Diving into Education: ROVs, Research Vessels, and Real-World Learning

December 4, 2023

Tyler's Journey: ROVs Transform High School Education

In this episode of the American Shoreline Podcast, hosts Peter Ravella and Tyler Buckingham embark on a journey exploring the intersection of marine education and environmental stewardship. Tyler shares his experiences with the Blue Robotics Education Initiative, highlighting his recent expedition aboard the NOAA research vessel Shearwater to the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. This trip, part of the LiMPETS program, offered Tyler a unique perspective on how ROVs can revolutionize high school education beyond traditional robotics and engineering classes. The episode then shifts to a broader discussion on climate change adaptation with Peter sharing his latest thoughts on this critical issue. As the episode winds down, both hosts reflect on the year 2023, sharing their personal and professional growths and looking forward to another year of coastal and ocean dialogues in 2024.

Show Transcription
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Peter Ravella & Tyler Buckingham

Peter and Tyler joined forces in 2015 and from the first meeting began discussing a project that would become Coastal News Today and the American Shoreline Podcast Network. At the time, Peter and Tyler were coastal consultants for Pete’s firm, PAR Consulting, LLC. In that role, they worked with coastal communities in Texas, Florida, and North Carolina, engaged in grant writing, coastal project development, shoreline erosion and land use planning, permitting, and financial planning for communities undertaking big beach restoration projects. Between and among their consulting tasks, they kept talking and kept building the idea of CNT & ASPN. In almost every arena they worked, public engagement played a central role. They spent thousands of hours talking with coastal stakeholders, like business owners, hotel operators, condo managers, watermen, property owners, enviros, surfers, and fishermen. They dived deep into the value, meaning, and responsibility for the American shoreline, segment-by-segment. Common threads emerged, themes were revealed, differences uncovered. There was a big conversation going on along the American shoreline! But, no place to have it. That's where CNT and ASPN were born.