MBRP, Partners, SEALs

Harbor SEALs & MBRP Winter 2025-2026 Update

SEALs volunteers sample marine debris within a quadrat to compare debris accumulation year-on-year. (Photo credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)

The New York Harbor SEALs Civic Science Program is a NYC public school initiative that puts students to work on one problem that is already here and accelerating: extreme weather is reshaping shoreline conditions, water quality, and habitat stability in New York Harbor. Harbor SEALs students play a distinctive role in restoration by doing authentic scientific research and service learning, not one-off “exposure” activities. With 40+ high school volunteers and interns, students run student-managed fieldwork and lab work, teamwork, public outreach, marine resource management, and disciplined data management—the operational skills that make climate adaptation work succeed in the real world.

MBRP11 scholars on a virtual call with Nature Metrix and Deutsche Bank to discuss the eDNA marine biodiversity monitoring project set to begin this Fall in the NY Harbor.
MBRP11 scholars on a virtual call with Nature Metrix and Deutsche Bank to discuss the eDNA marine biodiversity monitoring project set to begin this Fall in the NY Harbor.

Our work is built for climate resilience and adaptation because restoration decisions are only as good as the data underneath them. Students measure core physical and chemical parameters—temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity (and related indicators)—to assess whether conditions are suitable for oyster and harbor seal survival, growth, and broader habitat function. Those measurements become decision-useful evidence that supports climate resilience planning, adaptive management, and habitat restoration.

SEALs intern, Sara Soto, surveys seawall panels installed to attract marine biodiversity (Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez).

We focus on Governors Island and Lower Manhattan because this corridor is an ecological chokepoint: over four miles of shoreline exposed to intense tidal exchange and some of the densest urban pressures in the city. In wet weather, combined sewer overflows discharge stormwater mixed with untreated sewage into surrounding waters—exactly the kind of stressor that spikes during heavy rainfall and undermines long-term restoration gains. New York City’s combined sewer system includes hundreds of CSO outfalls that collectively discharge billions of gallons annually, meaning the water quality story in this corridor is inseparable from extreme weather.

SEALs scholar, Charlie Smith, retrieving marine debris (Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez).

Since 2011, Harbor SEALs students have generated crucial water-quality datasets and removed and catalogued more than 700 kilograms of debris from New York Harbor, including 450 kilograms collected this year alone. Students document debris composition, map accumulation hotspots, and analyze patterns related to tidal flow and storm events—turning cleanup into localized intelligence that directly informs restoration and mitigation strategy.

SEALs scholars, Amari Tucker and Emilio Munoz, help their team pull out a containment boom washed ashore from a construction site somewhere in the harbor (Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez).

This proposal is designed to align tightly with Con Edison’s Strategic Partnerships focus on Extreme Weather Adaptation and Mitigation, especially the emphasis on nature-based solutions and protecting vital waterways and wetlands as climate challenges intensify. Harbor SEALs strengthens the resilience of ecosystems and communities by producing the field data needed to target and evaluate blue-green infrastructure: oyster reef restoration, living shoreline work, wetland protection, and the water-quality improvements these projects are expected to support. In other words, we help ensure that nature-based resilience investments are deployed where they will work—and measured in a way that allows continuous improvement.

MBRP12 scholars monitor a long term experiment ofEconcrete tiles to determine the state of marine sessile biodiversity in the harbor (Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez).

In the coming year, we will expand this work through three major initiatives:

01) Incorporating artificial intelligence into the workflow.
AI will be used for faster QA/QC, anomaly detection, pattern recognition, and reporting. The point is not novelty—it’s operational speed and reliability. After major rain events, we need to identify changes in water quality, distinguish signal from noise, and communicate actionable findings to partners and the public.

SEALs scholars, Luna Velasquez & Ciara Moloney, present their water quality data to stakeholders in the Caribbean with a presentation in Spanish partly translated and analyzed by AI (Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez).

02) Extending comprehensive microplastics, eDNA, & water quality monitoring.
Students will collect and analyze eDNA & microplastics concentrations alongside physical and chemical data across the Governors Island and Lower Manhattan shorelines. This adds a critical resilience lens: eDNA is an emerging technology that quickly assays biodiversity levels in water bodies & microplastics are both a contamination indicator and a chronic stressor that interacts with storm-driven runoff and debris transport.

MBRP11 scholars Oz Turzhavskiy, Cooper Lincoln, and Sasha David sample for eDNA * water quality at Pier 15, Lower Manhattan (Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez).
MBRP11 scholars, Jaide Batchilly, Luna Velasquez, and Ciara Moloney, sample for eDNA at Battery Park City (Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez).

03) Expanding our long-term monitoring by returning to older stations with professional-grade equipment.
We will reoccupy legacy stations and strengthen comparability over time. Professional instrumentation improves data confidence, strengthens trend detection, and makes the dataset more usable for restoration partners who need defensible evidence.

SEALs scholar, Ciara Moloney, measures dissolved oxygen with the Modified Winkler Method, an EPA approved standard method (Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez).

04) Expand out solar panel array.  We plan to add backup power to our recirculating aquaculture systems using solar renewable technology. As AI become more prevalent in the workforce, training students to build, deploy, and maintain solar power is a critical skill multiplier.

MNRP10 scholars team up with SolarOne to learn the basics of solar technology (Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez).

