OR&R Lecture Series: Dr. Quay Dortch Speaks on Harmful Algal Blooms (HABS)
OCTOBER 26, 2020 — Did you know that harmful algal blooms (HABS) cost the U.S. economy millions of dollars each year and impact every coast in the U.S., including the Great Lakes? Last Thursday on the You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know lecture series, we were honored to have renowned scientist and HAB expert, Dr. Quay Dortch, join us.
Dr. Dortch defined harmful algal blooms (HABS) for our audience and shared with us the impacts, increasing frequency, prevention and mitigation efforts, as well as response to HABS. Piquing the interest of our audience, she also highlighted instances where the harmful algal blooms were confused with oil or chemical spills because of similar appearances. Since HABS can have dangerous impacts on human health, learning about these tiny toxin producers will undoubtedly help protect our front line responders.
To learn more about harmful algal blooms, check out this story map, put together by colleagues at the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), or get involved contributing to research with the National Phytoplankton Monitoring Network.
Mark your calendars! Our lecture series is now being held monthly on every third Thursday at 3pm ET. Our next presenter will be Dr. Tom Coolbaugh with Ohmsett (the Oil and Hazardous Materials Simulated Environmental Test Tank) on November 19th. Tom will discuss the wave test tank at Ohmsett, the only facility where full-scale oil spill response equipment testing, research, and training can be conducted in a marine environment.
We hope you can join us.
For further information, contact Kimberly.Albins@noaa.gov.