Price Visit to Beaufort Includes a Sea Tour and Lessons in Marine Biology
During first visit to Marine Lab, Price cites Duke's commitment to environmental sciences and community outreach
Duke President Vincent Price and his wife, Annette, made their first visit to the Duke Marine Lab this past weekend and met with Duke faculty and students to get a close look at marine research on the coast.
The Prices also met with local officials and community members from the town of Beaufort. The visit was part of the the Marine Lab's annual community open house and alumni reunion.
During his tour of Beaufort, Price was joined by Duke Ph.D. student Rett Newton, the town mayor. Among their stops was the historic North Carolina Maritime Museum (pictured below).
Throughout the visit, Price emphasized that the Marine Lab's reaches out to Beaufort on important local issues in the same way Duke connects with Durham. Price met with Beaufort town commissioners and local business, civic leaders and educators, including the president of Carteret County Community College, the superintendent and principals of the county public school system and the president of the local chamber of commerce.
At the Marine Lab's Open House on Saturday, Price climbed aboard a catamaran to tour the waters around the lab on Pivers Island while Duke faculty and students shared their experiences doing research in the waters.
Back on shore, the Prices walked through the Marine Lab facilities to hear more about its interdisciplinary study of marine environmental systems, conservation and governance. At a time of increasing peril for the world's oceans, the research is contributing to knowledge about the coastal and ocean ecosystem and policies that can effectively protect them. On the lighter side, he launched a Rube Goldberg machine, to the delight of many local children visiting the Open House.
Top, Price listens as new Nicholas Dean Toddi Steelman addresses visitors at the Open House. Middle, professor Daniel Rittschof gives Price a quick lesson in crab behavioral biology. Bottom, Vincent and Annette Price check out marine specimens in a research laboratory.
"The work here blending the social sciences and the environmental sciences addressing environmental challenges is a fabulous example of our ability to serve our communities," Price said.
Photos and video by Jared Lazarus. To see an Instagram Story about the visit, click here.