It’s World Ocean Day!

World Ocean Day graphic showing a clipart globe with marine flora and fauna around it.The PACE Lab recognizes World Ocean Day as a celebration of our marine spaces as well as a call to action to improve the ocean’s health and all of the plants, animals, and people who live and depend on it. The Blue Gym Project is a small part of this effort where we are using a systematic methodology to develop persuasive visual communications to mitigate marine debris. Happy World Ocean Day!

PACE Lab Research in Australia!

Findings from the Blue Gym project, Promising Campaign Themes to Promote Active Pro-Environmental Behaviors Among U.S. Coastal Residents, will be presented at the 74th Annual International Communication Association Conference in Queensland later this week. Congrats!

 

Providing Results Back to the Community

Dr. Jennifer Gay was the opening speaker at the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation conference on May 8 in Jekyll Island, Georgia. She shared the latest updates on the Blue Gym project focusing on multiple behavior change to leverage outdoor physical activity into an opportunity for litter cleanup. Thankful for the insightful dialogue and collaborative problem solving. Great to spend time with Lea King Badyna from Keep Golden Isles Beautiful and Katy Smith from UGA Marine Extension, both key partners on this effort. Looking forward to going back to share more from this project at a future conference!

Title slide from presentation Jennifer Gay and Lea King Badyna

Congratulations Graduates!

Meredith Wessel, Jennifer Gay, and Madeline Kerestman in cap and gown at commencement.On May 9 and 10 6 members of the PACE Lab graduated from the University of Georgia! Congratulations to Meredith Wessel (4 years with the lab!), Madeline Kerestman, Melat Mekonnen, Bansari Shah, Anastasiya Viryaskina, and Campbell Carter. Wishing you all the best as you take this next step!

 

 

 

Photograph of Bansari Shah

 

Blue Gym Project Aligned with Earth Day 2024 Theme to Combat Plastic Pollution

Image of a globe with a six-pack plastic ring package wrapped around.
Poster from ShareAmerica, US Department of State

It’s Earth Day!

The goal of the Blue Gym project is to mitigate plastic and other debris from entering coastal ecosystems by incorporating litter cleanup into outdoor physical activity and recreation and to promote litter cleanup as a form of health-enhancing physical activity.

Blue Gym Project Status: We currently are seeking funding for a randomized controlled trial to test refined visual communications promoting the combination of physical activity and litter cleanup.

Be sure to check out our partners at UGA Marine Extension and their projects to keep trash from getting into the ocean! Find out how you can participate in a cleanup event along the Georgia coast with our partners at Keep Golden Isles Beautiful!

Congrats on CURO Funding!

Micole Sy, Anastasiya Viryaskina, and Campbell Carter have received Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities (CURO) Research Awards of $1,000 each. The group plans to use these funds to support their mentored research project testing changes in biomarkers in response to acute exercise. Congratulations!