Deep dive into Dead Mans Fingers, Q and A with Dr Metti and Senior Environment Officer, Jason Ruszczyk

Understanding Codium fragile (commonly known as Dead Mans Fingers) and its role in the coastal environment with seaweed expert Dr Yola Metti and Jason Ruszczyk, Senior Environment Officer, Northern Beaches Council

Dr Metti is a Phycologist, a scientist who studies a group of plants called algae. An algae that you might be familiar with is Seaweed!

Jason’s role is to monitor the health of the estuaries along the Northern Beaches coastline of which seaweed plays an important part.

We all have a role to play in protecting our coastal environments, today you will learn how you can help to.

The focus of this virtual excursion is to give your students an opportunity to ‘Ask an Expert’ all of their burning questions from their Design Thinking  journey in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney’s STEM program Project Codium.

Project Codium students are working together to address the challenge in the following way.

How might we build community awareness to protect Codium fragile and the intertidal ocean zone in which it lives? 

Student designs will have the opportunity to be part of the “Under the Sea” exhibition opening at The Calyx, in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney in December 2021

To do a great job of designing and making a Community Awareness solution it is important that students research and understand the species they are going to tell the world about.

Virtual Excursion Structure

10.30 -10.40am Dr Metti will talk about the classification, adaptations and unique features and role of Codium fragile in the intertidal ocean zone.

10.40 – 10.50am Jason Ruszczyk will talk about the importance of seaweeds in the coastal environment and what we can do to help the survival of these important plants.

10.50 -11.10am Student Q and A time (it would be helpful if your class had 2 or 3 questions prepared so students really drill into what they want to know)

Further ‘Face to Face’ Learning Opportunity 

Students can also join our Project Codium STEM Day, on-site at the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney where they will learn

• Scientific skills and knowledge about Codium with Dr Metti,
• First Nations knowledge about caring for Sea country
• Effective communication and design with Erth, and how to make a piece of Codium for the ‘Under the Sea” exhibition at the Calyx

To stimulate student thinking and build understanding of Codium fragile, it’s habitat and threats, watch our Project Codium movie found HERE