Three faculty members from Southern Maine Community College’s (SMCC) Biological Sciences department brought hands-on marine science exploration to hundreds of attendees at the Maine Science Festival in Bangor on March 28.
Faculty members Erin Adams, Liz Mann, Ph.D., and Daniel Moore, Ph.D., hosted an interactive “exploration station” titled It’s a Shore Thing: Exploring Maine’s Intertidal Zone, offering visitors an up-close look at coastal life and marine ecosystems.
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Throughout the day, children and families engaged with a variety of live and preserved specimens, including lobsters, snails, clams and hermit crabs, as well as different types of algae. Visitors also explored horseshoe crab molts and shells, while learning practical skills such as tying nautical knots like the bowline.
The exhibit created an immersive, tactile learning environment that encouraged curiosity and discovery, particularly among younger attendees.
“My favorite moments were when the kids stood back but then moved in, pushed their comfort zone to look closer and pet the lobster, or dig through the seaweed for the snails and other stowaways,” Adams said. “There was such a great energy in the room.”
The station also featured coloring pages created by SMCC students and faculty, further connecting academic work at the College to community engagement. Faculty shared information about SMCC’s Marine Science, Biotechnology and Aquaculture Workforce programs, highlighting pathways into Maine’s growing life sciences and marine industries.
Moore, who also participated in a festival panel discussion with middle school students titled “What the heck is biotech?” on March 27, emphasized the importance of events like the festival.
“I love participating in the Maine Science Festival every year, seeing so many children and their parents trying out hands-on activities and learning more about science and engineering,” Moore said. “It is a lot of fun for everyone, and I appreciate the people who organize and volunteer at this event.”
Mann noted strong interest from both children and adults, particularly in topics related to marine biology and aquaculture.
“The adults were really interested in learning about the air bladders in familiar seaweed,” Mann said. “Several asked questions about edible seaweed and took the aquaculture program flyer.”
She added that younger participants were especially engaged by the hands-on elements.
“The children liked the baby dog shark and had strong opinions about exploring by touch,” Mann said.
Hundreds of festivalgoers stopped by the SMCC station throughout the day, reflecting both the popularity of interactive science experiences and the College’s role in connecting classroom learning with the broader community.
Participation in the festival underscores SMCC’s ongoing commitment to experiential education, workforce development and inspiring the next generation of scientists through meaningful, hands-on engagement.
For those interested in exploring similar hands-on scientific opportunities, more information is available on the SMCC Biotechnology program page.