Across these initiatives, students will collect real-time physical and chemical data—including nutrients, pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and other key indicators—and use AI-supported analysis to identify how storm-driven runoff and pollution alter harbor conditions. The deliverable is practical: clearer hotspot maps, faster post-storm interpretation, and stronger evidence for targeted mitigation that improves ecosystem health.

SEALs Operations Analyst, Izzy Mortise, obtains a sample of contaminated water flowing out of a factory discharge site (Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez).

While our core focus is ecological restoration and environmental monitoring, Harbor SEALs is also intentionally structured for equitable climate resilience. We provide stipends for students in leadership roles who keep the workflow functioning—sampling leads, data managers, lab leads, and public outreach leads—so participation is not limited to students who can afford unpaid time. This aligns with Con Edison’s commitment to resilience that is equitable and community-based, and it strengthens local capacity to respond to climate impacts through trained youth leadership.

SEALs scholars, Adam Kagansky, Kelly Madsen, Izzy Mortise, and Facundo Dunayevich, organize sampling equipment for their team of 18 volunteers (Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez).

This work builds on support and collaboration from Con Edison and a strong network of partners, including the Billion Oyster Project, Hudson River Foundation, SUNY Stony Brook, Earth Matter, Bronx Community College, NYU Gallatin, Governors Island Trust, Riverkeeper, Future River, Here On Earth World, Wanderers Club, and Jenny Marketou. These partnerships allow Harbor SEALs to function as a stable platform: long-term monitoring, sustained student leadership development, and ongoing public-facing stewardship in a high-impact corridor.

2025-2026 MBRP PAC meeting where our project stakeholders meet to provide feedback on our work (Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez).

Harbor SEALs is local by design and global by implication. Students have participated in international research trips to India and the Caribbean (including Cuba with the Wanderers Club) to monitor marine debris and water quality, but the purpose of this proposal is clear: strengthen New York City’s climate resilience where pressure is highest and where nature-based solutions can deliver measurable benefits—if we monitor, learn, and adapt fast enough.

Click here for more Cuba pix

References

City of New York, Department of Environmental Protection. (n.d.). Combined sewer overflows. Retrieved February 18, 2026, from https://www.nyc.gov/site/dep/water/combined-sewer-overflows.page

City of New York, Department of Environmental Protection. (n.d.). Sewer system. Retrieved February 18, 2026, from https://www.nyc.gov/site/dep/water/sewer-system.page

City of New York, Department of Environmental Protection. (n.d.). What is a combined sewer overflow? [Fact sheet]. https://www.nyc.gov/assets/dep/downloads/pdf/water/nyc-waterways/citywide-ltcp/what-is-a-combined-sewer-overflow.pdf

Combined sewer overflow CSO outfalls—Overview. (n.d.). [Data set]. ArcGIS Online. Retrieved February 18, 2026, from https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=21c2ab88012444f69d20fbb1550e8937

Hudson River Foundation. (n.d.). Core HEP documents. Retrieved February 18, 2026, from https://hudsonriver.org/article/core-hep-documents/

Hudson River Foundation. (n.d.). NY–NJ Harbor & Estuary Program (HEP). Retrieved February 18, 2026, from https://hudsonriver.org/estuary-program/

Hudson River Foundation. (n.d.). NY–NJ Harbor & Estuary Program action agenda 2025–2035. Retrieved February 18, 2026, from https://www.hudsonriver.org/ccmp/aa

Levine, L. (2020, February 24). NYC’s new plan would let massive sewage overflows continue. Natural Resources Defense Council. https://www.nrdc.org/bio/larry-levine/nycs-new-plan-would-let-massive-sewage-overflows-continue

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. (n.d.). Rebuild by design—Hoboken proposals [PDF]. Retrieved February 18, 2026, from https://dep.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/floodresilience/rbdh-five-concepts-comments.pdf

New York City Economic Development Corporation. (2020, March 2). Rain and the combined sewer system [PDF]. https://edc.nyc/sites/default/files/2020-03/3_fidi_seaport_interactive_open_house_rain_and_the_combined_sewer_system.pdf

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. (2019, December 9). Site management plan [PDF]. https://extapps.dec.ny.gov/data/DecDocs/C203079/Work%20Plan.BCP.C203079.2019-12-09.SMP.pdf

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. (n.d.). Combined sewer overflow (CSO). Retrieved February 18, 2026, from https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/water/water-quality/combined-sewer-overflow

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. (n.d.). New York City CSO program. Retrieved February 18, 2026, from https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/water/cso/nyc-cso

New York–New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program, & Hudson River Foundation. (2017, May). Action agenda 2017–2022: Draft for discussion [PDF]. https://www.hudsonriver.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/HRF_draft_agenda_final_lo-res.pdf

New York–New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program, & Hudson River Foundation. (2025, September 16). NY–NJ Harbor & Estuary Program action agenda 2025–2035 [PDF]. https://www.hudsonriver.org/ccmp/assets/docs/AA_Nov_2025_final.pdf

NYC Bird Alliance. (n.d.). Understanding NYC water quality and stormwater management. Retrieved February 18, 2026, from https://nycbirdalliance.org/our-work/conservation/habitat-protection/nyc-water-quality-stormwater-issues

State of New York. (n.d.). Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) map [Data set]. Retrieved February 18, 2026, from https://data.ny.gov/Energy-Environment/Combined-Sewer-Overflows-CSOs-Map/i8hd-rmbi

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District. (2022, September 23). Draft integrated feasibility report and Tier 1 environmental impact statement: New York–New Jersey Harbor and Tributaries coastal storm risk management feasibility study [PDF]. https://www.nan.usace.army.mil/Portals/37/NYNJHATS%20Draft%20Integrated%20Feasibility%20Report%20Tier%201%20EIS.pdf

MBRP, Partners, SEALs

Fall 2025 Update

MBRP11 scholars on a virtual call with Nature Metrix and Deutsche Bank to discuss the eDNA marine biodiversity monitoring project set to begin this Fall in the NY Harbor.
MBRP11 scholars on a virtual call with Nature Metrix and Deutsche Bank to discuss the eDNA marine biodiversity monitoring project set to begin this Fall in the NY Harbor.

