Along with scientific guidance, HCMR provides significant research infrastructure facilities and services to accomplishing the research tasks in a high-tech and challenge environment.
Primary and Secondary Education: EdU communicates the recent problems and issues of marine/aquatic environment with students during school visit at HCMR facilities as well as at the Hydro-biological Museum of Rhodes and Cretaquarium Thalassocosmos in Crete. During the visits, the students via interactive and experiential learning activities expand their view to the environment, understand the mechanisms and functions of the aquatic ecosystems and comprehend the stresses the ecosystems suffer due to anthropogenic activities. EdU increases the environmental awareness and inspires local action providing information and training for physical, biological, chemical and geological marine issues related to climate change, natural hazards, pollution, cultural heritage and marine resources. According to a specific thematic the typical structure of the school visit program consists of: • A simplified presentation from a researcher to the dedicated thematic • Experiential and interactive activities • Exhibition activities related to marine technology and infrastructures Today, several updated thematic areas are running by EdU targeting to secondary school students, school teachers, elementary school students.
The EdU also disseminate HCMR activities to a broad public participating in various projects.

Current projects

Marie Curie personnel exchange projects: HCMR is involved in high –level Marie Curie student exchange projects. The last 10 years more than 8 Marie project run at HCMR in collaboration with foreign students and new researchers.
REN ATHENS 2014 – 2015: The HCMR participated at the events for the Researchers’ Night 2014 and 2015. All the events have been taken place - simultaneously – on the same date in 280 cities across Europe. The primary objective of the project is to provide opportunities for the general public to engage in activities that raise awareness of marine environmental issues and informed discussions about how human treat the oceans, seas, bays, estuaries and beaches.

The HCMR participated at the events for the Researchers’ Night with the following actions: 1) Pre-events were organized at the Hydrobiological Station of Rhodes (HSR) and at the Cretaquarium. Among the others, the pre-events aimed to acquaint secondary school students with the profession of researcher of the aquatic environment through presentations and discussions with HCMR scientists.

2) During the Researchers’ Night main events, the HCMR provided several outdoor activities including the Benthos lab experience (observation under stereoscopes of live samples from undisturbed and disturbed coastal waters in order to understand the meaning of biodiversity and the concept of Benthos as an ecological status indicator), interactive games, exhibition of the manned submersible vehicles “Thetis” and other scientific instruments & submarine vehicles, real-time experiment in a water filled tank of in-situ instruments (as the underwater radioactivity detector “KATERINA” submerged in order to experience data collection and analysis of spectra).

Kid activities comprised creative painting of marine subjects on sea stones and pebbles, creation of origami marine animals, photographs as diver at the sea bottom (use of a photographic poster) and the creative writing “A letter to humans from a monk seal”.
For hours, availability and scheduling a school visit please send requests to: education@hcmr.gr

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