Cate Hewitt and Gregory Stroud of the CT Examiner interviewed Mystic Aquarium President and CEO Stephen Coan in early August, covering topics from its scientific research to its outreach to at-risk youth. The breadth of the institution’s work and responsibilities are encompassed in the wide-ranging conversation on education, conservation, research, and tourism.
“The aquarium is a genuine marine biology research institution — with a strong faculty connection to UConn and a significant staff of in-residence and affiliated scientists — that also draws crowds and ticket sales with its crowd-pleasing focus on marine mammals including beluga whales, penguins and sea lions.
“At a time when climate change and melting glaciers are a concern for much of the public, Mystic Aquarium’s Arctic Coast habitat, with a 750,000 gallon outdoor enclosure for beluga whales — the largest of its kind in North America — aims to create a popular connection to science and the marine environment.”
Read the full interview “Stephen Coan on Science Whales and Tourism at the Mystic Aquarium”