The Marine Biology Research Program celebrates a meaningful milestone this year. For over a decade, our scholars have created personal websites—ePortfolios—to highlight their achievements, career interests, unique strengths, and passions both inside and outside the classroom. These digital showcases not only capture their growth as young scientists but also reflect their individuality and creativity. I encourage you to explore their work through this link and to “Like” the pages you visit to help amplify their voices online.

Our Marine Biology Research and Harbor SEALs scholars are off to an incredible start this year! We’ve launched a wave of exciting collaborations—with Econcrete Co., Deutsche Bank and Nature Metrix, Object Territories, Big Green Theatre, Earth Matter, NYU Gallatin Lab, Stony Brook University, Bronx Community College, the New York Climate Exchange, Harbor SEALs, Riverkeeper, and so many more—on projects exploring PFAS, marine biodiversity, marine debris, eDNA, microplastics, submarine groundwater discharge, weather, and water quality in Cuba, to name just a few.

This last spring, CUNY TV invited our instructor Mauricio Gonzalez to share his insights on water and biodiversity in the Hudson River and along New York City’s waterfront. The following panels feature his contributions to these vital conversations.

We’re also gearing up for our annual Cuba Marine Science Expedition with the Wanderers Club and the University of Habana. A huge thank you to our former superstar Development Officer, Nan Richardson, for her unwavering support of our students, and to our main sponsor, Con Edison, whose generosity keeps our mission afloat—giving hundreds of New York City youth the opportunity to protect and restore the waters of our harbor.

MBRP10 scholars partaking in the "Web of Life" activity to feel what it's like to generate the trust needed to work and value a team!
MBRP10 scholars partaking in the “Web of Life” activity to feel what it’s like to generate the trust needed to work and value a team!
MBRP, SEALs

HARBOR TO LA HABANA 2025

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The excitement is growing as Harbor SEALs packs to leave for the now-annual winter Cuba Field Expedition! Twenty young science scholars accompanied by Marine Biology teacher Mauricio Gonzalez and English teacher Rosie Teverow is packing to embark on three-part scientific testing in the waters of Cuba, working alongside scientists at the Universidad de Habana’s Centro de Investigaciones Marinas, with Dr. Randy Calderon Pena and his students to compare the marine debris in Havana Bay with that of Hudson-Raritan Estuary (a data set compiled since 2012 by Harbor SEALS) measuring contaminants and physical-chemical parameters. This year, under the director of SUNY StonyBrook’s distinguished professor Dr. Henry Bokuniewicz, SEALS adds another exciting project, on SGDs (submarine groundwater discharges) deploying two drum-sized devices designed to collect seepage data as part of a Pan-Caribbean study the Professor is headlining. The devices were constructed in Harbor’s own Welding CTE (thanks to Clark Dennis and students!). This is an exciting opportunity to participate in important international research with an outcome of a possible published paper (a signal honor for our hardworking students.) The third component is a coral reef project to calculate the percent cover of live, sick, and dead coral in order to determine the health of a reef.

SEALS takes our collective hat off to our partners at The Wanderers Club for their tireless support organizationally in making this experience better each time! And to Special Projects (SEA Chair) at Harbor Nan Richardson who originated the trip as a parent (2020 to Colombia, scuppered by Covid), directed it administratively since, and to the students and their parents who worked so hard to fundraise the needed subsidy of $20,000 through bake sales, raffles, funding campaigns–the grassroots team that makes the dream happen each year!

MBRP, SEALs

Marine Biology Research and Harbor SEALs Fall 2024 Update

For the Marine Biology Research and Harbor SEALs Programs, the 2024-2025 school year started off with a visit to one of the world’s wonders – the Taj Mahal!

Our wonderful 10th grade scholars were invited by Bronx Community College’s Neal Phillips and Paramita Sen to present in the WeATher and Climate Hackathon (i.e., WATCH) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, during September 20-21, 2024 being organized by the US Consulate Hyderabad, US Consulate Mumbai, and the City University of New York in collaboration with KIIT Deemed University. Our students presented on the  use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Weather/Climate Applications. They used data from the weather station that was donated to the school along with the data they collected as 10th graders while monitoring the Hudson-Raritan Estuary.

Seeing the beautiful architecture and meeting the wonderful people of India was life changing. Our students were amazed at the level of dedication, hospitality, hard work, and, especially friendship that they discovered in their trip.

Our Harbor SEALs Civic Science team leaders, Sebastian and Sarah were out recruiting new members in early October.

During Climate Week, our MBRP scholars got to listen to climate leaders present on the future of climate innovation and responsible adaptation strategies to our climate challenges.

Our MBRP10 scholars, Charlie, Amy, Randy, and Jeff practice using the Betabottle that will be used for obtaining water samples in the Harbor.

