RECOVER VIRTUAL LABORATORY
The RECOVER Virtual Lab shows how
scientists measure the effect
oil spills have on fish.
About Us
In the wake of Deepwater Horizon, scientists have been working diligently to understand the impacts of the oil spill on the Gulf of Mexico along with the wildlife and people that depend on it. The Relationships of Effects of Cardiac Outcomes in fish for Validation of Ecological Risk (RECOVER) consortium’s focus has been on the impacts of fish, specifically the economically and ecologically important mahi-mahi and red drum.
Most of their research and experiments take place behind closed doors in laboratories with extremely controlled settings. As a result, it is not always feasible for the general public to see what happens day-to-day. RECOVER is extremely excited to bring you our solution – the RECOVER Virtual Lab. A novel approach to bring marine science into any classroom, foster STEM learning, and improve student performance in science classes.
Champion School at a Glance
“You don’t cross the sea by standing and looking at the water.”
Bengali omniscient 1861 - 1941
Virtual Learning
Now you can run some of the same experiments we use in the lab from your own home or classroom!
Explore the RECOVER Virtual Lab on your internet browser or download it for your iPad from the App Store.
In the app you will find detailed lesson plans and a built in quiz to test student performance. Our first lesson “Fish Treadmills” is suitable for middle school through college level students. Additional lessons will be added soon and will include experiments on vision, early fish development, and social interactions between fish.
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Fish Hatchery
The newest experimental hatchery is located in Virginia near Miami, Florida.
Our application
The app allows students to analyze real data collected by consortium scientists.
Equipment
State-of-the-art science equipment at the University of Miami from the Rosenstiel School.
Science
The most sophisticated scientific approaches used in practical exercises.
Mathematics
Using mathematical methods to achieve scientific benefits.
Laboratory
Complete new laboratories and equipment for fish science.
Our Activities
The app allows students to analyze real data collected by consortium scientists and observe how oil-exposed mahi and redfish swim compared to unexposed control fish. Lesson plans for teachers and quizzes testing student’s performance are built-in to the app’s interface, and more experiments are in development.
The app currently contains two lessons:
Vision Test
Students analyze data collected by researcher Jason Magnunson to see how crude oil impacts the vision of mahi-mahi, red drum, and sheepshead minnow.
Swim Tunnel
Students use a “fish treadmill” to observe how oil impacts the swimming speeds and ability of mahi mahi.