THE STEM OF MISSISSIPPI’S GULF COAST

There are few places better than Mississippi’s Gulf Coast for exploring the STEM disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Ecology is a large part of the Gulf, and students will be immersed in this science at numerous stops on this itinerary. Commercial fishing and seafood are important to the area’s economy, and students will see advances that have been made in boatbuilding and harvesting. Technology and mathematics also are on full display throughout your student tour.

Arrive in Biloxi at the Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum . Plan to spend 75 minutes on a guided tour. Grand Hall features the Nydia Exhibit, a two-mast sailboat built in Biloxi Shipyard during 1898. Grand Hall and the museum’s Wooden Boat Gallery provide insight into the engineering of boat design. The Environmental Gallery takes a serious look at the Mississippi Coastal Wetlands. The Commercial Fishing Gallery and the Biloxi Seafood Factory galleries highlight the technology of the past.

Treat yourself to a boxed lunch from a nearby local sandwich shop before a 2.5-hour sail on the Biloxi Schooner , a replica of a Biloxi oyster schooner.

Check in at one of the numerous Mississippi Gulf Coast student-friendly hotels. Tonight, it’s dinner at Fat Bottom BBQ in Biloxi.

Breakfast at your hotel before departure for the Mississippi Aquarium. The aquarium’s indoor/outdoor campus features both fresh- and salt-water habitats with more than 200 aquatic animal species. At 11:45 a.m., continue your visit with a behind-the-scenes guided tour. Learn the science of providing daily care for the animals and how the engineering of equipment that handles one million gallons of water is managed.

At the Gulfport Small Craft Harbor in Jones

Park, board the American Clipper for a 90-minute guided eco-cruise with Mississippi Aquarium staff. Study the ecology of the Gulf of Mexico and the considerable conservation work being undertaken by the aquarium’s scientists and partners.

Next, it’s on to Moss Point and the Pascagoula River Audubon Center, a nature preserve. A two-hour program with an educator can cover any of nine field trip themes. Most popular of the STEM programs are Water and Water Science and Weather and Climate Change.

Breakfast at your hotel and check out. Arrive at the William M. Colmer Visitor Center at Gulf Islands National Seashore’s Davis Bayou Area in Ocean Springs. Explore indoor exhibits and watch a video about the history of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. After departing the Visitor Center, check out the Davis Bayou South Trailhead, which provides access to the Civilian Conservation Corps Spur Trail and Nature’s Way Loop Trail. Allow for 30-60 minutes on the trails. Grab an early lunch on your way to INFINITY Science Center. With a mission of being a life-changing experience for teachers and students, INFINITY Science Center focuses on inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers and mathematicians. Allow two hours to follow the educational exhibits and view a 3D immersive video. Classroom materials are available for teachers.