A wide variety of outreach: scientific pints, sailings and presentations

Top image, from the left: Marion Lebouvier from Pint of Science and Brenda L. Esteban Vazquez, Renee Hageman and Kara Turner from the Centre for Deep Sea Research. Image by Erika Georgi (Pint of Science).

The CBE Arctic team has had a busy spring with many outreach events. In May, the Pint of Science Bergen team and Centre for Deep Sea Research, UiB hosted a special evening at Litteraturhuset i Bergen titled “Into the abyss: creatures of the deep sea”, as part of the Pint of Science 2025, a science festival taking place in more than 500 cities worldwide. Brenda from the CBE Arctic Team gave a presentation titled “Masters of the deep: unseen Arctic Fauna in extreme ecosystems”. She introduced chemosynthesis-based ecosystems, explaining what they are, why they are so unique, and how we sample them, in an entertaining and accessible way. She had a lot of fun showcasing the remarkable fauna from Arctic CBEs, such as rissoid snails which became the stars of the evening despite their small size!

Brenda is a natural at public speaking and enjoys making the audience laugh. After the event, she said: “Taking part in the Pint of Science festival was an amazing experience, and I am grateful for the chance to share what I do for my PhD with the general public. I left the event with the reward of sparking curiosity among the public and seeing their enthusiasm for Arctic CBEs and tiny snails.”

Also in May, Mari gave a presentation about the fauna of Loki’s Castle vent field at an event organized by the Bergen Society for the Advancement of Science at the University Aula in Bergen. The event included presentations by several other scientists from the Centre of Deep Sea Research, covering a broad range of Arctic deep-sea science related to hydrothermal vents.

Christian represented the CBE Arctic team during the Skagerrak-sail in June, an event gathering marine scientists from across Scandinavia to sail the tallship S/S Sørlandet throughout the Skagerrak sea, making pop-up science communication events in ports along the way.

Using info-sheets, a slideshow, stickers, and even an interactive game, Christian shared his knowledge about chemosynthesis-based ecosystems and the deep sea to people who had never seen it before. Christian says about the journey: “This was a unique opportunity to talk to people in Norway, Denmark and Sweden about topics ranging from how unique life can form without the sun’s energy to how worm forests are similar to tree forests!”

Our outreach events aim to connect the general public with the wonders of the deep sea, from life at hydrothermal vents to the power of chemosynthesis, and hopefully spark some curiosity and build understanding. Updates about upcoming events will be posted on the webpage, Instagram and LinkedIn of the Centre for Deep Sea Research. Hope to see you on the next one!