High School Students Innovate Climate Solutions at SuperNOVA Camp

High school students at Dalhousie University participated in the SuperNOVA Ocean Climate Innovation Program, where they tested remotely operated vehicles in Halifax Harbour. The program, designed to engage young minds with ocean technologies, engineering, and artificial intelligence, welcomed 25 students keen on addressing climate challenges.

Jarman Ley, the program coordinator, explained that the initiative aims to spark interest in climate science and its connection to ocean health. “We started this program to get high school students excited and interested in the climate and how the ocean relates to that,” said Ley. The students developed programs for their sensors, which they then deployed in the harbour to compare historical data with current readings.

Students measured various water parameters, including oxygen levels, salinity, and acidity. Ley noted the importance of these tests: “They are specifically doing dissolved oxygen to see if fish have enough oxygen to breathe. The solidity is crucial because climate change can lead to saltier waters, which are inhospitable to plants. They are also assessing water acidity and the oxygen reduction potential, which indicates how the ocean cleans itself.”

The experience offers valuable skills for future academic pursuits. Finnegan Jafmann, a participant in the program, stated, “It’s been a really interesting way to take all of the knowledge that we’ve learned and wrap it into one project that we can test and see the results of.” Fellow student Emily Whidden echoed this sentiment, sharing that the program provided insights into potential career paths. “For the people who are planning to go into these fields or even come to Dal, it was probably a really good foot in the door,” she said.

Since its inception, the SuperNOVA initiative has reached over 27,500 youth as of 2023. Ley emphasized the program’s significance in shaping the future. “Young people are the lifeblood of the future. So, we really believe if we start to encourage them now, that they’ll be that much more advanced when they get to university and potentially study it and develop the next generation of innovation.”

According to Dalhousie University, SuperNOVA summer camps introduce participants to STEM concepts, career opportunities, and mentors through engaging experiments and hands-on activities. The program aims not just to educate but to inspire a new generation of innovators ready to tackle pressing global issues.