News Times (Newport,OR)

February 8, 2008

Sixteen teams from Oregon high schools will test their knowledge of marine sciences on Saturday, during the annual Salmon Bowl competition at Oregon State University.

The Oregon Coast Aquarium is fielding a team for the event, made up of area high school students.

Interest in the Salmon Bowl, which is sponsored by OSU's College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, is growing each year, according to Pete Strutton, a faculty member in the college and adviser for the event.

"Global climate change has really made the public - and students of all ages - look at the world's oceans in a new, more comprehensive way," Strutton said. "We've seen first-hand some of the impacts of climate change along the West Coast, including low-oxygen 'hypoxia' zones, harmful algal blooms, declining fish stocks and unpredictable weather patterns.

"The Salmon Bowl is a fun way to encourage student interest in the marine sciences, and to get students to think about what may happen in the future," he added.

The winning team will earn a trip to the national competition this April 25-28 in Alaska. About 100 volunteers, including faculty, staff and students in the OSU College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, will help host the event.

The public is invited to watch the Salmon Bowl, held on the OSU campus from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Burt Hall, Wilkinson Hall, and the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences (COAS) administrative building. All three facilities are located roughly at 26th Street and Monroe in Corvallis. Admission is free.

This statewide competition is part of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl, which aims to develop the next generation of marine scientists, policy makers, educators, explorers, researchers and advocates. It is organized by the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education, a group of 85 universities and aquaria, including OSU. More information is available at: http://www.nosb.org .