Volume 13, Number 1, 2004
During the summer months, Friday mornings are busy at the College of Marine Studies research complex in Lewes, Del. That's when the doors are opened for free, guided tours that introduce the public to the wonders of marine science.
More than 14,000 people have taken part since the tour program began 12 years ago.
Those involved with the program attribute its success largely to what they say has been the hard work and dedication of Bob Carnahan, who moved to Lewes in 1991 after retiring from his job as a meteorologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He approached Charles E. Epifanio, then associate dean of the College and now professor of marine biology–biochemistry, and asked if there was some way he could help.
Epifanio had just returned from touring several marine facilities on the West Coast and asked Carnahan if he would be interested in becoming a docent. At the time, Epifanio says now, he wasn't quite sure what docents were, but the directors of the West Coast labs had highly recommended them.
After learning that a docent is a trained guide, Carnahan says he decided that not only was he interested in becoming one, he wanted to start a formal tour program at the College. And, the rest is history, Epifanio says, adding that Carnahan almost immediately began putting together what has become one of the finest scientific docent programs in the country.
"Every one of the docents is an intelligent and well-trained guide, providing the indispensable service of presenting our College to the public and thereby fulfilling one of our missions," Epifanio says. "Bob did this all on his own initiative, very rarely asking the College for help. He's amazing; he not only wanted to become involved, he stayed involved."
Once Carnahan got confirmation of the College's interest in having a tour program, he developed a docent manual outlining its missions and goals. He then turned to finding the people who would make the program a success, looking for volunteers who would interact well with the public and had an interest in marine science.
According to Carnahan, that part was easy: "I never had to plead with people to become docents," he says.
At the same time, he says he was careful not to recruit so many that they didn't have enough to do. "When you're volunteering, you want to feel as though you are filling a need," he says.
The final step was ensuring that the docents were knowledgeable about marine science and the College's research programs and were able to explain the research in a way that visitors could understand. With the help of the faculty and graduate students, Carnahan organized a series of seminars to teach the docents what they needed to know.
Once the tours began in 1992, they quickly became popular. "People come on the tours for a variety of reasons," Carnahan says. "They may have a student who is interested in marine science, or they may have read something about the College in the paper and are curious about the research going on. Sometimes, they are simply looking for something to do when the weather on the beach turns bad."
The tours also can be scheduled throughout the year, giving school groups the opportunity to visit the campus.
The tours begin with a video that highlights many of the College's research activities, transporting visitors from the beaches of Delaware Bay, where scientists collect data to assess the status of the horseshoe crab population, to the remote sensing labs in Newark, where satellite technology is used to monitor and predict El Niño and related phenomena.
After the introductory video, a docent leads visitors on a walking tour of the campus, varying the schedule according to each group's interests. For example, local residents may enjoy hearing more about research being conducted in their own back yard, while school groups may be more interested in issues they are studying in class.
Occasionally, a professor will pop out of an office or a lab to give a short talk to the tour groups, and graduate students often give presentations about their experiences at the College as well as on their research.
"One of my favorite things to show visitors is a hydrothermal vent chimney that our scientists collected during a deep-sea expedition to the East Pacific Rise," Carnahan says. Another popular stop is at the tropical reef aquarium, which has an assortment of living corals and colorful fish, including a clownfish like the one recently featured in the animated film Finding Nemo.
Earlier this year, Carnahan retired as director of the program and handed the reins over to Jean Boyer, who has been a docent for the past four years. "Somebody new gives a different viewpoint and fresh life to the program," Carnahan says. "It was time for me to get out of the way and let somebody else have a chance."
Boyer says she's enthusiastic about her new role and about the program. "I enjoy giving tours," she says. "After my last tour, they applauded! It was really gratifying."
In addition to Boyer, the docent team consists of Dorothy Danegger, Charles Freed, Kay Hackett, Jim Muller, Russ Payne and Rosalind Troupin. Carnahan will still lead the occasional tour, in addition to continuing his work as a mentor at a local elementary school and his involvement with the Southern Delaware Academy of Lifelong Learning.
Tours of the College's research complex can be scheduled by calling (302) 645-4346.
--Kari K. Gulbrandsen, EG '91M