Museum and Planetarium Celebrate Women in STEM 

Ocean Isle Beach, NC –– The Ocean Isle Museum Foundation, which operates the Museum of Coastal Carolina and Ingram Planetarium, will celebrate “Inspiring Women in STEM” at the Foundation’s Star Society Breakfast on March 19 at 8:30 a.m. at the Sea Trail Convention Center.   

The event will include a presentation by Marine Biologist and Author Dr. Christine Figgener. A decade ago, Figgener posted an uncomfortable video of her team from Texas A&M University removing a straw from the nose of an olive ridley sea turtle. The video went viral and started a movement to rid the world of plastic straws.  

“Straws are just the poster child of a much bigger problem,” Figgener said. “Everybody can do their part in helping sea turtles and the world.”  

Since then, Figggener has gone on to become one of the world’s leading sea turtle researchers, doing extensive work in Costa Rica. She also speaks passionately about conservation issues and getting girls interested in Science, Technology Engineering and Math (STEM).  

We didn’t even know the terms “viral video” or “STEM” when Carmel Zetts began walking on the sand of Sunset Beach in search of nesting sea turtles. She’s been a volunteer with the Sunset Beach Sea Turtle Watch since the early 90s and has led the organization for three decades. Zetts will be honored as the fourth recipient of the Coastal Caretaker Award presented annually by the Foundation.  

It’s all planned as part of a new initiative at the Museum and the Planetarium to inspire girls’ interest in STEM. The organization recently joined the If/Then Champions Network, a nationwide partnership between science museums and the National Girls Collaborative. With the help of the Network, the Planetarium opened a new exhibit late last year that introduces visitors to real life women scientists working in STEM careers. The If/Then Network is in part sponsoring the event. 

The event also honors members of the Star Society, the organization’s highest level of donors. Those members attend at no charge, but the public can also purchase a ticket in advance for $35. A ticket and a copy of Figgener’s book “My Life with Sea Turtles” is $50.    

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