NEWPORT – The Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport has teamed with the New Bedford Whaling Museum on a new exhibit to explore the U.S. Navy’s long history of marine-mammal research, its role in protecting the ocean environment, and its contributions to marine science and conservation.
“Whales Today” is New Bedford Whaling Museum’s showcase exhibit about whale ecology, ocean health, conservation and marine-mammal research. On Sept. 28, the museum launched an expansion of the exhibit to include a traveling, interactive feature on loan from U.S. Fleet Forces Command entitled “Stewards of the Sea: Defending Freedom, Protecting the Environment,” to touch on the Navy’s ongoing environmental-protection initiatives.
The new exhibit highlights the Navy’s ongoing environmental initiatives and includes equipment and information related to marine bioacoustics research performed by NUWC Newport. The exhibit was made possible through an Education Partnership Agreement between NUWC and the museum.
Under the agreement, NUWC Newport and the New Bedford Whaling Museum will also collaborate to promote education in science, mathematics and business.
“Division Newport continues to play an important role in this field,” said Capt. Michael Coughlin, commanding officer of NUWC Newport. “This [partnership] provides a means for the Navy to assist in the development of the exhibit, which will provide a unique opportunity for the public to learn about historic research and current investigations in the study of marine-mammal bioacoustics, many of which take place at NUWC Newport.”
“Stewards of the Sea,” open now through March 2018, features scientific equipment used to capture sounds and other data about marine mammals and their habitat. Through hands-on activities, games, videos and more, visitors can learn about shipboard waste management, Navy procedures to avoid harming marine species during training and testing, and research conducted by the Navy to better understand the effects of sonar on marine mammals.
The exhibit was inspired by the donation of pioneering marine-mammal bioacoustics research equipment and recordings conducted by William Watkins and William Schevill of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute between the 1940s and 1990s. Their work involved collaboration with the Navy’s Underwater Sound Laboratory, which is now NUWC Newport.
Displays featured in the exhibit include items loaned or donated by the Navy and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, including the design concept for an unmanned undersea vehicle, hydrophones and an underwater acoustic source.
Galen Auer is a PBN contributing writer. Email galen.auer@gmail.com or follow on Twitter at @PBNAuer.