During Climate Week, Fordham University hosted a workforce development fair on Climate Jobs. In particular, Americorps now turned Climatecorps presented their new Biden climate initiatives.

For another Climate Week event, our MBRP scholars, Jordyn and Izzy, presented their research on PCBs and the use of AI in climate science.

At the Explorers club, MAPA and MBRP scholars were invited to a conference on Microplastics and pollution mitigation by Professor Christopher Reddy from WHOI.

MBRP alumni, Tyler and George, visit to discuss their struggles and wisdom gained in the post secondary universe.

Monk Mohan Vilas Das from India and Professor Neal Philip from Bronx Community College visit our MBRP scholars to discuss the crucial growth of consciousness to employ yourself in something you care about deeply in order to achieve balance with the world.

A big thank you goes out to our sponsors and partners ConEdison, Econcrete Co., Governors Island Trust, New York University, Stony Brook University, NYSMEA, Duro, Earth Matter and many others. Special thanks goes out to our wonderful Project Leader, Nan Richardson, our Communications Staff Rosalie Teverow, our research lab associate Nick Ring, our lab technicians Scott Sugg, Izzy Mortise, Julises Betancourt, Elyes Vives, and all those that help make our work have a farther impact on our kids.

SEALs

HARBOR TO LA HABANA 2024

The Harbor SEALs embarked on an excursion of a lifetime – to Cuba! 17 young science scholars tested their tenacity in the waters of Cuba for contaminants and physical-chemical parameters. With marine biology gear and bug spray in tow they hiked to remote and well trodden areas all the same to determine if the waters of Cuba were as contaminated as the New York Harbor.

A major shout out goes to our principal donors Jim Tripp & Jeffrey Gural. We also thank our various other generous donors: Lisa Breslof, Elizabeth Butler, Kristy Chau, Joanna Dje, Michelle Eliseo, Raquel Fernandez, Charles Fitzpatrick, Tracy Hogan, Erlyn Ikeda, Sarah Koo, Bill Ma, Drako Macal, Patricia Madsen, Jane McNamara, Peter Morawski, Kathleen Nolan, Alexis Raskin, Julia Ryan, Julio Rodriguez, Lou Siegel, Edward Smith, Hiram / Owen Szeto, Veronica Torres, Tara Tranchina, Karen Valentin, Jessica Woodall, and Yingdi Xiang, & Nami Yamamoto. We had various anonymous donors and we thank them too!

We would also like to thank our school Project Manager: Nan Richardson, travel managers: Wanderers Club, and our former principal: Jeff Chetirko for making trip possible.

Click here to read our daily communiqués.

Jan 20, 2024 at 8:15 PM: We’ve made it safe and sound. No issues on the way. We arrived in Havana and we saw scenery that was eye-opening for all of us. When we got to the house, we got situated and had our first proper meal of the day.

Then we played some card games, socialized, and then went on a walk. The walk was peaceful and we took some time to take in the beauty of Havana and the fact that we’re on an international trip with our peers and mentors.

Happy Birthday Scott!

We then set off to our first sampling location, the Habana Bay, to collect data, which went smoothly.

We then headed to a Cuban nature conservatory where we took a guided hike, stopping to collect/test data and eat lunch.

Our days’ work were mapped out the night before on a hand-written schedule. We encouraged thoughtful memes to establish the theme of the day. “Don’t eat the crust!”

Drones? What drones? The phys-chem team is trying to figure out how (not) to use drones in Cuba.

NYC kids planning their next  adventure: soccer game with locals, then Cuban dance!

Data analysis the old-school way! Right Adam!

…and the classic car ride of a life time!

Our final dinner out with our University of Havana science partners.

Hasta Pronto, Cuba bella!

SEALs

HARBOR TO LA HABANA 2024

MBRP to Cuba ’24!

Help our budding MBRP scientists make a yearly field trip to Cuba in 2024, where they will be working on a serious field expedition with scientists of the Center for Marine Investigations of the University of Havana and experiencing a true cultural immersion in the Caribbean.

MBRP Class of 2023

You can fund the trip via direct donation, and / or buy a BIO T-shirt $25 to help— and/ or choose to make a general donation to fund other needed items listed: Purchase or Donate Here

( If not fully funded, teachers may elect to direct funds toward items that are most needed. )

All donations directly benefit the Marine Biology program.

Mauricio Gonzalez and all the students thank you very much!

Help us with Planning…
contact Nan Richardson
nanmrichardson@gmail.com
or
Help us get Corporate Funders…
contact Bio Co-Rep Edward Smith
edwardsmith.ny@gmail.com

MBRP @ U of Habana!

Programa de Investigación en Biología Marina

Ayude a nuestros científicos en ciernes a realizar un viaje de campo anual a Cuba en 2024, donde trabajarán en una expedición de campo seria con científicos del Centro de Investigaciones Marinas de la Universidad de La Habana, y experimentarán una verdadera inmersión cultural en el Caribe.

MBRP en el mar Caribe!

Usted puede financiar el viaje a través de donación directa, y / o comprar una camiseta BIO $ 25 para ayudar – y / o optar por hacer una donación general para financiar otros artículos necesarios enumerados: Compre o done aqui

MBRP inmersos en la cultura habanera.

( Si no está totalmente financiado, los profesores pueden optar por dirigir los fondos hacia los elementos que son más necesarios. )

Todas las donaciones benefician directamente al programa de Biología Marina.

¡Mauricio González y todos los estudiantes muchas gracias!

