Nearly 60 visitors from the Savannah area and beyond gathered at the University of Georgia Skidaway Institute of Oceanography (SkIO) on Tuesday, April 21, for Open Ship Night.
Open Ship Night offers the public a full tour of SkIO’s 104-foot Research Vessel Savannah. Guests were guided through the ship’s labs, work decks, engine room, wheelhouse, kitchen and sleeping quarters. Attendees also had the opportunity to tour the smaller Research Vessel Jack Blanton and view several instruments commonly used aboard the R/V Savannah.
“Open Ship Night is a great opportunity to engage with our community and highlight the vessels and tools that make oceanographic research at the Skidaway Institute possible,” said Jackson Schroeder, SkIO’s public relations and communications coordinator.
The R/V Savannah tours were led by SkIO faculty and graduate students who have conducted research cruises aboard the vessel. Members of the ship’s crew were also on hand, stationed in the engine room and wheelhouse, to answer technical questions. Assistant professor Sara Rivero-Calle, along with doctoral students Alyssa Fritz and Claire Zwiers-Cook, guided the tours, while marine technician Morgan Hudgins was in the wheelhouse and engineer Terrell Scarboro was in the engine room.
Professor Marc Frischer was stationed alongside several commonly used research instruments, answering questions, while research professional Mike Robinson was aboard the R/V Jack Blanton, discussing the work and equipment used on SkIO’s smaller research vessel.
SkIO hosts public programs all year long, including the Evening at Skidaway series, in which scientists sit down for conversations and answer audience questions about their work and pressing topics.
To stay up-to-date on upcoming events, monitor our events page, sign up for the SkIO email newsletter and follow SkIO (@SkioInSavannah) on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. Previous Evening at Skidaway events are also available on the SkIO YouTube.
About SkIO
The UGA Skidaway Institute of Oceanography (SkIO) is a multidisciplinary research and education institution located on Skidaway Island near Savannah, Georgia. The Institute was founded in 1967 with a mission to conduct research in all fields of oceanography. In 2013, SkIO was merged with the University of Georgia. The campus serves as a gateway to coastal and marine environments for programs throughout the University System. The Institute’s primary goals are to further the understanding of marine and environmental processes, conduct leading-edge research on coastal and marine systems, and train tomorrow’s scientists. For more information, visit www.skio.uga.edu.