In recent years, headlines about marine debris, microplastics, and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch have filled our news feed. While the accumulation of plastic waste in our oceans and other bodies of water is a serious concern, it is not a simple problem to understand or study. Much of this debris exists in tiny pieces called microplastics, which are able to interact with even the smallest ocean animals but very difficult for scientists to trace. The chemical makeup of plastics varies greatly and adds another layer of difficulty in understanding how plastics affect the marine environment. Join us as Meredith Seeley, a doctoral student at VIMS, walks us through the complex story of plastics in the ocean – where they come from, where they go, and how they impact ocean organisms. She will help us understand what the future may hold and our role in the story.

This is the February installment of the 2020 After Hours Lecture Series. All After Hours lectures take place at 7:00 pm in Watermen’s Hall on the VIMS campus, 1375 Greate Road, Gloucester Point. Reservations to this free public lecture are required due to limited space. Visit www.vims.edu/events or call 804-684-7061 to register or to find out more information about this and future After Hours lectures. Can’t attend in person? The lecture is also offered as a live-streamed webinar. Register for the webinar at www.vims.edu/events.