MBRP en el Malecon!
MBRP, Partners, SEALs

MBRP 2022-2023 END-OF-YEAR UPDATE

MBRP12 in La Habana, Cuba (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
Greetings MBRP PAC, colleagues, family, and friends,
Happy summer solstice! Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, this school year was a blast! Last year I had a wonderful group of scholars. But this year, my graduating seniors took things to the next level! This group is especially important because they bore the brunt of COVID lockdown as they started the program virtually and, ironically, had their last day of class a week ago virtually due to the forest fire school closing! Thank you to our MBRP parents Koko, Edward Smith, Angelic Martinez, PTA President Amy Koza & PTA crew, admins Jeff & Jackye, teacher Aliyah, custodian Goran, Benny, and Eric, lab techs Bhatti, Nick, Sergio, and Scott, our generous donors Con Edison’s Joshua Crespo, Jeffrey Gural, Jim Tripp, Econcrete Tech’s Ido Sella, Compliance Solution’s Jeff Kline, among many others, BOP Senior VP Matthew Haiken, our post-secondary and industry partners Henry Bokuniewicz, Jim Lodge, Rosana Pedra Nobre, Karen Holmberg, Marisa DeDominicis, Matthew Winchell, the DOE CTE staff Karen Koch & Kendell Samlal, our wonderful senior mentors Arlo Kane, Anna Sheehan, Julia Purrazzella, Sebastian Koko, and Jaylen Boyce, our senior trip leaders Megan, Soua, Trinity, Maribell, Diego, Sergio, our up-and-coming leader Sara Guevara-Martinez, and, last but not least, our parent-turned-Harbor School superstar, Nan Richardson. Vaya con Bios! And thanks to my wife and family for all your enduring support and patience. Thank you all again for making this one of my best years in the business.
MBRP10 sampling phys-chem from Buttermilk Channel, NY Harbor (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
General: The most important update is that most of my seniors will be getting the CTE stamp of excellence. I’m so proud of all their accomplishments. Another important update is that one of our alumni, Nicholas Ring, was hired to assist in lab tech and research work for the MBRP. Working side-by-side with him has also been a pleasure. It makes such a big difference to work with someone that knows the culture of the program and the rigors of research. There were so many times where we were able to read each other’s cues and know what to do next without having to say anything. Now that’s teamwork! We were also supported by 2 interns, Sergio Mallo and Scott Sugg Jr. I’ve never had this much support in my 21 years of teaching. I can now say that the MBRP lab is under control after COVID sent us for a spin.

Next, our program completed an arduous 5-year recertification process. I spent months compiling data, writing reports, answering prompts, and getting audited in order to recertify the program for the next 5 years. This year was also the year where the host organization for the New York Climate Exchange Center was announced. SUNY Stony Brook, my alma mater, will be spearheading the center on Governors Island. I’ve already begun the planning process to establish the courses that will count as dual enrollment in order for students to obtain up to 16 college credits on climate research and internship work. This will up the total to 22 college credits that students will become eligible for through the MBRP. This is the most credits of any program in the country.

We were able to implement our curricular updates. MBRP10 worked on monitoring phys-chem in the harbor and learning the basics of lab/field ecology. MBRP11 monitored and compared plankton populations with microplastics in the harbor while maintaining the recirculating aquaculture systems in the lab. MBRP12 built and deployed a new biodiversity experiment off of Yankee Pier, NYC. All their data was checked for quality following an EPA approved Quality Assurance Project Plan and is publicly available here. And, finally, after 15 years in the making, I was able to take my seniors on an international science excursion to Cuba! Vaya con Bios!

MBRP10 sampling phys-chem from East River, NYC (Photo: Edward Smith, PTA Rep)
MBRP12 Accomplishments: 18 of 19 students worked over 3,500 hours in internships and service learning projects. That’s over USD 52,000 earned. All 19 scholars earned at least one industry recognized credential in Lab Safety, Chemical Safety, and/or Financial Management. 12 of 19 scholars earned 54 college credits in Natural Resources Management and/or Oceanography. 16 of 19 scholars earned the CTE Certification on their diplomas. All 19 scholars completed their online ePortfolios which can be seen here. Our seniors built and deployed Econcrete experiments at Yankee Pier to test for its effects on benthic biodiversity. We also traveled to Cuba with this great class of scholars. Pictures of our excursion are below this post. Lastly, the top three scorers in this year’s mini-symposium were Anna Sheehan (100), Jaylen Boyce (98), and Julia Purrazzella (95).
MBRP11 scholars Charles and Olivia growing basil and radishes in a student-built aquaponics system (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
MBRP11 Accomplishments: 13 of our 14 scholars earned at least one industry recognized credential in Lab Safety and Chemical Safety. Their biggest accomplishment, however, was stabilizing their Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) after a die-off during the summer. Our scholars monitored and adjusted pH, salinity, nutrients, electrical conductivity, temperature, among other parameters. They repaired ultra violet filtration lamps, installed grow lights and automatic feeders. They maintained sumps, pumps, skimmers, pipes, hoses, valves, etc. They also led two field sampling runs to compare the relative concentrations of plankton and microplastics. 7 scholars led this initiative as part of a “Work Place Challenge” under the auspices of the Hudson River Foundation. This involved the formulation of a project plan, gathering of materials, a field sampling run, lab processing of samples, data analysis, and a final presentation to stakeholders. Lastly, the top three scorers in this year’s mini-symposium were: The WPC Team (95) composed of Brenda Genaro, Madison O’Brien, Nayan Smith, Christopher Tranchina, Elias Litman, Josiah Taylor, and Mark Garcia (95). The next projects were Olivia Eliseo (83) and Lucas Fernandez (83).
MBRP11 (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
MBRP10 Accomplishments: The first word that comes to mind when I think of the 10th grade is “Leadership.” These young scholars were incredibly self motivated and smart. They have brought our science work to a whole new level. From learning the basics of science in the lab, to leading near flawless physical-chemical sampling of the Harbor, to data management & quality assurance, to learning their knots, this group of young scholars excelled at every step along the way. Lastly, the top three scorers in this year’s mini-symposium were Sara Guevara-Martinez (97), Omisha Hossain (95), Emilio Munoz-Levine (95), and Oliver Palmgren (95).
MBRP10 (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)

