Marine biological research provides a rich source of opportunities for the development of geographical and related STEM education activities for pre-K to adult learners. In this poster, the geographic perspective is focused upon research about the California coastal bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), a common cetacean species in very nearshore Pacific waters off northern Baja, California, Mexico, and the Western US coast. Research on “the coasties” conducted across nearly 45 years provides an abundance of field data and experiences, as well as numerous academic and peer-reviewed documents, reports, images, and summaries; and, most importantly, there is a rich source of geographical narrative available in this work that can provoke curiosity and interest in a wide range of audiences. Here, we summarize and highlight interesting aspects of the coasties’ geographical narrative, and its meaning and inspiration for further important research, conservation, and geographic educational activities.
Palm Ballroom Pre-function Area
Alex G. Kesaris, B.S., M.A., GISP, is a volunteer educator who loves presenting geographic knowledge through narratives about the research with which he is most familiar. He has conducted field research from shore, small boats, ships, and aircraft with scientists from SDSU, UCSD SIO, NOAA, and CDFW. Along the way, he developed and delivered educational activities, posters, presentations, technical memoranda, and peer-reviewed publications for diverse audiences. For the past 12 years, Alex has
provided GIS services with Sustenant, CDFW, GISinc, Axim Geospatial, and NV5 Geospatial.
