Skip to content

Community Engagement Core

Project Lead: Dr. Mindy Richlen

Project Personnel: Dr. Michael Brosnahan (WHOI), Mr. Ethan Andrews (WHOI), Dr. Carla Curran (Broader Impacts, LLC), Dr. Donald Anderson, Mr. Nathaniel Spada, Dr. John Stegeman

The overall objective of the Community Engagement Core (CEC) is to prevent human heath exposure to harmful algal bloom (HAB) toxins by strengthening public and stakeholder knowledge about HABs and their impacts, fostering collaboration among stakeholders and bi-directional dialogue with WHCOHH researchers, and improving awareness of HAB issues in public health communities. The activities in this core are based on the premise that communication and education through multiple mechanisms and to multiple interest groups will improve awareness of HAB issues and management of resources, to the long-term benefit of public health.

The WHCOHH CEC operates with the active participation of the Project PIs and investigators, and with the CEC partners and organizations to engage a variety of stakeholders and communities in the Northeast to prevent human heath exposure to HAB toxins.

CEC Communication Interactions

CEC Communication Interactions

The Community Engagement Core has the following Specific Aims:

Aim 1: Engage stakeholders concerned with the safety of marine resources.

Activities will include the establishment of networks and infrastructure to facilitate information exchange and resource sharing among stakeholders concerned with the safety of marine resources affected by HABs.

Aim 2: Expand community and classroom education on the causes and impacts of HABs.

The CEC will develop classroom activities and exhibits on based on HABs and WHCOHH research, including a web-based game enabling classroom and public interaction with real-time data produced by Center research.

Aim 3: Strengthen literacy and increase awareness about HAB-related health threats.

This aim focuses on increasing awareness of HAB-related health threats, and includes strengthening communication with public health professionals and organizations involved in risk analysis and communication.

WHCOHH CEC grantee highlight

CEC lead Mindy Richlen was featured by the NIEHS in in a 2021 Grantee Highlight in the March 2021 Partnerships for Environmental Public Health (PEPH) newsletter. Read more HERE.

Strategic Framework for Community Engagement in Oceans and Human Health

CEC project lead Richlen collaborated with CEC personnel from the other Centers to develop and publish a strategic framework to support OHH researchers in coordinating partners, purpose, activities, and approaches intentionally in their work with communities. Read more HERE.

Northeast HAB Website

The management of harmful algal blooms (HABs) in New England has grown more challenging due to the emergence of New HAB species that can cause seafood poisoning and disrupt ecosystems. The Northeast HAB website was created as a regional resource that provides background information as well as access to bloom monitoring data and commentary, forecasting model products, and data collected by HAB sensors deployed throughout the region.

2023 Gulf of Maine HAB Science Symposium

The next Gulf of Maine HAB Science Symposium will be held virtually in early 2023. This meeting brings together researchers, managers, and stakeholders to share research findings, information and data, and monitoring plans about HABs in New England waters. Additional information about this meeting will be posted as it becomes available.

WHOI HABhub data portal is live!

The prototype WHOI HABhub is now live!  This open source data portal assimilates HAB surveillance data at a regional scale to provide best possible situational awareness regarding the status of HABs and HAB toxins in New England.  The WHOI HABhub can be accessed HERE, and more information about its development can be found HERE.

Products & Resources:

 Northeast HAB Webpage

The Northeast HAB website was created as a regional resource that provides background information as well as access to bloom monitoring data and commentary, forecasting model products, and data collected by HAB sensors deployed throughout the region.

 

WHOI HABhub

The WHOI HABhub is an open source data data portal for region-scale integration and real time sharing of multiple types of HAB surveillance data.

 

 

The Harmful Algae Webpage

A comprehensive resource for information about harmful algal blooms, maintained by the U.S. National Office for Harmful Algal Blooms at WHOI.

 

 

Communicating HAB Science

This 2019 workshop was open to HAB researchers at all levels who were interested in learning more about communicating their research to non-scientific audiences, and featured a panel discussion by HAB scientists actively engaged in science communication. Topics included translating scientific findings for non-technical audiences, leveraging social media, and communicating with policy makers and reporters.

 

Harmful Algal Blooms: Understanding the Threat and the Actions Being Taken to Address it

A 2022 Special Report from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.