SEALs after school program: Our SEALs scholars continued their critical work recovering and quantifying marine debris from the rip rap surrounding Governors Island. This involved over 30 days of lab and field work, processing debris, managing data on complex data tables, updating stakeholders through social media, submitted project updates to our sponsor, ConEdison, digitizing data and making it publicly available; completing a final report, and submitting a new grant proposal for next year. The SEALs were invited to present their work to the king of the Netherlands and the United Nations for World Water Week. Our scholars continued working on their marine debris exhibit created in partnership with NYU. You can find the Cube outside of the school building by the lab along the road. I’m so proud of our scholars. Not only for giving back to their community and trying to restore our harbor so that our marine biodiversity can one day thrive along our coasts but for all the leadership they took to organize themselves and the program. They are now a truly self-organized and led program.  This year they were showcased in the media.

Press article 01

Press article 02  

Final Marine Debris Report  

Publicly available data

Harbor SEALs! (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
Trinity Jennings-Pagan, Communications Analyst in Cuba! (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
Arlo Kane, Communications Analyst Mentor (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
Universidad de La Habana, Cuba! (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
Plaza de la Revolucion, Cuba! (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
Vinales, Cuba! (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
Playing games with locals in La Habana, Cuba! (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
Touring La Habana Vieja, Cuba! (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
Return flight from Cuba! (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
Sunset, NY Harbor (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
MBRP10 scholar, Emilio, recovering marine debris from rip rap around Governors Island (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
MBRP10 scholars, Rory and Madison, measuring dissolved oxygen in NY Harbor (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
MBRP12 scholars, Maribell and Jada, building their Econcrete experiment (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
Sunrise over Fort Jay, Governors Island (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
MBRP Research Associate and alumnus Nicholas Ring and MBRP10 Lab/Field Technician Scott Sugg Jr. (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
MBRP12 scholars building an Econcrete experiment (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
MBRP11 Work Place Challenge scholars virtually meeting with mentor, Jim Lodge, from the Hudson River Foundation (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
3D print out designed by Ethan Kidd of a water sampler for use by Harbor SEALs civic science phys-chem team and a drone (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
Alumni visit! (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
Particulate matter over Battery Maritime Building and Lower Manhattan due to Canadian Forest fires that shut down the NYC School system, June 7, 2023 (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
SEALs scholars presenting their work to the king of Netherlands (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
SEALs scholars. Another day at work (photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
MBRP10 measuring dissolved oxygen using the EPA approved Winkler Method aboard the Indy7, East River, NYC (Photo: Edward Smith, PTA MBRP Rep)
5th generation Tilapia alevines hatch in the MBRP lab bringing hope after the massive die off last summer (Photo: Mauricio Gonzalez)
MBRP

Harbor to La Habana 2023

There are lots of wonderful things going on in Marine Bio.

And our students need your help to keep them happening.

We want to re-start the tradition
of a 12th grade trip overseas.

We are beginning the plans for a
class journey to Cuba
in May of this year 2023.

We are setting the groundwork and establishing funding so this will all be easily replicable next year for current 11th graders, the year after for current 10th graders and so on.

So, now is the time
for ALL Marine Bio parents
to support this endeavor.

There are 4 easy ways
you can help…

#1

Buy a Marine Bio
Blue Crab Larvae T-Shirt
official daily-wear school gear
great for the whole family too

2 ways to purchase:

at CheddarUp
https://marine-biology.cheddarup.com

or via this form 

https://forms.gle/1Q8ijN58NFuwx26T7

#2

Help with our weekly
Marine Bio Bake Sale

We need parents to bake some tasty treats & send it in with your kid. We also need parents to help supervise the bake sales.

The first Bio Bake Sale is THURSDAY Jan. 12th and then, after that, every other TUESDAY until the trip in May.
Contact Parent Director
Angie Martinez
moonlite0812@aim.com

or sign up at
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080948aeac2ba1fb6-biotrip#/=

 

#3

$ DONATE $

PTA Paypal

CheddarUP is smooth


Or help us save on fees. Send a check in an envelope to give to Mauricio
make sure to write ‘For Cuba’

#4

Help us with Planning…
contact Nan Richardson
nanmrichardson@gmail.com
or
Help us get Corporate Funders…
contact Bio Co-Rep Edward Smith
edwardsmith.ny@gmail.com

 

Have questions on how you can help?
Contact your Senior Bio Rep
Koko  marinebio@kokobaz.com

The students of the
Marine Biology Research Program
Thank you!

