Dr. Trey Driggers and Ms. Kristin Hannan, two NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Mississippi Labs Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) research fisheries biologists, visited Silver Spring, Maryland on February 6 and 7 to share their vast shark research and knowledge with students and the public. During their visit they collaborated with NOAA Teachers at Sea Julie Karre (TAS 2013) and Jenny Goldner (TAS 2011). 
 
Dr. Driggers and Ms. Hannan first visited 100 of NOAA Teacher at Sea Alumna Julie Karre’s Armistead Gardens Elementary and Middle School 7th and 8th grade students in Baltimore, Maryland. They shared information about their research, shark activities and specimens, and answered students’ questions. Ms. Karre sailed on NOAA Ship Oregon II during a shark survey in 2013. 
 
On Saturday, February 7th, Dr. Driggers and Ms. Hannan joined Jenny Goldner (TAS 2011) from Jay, Oklahoma, for NOAA’s Annual Open House in Silver Spring, Maryland. They volunteered at the NOAA Teacher at Sea booth to engage 1,500+ people in shark related activities, share and explain shark specimens – jaws and spines from various shark species, knowledge, research and personal experiences. They also gave a shark presentation about a day in the life of a shark scientist, their most memorable shark moments and answered several shark questions from a full audience in the NOAA Science Center Auditorium. Dr. Driggers, Ms. Hannan, and Ms. Goldner sailed together in 2011 on NOAA ship Oregon II during a bottom longline research cruise, which surveyed sharks and red snapper. During and after the research cruise, Ms. Goldner worked with both scientists and her fifth-grade students at Jay Upper Elementary School, to create a scientifically accurate shark alphabet coloring book. 
 
Read the Washington Post article featuring Dr. Trey Driggers, Ms. Kristin Hannan and, Teacher at Sea Alumna Jenny Goldner at NOAA’s Annual Open House.