Scientist in Residence Events
Science Fair - 4th/5th Grade
The Science Fair is held annually in the fall. Fourth and 5th-grade students at Olsen Elementary School spend the first two months of the school year learning how to design and conduct an experiment and communicate their results using visual and oral presentations. Each student designs his or her own experiment and poster board to display to our panel of judges and their family and friends. Student projects typically cover a wide range of topics, from chemistry to biology to engineering! 
Check out the Science Fair articles:
2017 (Cancelled, Hurricane Harvey)
Research Symposium - 8th Grade
Held annually in Spring
The 8th grade Poster Session is the culmination of a year's work for 8th-grade students in Port Aransas ISD. This Poster session is inspired by scientific conference poster session, where students will executed and presented a scientific poster to faculty and students at UTMSI.
Over the course of the academic year, students completed environmental monitoring surveys. These surveys cover 3 locations: the Port Aransas ship channel, beach, and birding center. Students used technical instrumentation to collect data on parameters including salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrate concentration, phosphate concentration, and much more. Working with graduate fellows, students developed a scientific question relating to this data and completed data analysis to make scientific conclusions about their local environment.
At the session, students were judged by scientists in the UTMSI community to determine awards for best data analysis, most creative project, and overall winner. Students enjoyed competing with each other, developing scientific posters, and most of all, talking to the scientists of UTMSI about their research.
Previous Events
Arctic Science Night
Held based on interest
Arctic Science Night is an opportunity for scientists from the University of Texas Marine Science Institute to inspire curiosity and expand knowledge about marine science topics. To achieve this, graduate students, faculty and staff created activities and display tables for elementary school students and parents to learn about different aspects of marine science and conservation. Some activities included 'trawling for flat fish', 'marine debris: man made or natural?', measuring fish respiration and building phytoplankton. 
Activities covered a wide variety of marine topics, but a main focus of the evening was Arctic Ocean science. The Arctic Ocean is the main field of study for several scientists at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute, but not many people in Port Aransas have the opportunity to learn about it. Students were able to try on suits worn by UTMSI in the arctic, as well as see some samples of wildlife from the area. Overall, the event was interesting and fun for parents and students alike!
Check out the Arctic Night articles:
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