MBRP, Partners, SEALs

MBRP 2021-2022 End-of-Year Update

(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
Greetings MBRP PAC, colleagues, family, and friends,
Happy start of the summer! What a year! In my 20+ years of teaching I have not felt as much joy and satisfaction teaching as I did this year. Sure, the year had its challenges but on the whole it was a good year with many successes and a wonderful group of scholars! This year they were my heroines and heroes!
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General: This last school year was a transition year back to in-person learning and adjusting to the fall-out of COVID. Our scholars needed a little extra support dealing with academics and adjusting to a new social/global context. (So did we, the adults, if I’m being honest.) The latter had on the balance a positive outcome, whereas the former was more of a challenge. Although students were eager to return and learn, I noticed that some of our seniors struggled with the more intense parts of the research process. Extra time was needed for most assignments that involved producing reports and analyzing data. Despite these obstacles, most of our scholars were able to complete their final projects and the ones who didn’t still put up a good fight to get to the finish line!
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Engaging Students in Learning: We were able to accomplish this by scaffolding the research process carefully. This involved breaking up the research process into various stages that students would perform. The initial phases of research included: learning sampling techniques and writing down procedures before doing field work; compiling field data and digitizing them; looking at the data and beginning to ask questions about patterns they observed; performing a literature review and reading background information; starting to put together a presentation of their literature review; and then processing the data to graph. The next phase involved assessing the scholars’ work thus far: students were evaluated using assessment in instruction from three research rubrics borrowed from SUNY Albany’s UHS Research Program and the New York Science and Engineering Fair; they also peer reviewed numerous times in order to assess themselves and improve their performance; they could then refine their presentations and add new elements to their research based on the feedback from these numerous, varied and rigorous assessments. The final stage involved project results: after another peer reviewed session, students proceeded to add analyses and conclusions to their work, and then defend their projects before their peers and the instructor. This scaffolding process allowed for them to take intellectual risks as evidenced by the numerous and unique questions that were asked based off of our data set. In spite of using the same data set, working interdependently, and investigating a single research topic, no two students had the same project!  Never in my entire teaching career have I seen students better prepared or more confident to present as they were this year. The high level of respect and rapport we had with each other, and the degree of accountability we held each other to, created the atmosphere needed to stand in front of an audience and speak impactfully for 5 -15 minutes. The peer review process also helped generate trust for each other (i.e. we always started our feedback celebrating a positive quality and then moved on to constructive criticism). Lastly, my questioning and discussion techniques help students dig deeper into their research while also creating an environment of exploration and excellence. My best classes are those in which students are challenging each other based on the same questioning and discussion techniques which they learned during class. I would have to say that despite the challenges of returning to in-person learning after a year and a half, and continued COVID disruptions, this was one of my most highly effective years as a teacher!
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Senior accomplishments: 100% of our seniors passed the written final exam; over 1000 hours of internship hours were worked for the Hudson River Foundation – a school CTE high for the year; 14 of our 20 seniors received the CTE endorsement on their diploma; and many of our seniors received college credit in natural resources management, oceanography, and research. This year’s valedictorian and salutatorian were from our program as has mostly been the case for the last several years. Below I share their presentations and publicly available data on plankton, microplastics, oyster restoration, and Randall’s Island fish monitoring:
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Junior accomplishments: Our juniors had a really busy year. From managing two major plankton-microplastics excursions aboard the Indy 7 to maintaining 6 major recirculating aquaculture systems, to managing and digitizing data, getting certified in lab and chemical safety, interning for the Hudson River Foundation, and perfecting their job seeking skills with a mock interview and resume building sessions offered by our wonderful parents Koko and Nan Richardson, they didn’t skip a beat. Below I share their culminating projects:
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Sophomore accomplishments: Our sophomores were able to complete much-needed Social Emotional Learning modules on EverFi, an online education company that we’ve partnered with for several years now. Next, they were able to sample plankton and microplastics using the Beta-bottle and Sedgewick-Rafter Cell technique. After that, they learned data management and processing techniques while beginning to formulate an interdependent project. In between this step and presenting their projects using the MBRP’s proven Project Management process, they were able to begin training and sampling for physical-chemical properties of the NY Harbor.
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SEALs after school program: Our SEALs scholars were very high-achieving this year. They successfully completed their project to recover marine debris from the rip rap surrounding Governors Island. They also updated project stakeholders using social media; submitted project updates to our sponsor, ConEdison; uploaded their data to this website to make it publicly available; completed a final report of their findings; and submitted a new grant proposal for next year. Lastly, we created an exhibit with some of the debris we recovered which you can find outside of the school building by the lab. We’ll be working with NYU to further build out the exhibit in September. In case you’ve gotten this far in this blog post, you’d also be interested to know that the SEALs were almost 100% student led this year! I’m so proud of these scholar interns, I wish you could’ve been there to see their work. But happily they were showcased in a documentary and a newspaper article which you can view below.
Access the article here. Scroll to the bottom.
Access the final Marine Debris Report here.
Access the publicly available data here.
Access the SEALs website update here.
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Changes: As you may have noticed, we didn’t run a large marine science symposium this year. Instead, we had a smaller in class symposium where students presented their projects to each other and practiced those critical public speaking skills. The reasons for the change were 01) our students struggled with their academic and social emotional needs so taking off a layer of stress was crucial, and 02) we don’t have the necessary school supports in place to run it effectively without burnout on my part. We’re in the process of trying to get support from other science teachers or propose running a CTE-wide exposition to replace the symposium. Secondly, we didn’t offer college credit in science research this year. With too many students on the roster and a wide array of abilities & needs, something had to give. Unfortunately it was the independent research I so dearly love to do. However, as you may have gathered from the above descriptions, we’ve transitioned to interdependent projects. We’re now focusing on 3 topics by grade: physical-chemical analysis of the Harbor for 10th graders, plankton/microplastics monitoring for 11th graders; and biodiversity on settlement plates, traps, and benthic grab studies for our 12th graders. Once we collect our data, students in groups can ask questions about them and build out a project interdependently. This model has proven very successful this year!
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Next steps: We’ll be applying for State re-certification in June 2023. We’ll be calling together a PAC meeting in January 2023 to discuss curriculum and internships. We’ll also be reaching out to some of you to renew articulation agreements. Please stay tuned for that important ask!
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Growing and Developing Professionally: I have obtained an administrator’s license and plan in the future to move into a leadership role. Although exciting, I’m taking baby steps in order to balance out my health needs and this potential opportunity. The lead-up to this was a two-year post master’s degree in school and district leadership. My final project on workplace bullying was published in a peer-reviewed education journal and can be found below. It was only one of four papers published from the whole graduating class. Next, I was able to partner up with Rob Markuske to pull together a work group composed of students and staff to begin creating a vision for a future partnership between NYHS and the game-changing Center for Climate Solutions scheduled to open on Governors Island in the near future.
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Thank you to our leader scholars for all their support with all aspects of the program! Aelish Mullaney, Marifer Sanchez-Gaspar, Maddie Novatt, Nick Pabotoy, Nick Dilella, Giovanni Nunez, Anna Sheehan, Jaylen Boyce, Julia Purrazzella, Sebastian Koko, Arlo Kane, Isaac Castillo, Nino Mazzola, Sara Guevara and the dozens of others in the MBRP. You’ve made this school year a wonderful one! Thank you to the parents, especially Koko and Nan Richardson, for their tireless support. Thank you to all the NYHS and MBRP parents for your donations, lab support, and words of encouragement throughout the year. Thank you to our internship partner, Jim Lodge from the Hudson River Foundation. Thank you to the office of Post-Secondary Readiness, Omari Gay, Florence Dennis, and the rest of the crew. Thank you to our many industry & post-secondary partners, and sponsor organizations who supported us this year: Marisa DeDominicis, Karen Holmberg, Rachael Miller, Joshua Crespo, Matthew Haiken, Zofia Baumann, Jackie Wu, Helene Hetrick, Mollie McGinnis, Melanie Smith, David Park, Billion Oyster Project, Con Edison, EverFi, Compliance Solutions, NOCTI, Earth Matter, Rozalia Project, Governors Island Trust, Hudson River Foundation, Randall’s Island Park Alliance, ESRI, SUNY Stony Brook, Bronx Community College, Borough of Manhattan Community College, Manhattan College, Roger Williams University, UCONN, LES Ecology Center, NYC Department of Education – New York Harbor School, and all our PAC members. And last but not least, thank you to my wife and family for all your support.
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Happy summer! See you in September!
Mauricio and the MBRP gang!
9:20

