Virtual Science Pub features screening of “Heceta Bank: Oregon’s Hidden Wonder” and discussion

Oregon State University; Oregon State University - Cascades; OSU-Cascades; Heceta Bank; Marine Science; Science Pub
May 12, 2020

At Oregon State University - Cascades' rescheduled virtual Science Pub, OSU marine scientists will host a screening and discussion on a documentary depicting how a submerged rocky bank 35 miles off the Oregon coast has beneficial impacts on our state’s coastal environments.

The event was originally scheduled in early March, but canceled due to social distancing requirements created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Science Pub will take place from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, May 18 and will be streamed live on YouTube and Facebook Live.

The 30-minute documentary, “Heceta Bank: Oregon’s Hidden Wonder,” is about a submerged bank located offshore near Florence.  It is a hotspot for biological productivity along Oregon’s coast due to its position and the influence of northern coastal currents occurring in the summers.

The documentary was produced by Oregon State Productions. The panel discussion will feature:

  • Jack Barth, executive director of the OSU Marine Studies Initiative and a professor in the OSU College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences.
  • Bill Pearcy, an emeritus professor in the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences.
  • Loren Davis, a professor of archaeology in the OSU College of Liberal Arts.
  • Waldo Wakefield, a courtesy associate professor in OSU’s Cooperative Institute for Marine Resources Studies.

Panelists will be joined by David Baker, director of Oregon State Productions

Science Pubs are free, but registration is required at hecetabanksscipub.eventbrite.com. Following registration, audience members will receive an email with instructions for viewing the Science Pub.

Note to editors:  an earlier version of this release included an incorrect day.  The correct day of the event is Monday, May 18.

About OSU-Cascades: Oregon State University’s campus in Bend, Ore. features outstanding faculty in degree programs that reflect Central Oregon’s vibrant economy and abundant natural resources. Nearly 20 undergraduate majors, 35 minors and options, and three graduate programs include computer science, energy systems engineering, kinesiology, hospitality management, and tourism, recreation and adventure leadership. OSU-Cascades expanded to a four-year university in 2015; its new campus opened in 2016.