(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)

Summer vacation!!!
Partners, SEALs

Rip Rap Marine Debris Recovery Project

Figure 01. MBRP12 scholars wrapping up their marine debris recovery work for their Rip Rap Project. (Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)

The Harbor SEALs have been hard at work this season recovering marine debris from the rip rap surrounding Governor’s Island, NYC for the Hudson River Foundation. Student interns and volunteers from the New York Harbor School have been managing this project since September of 2021. The team is broken up into four work groups 01) Data Analysis, 02) Resource Recovery, 03) Communications, and 04) Water Quality. The team submitted a proposal to ConEdison and were awarded a grant to purchase the equipment necessary to safely scale the rip rap and recover NYC’s pervasive debris. Large garbage bags full of plastic bottles, boat line, dock Styrofoam, sports balls of all types, and mini alcohol bottles dot and span the rip rap. But by far the most interesting of findings have been a message in a bottle and a glamping tent.

After spending much of the Fall planning and writing the proposal, ordering materials, testing the safety equipment, and undergoing practicing trials, the SEALs began recovering debris in January. The Data Analysis group began defining categories of debris, creating data tables, and online forms. They then proceeded to classify the debris collected each sample day and weigh them by category.  The Recovery team worked to perfect the methods for safely removing debris from underneath the rip rap and collected three geographically located quadrants to be able to determine the rate of debris replacement. Our communications team designed social media interfaces to disseminate our work products and reached out to our various stakeholders to coordinate field days. They also were in charge of writing the summary grant reports to ConEdison. Our Water Quality team began training in the measurement of Dissolved Oxygen in the sample site using the Modified Winkler Method. They also measured nutrients and other physical-chemical parameters. Finally, they began testing a drone with 3D deigned sampling devices to collect water samples from the Estuary.

View our publicly shared data here.

View our final project document here.

View an article of them in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle here.

Million thanks to our partners and sponsors: Billion Oyster Project, Rozalia Project, Con Edison, Earth Matter, Governors Island Trust, Hudson River Foundation, LES Ecology Center, & NYC Department of Education – New York Harbor School.

(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)
(Photo Credit: Mauricio Gonzalez)

Download (PDF, 589KB)

Download (PDF, 904KB)

 

Civic Scientist Environmental Monitoring of the Hudson-Raritan Estuary