Students from Lycée Albert Ier study Mediterranean Sea with ‘Adopt a Float’
The pupils have already taken part in several phases of the "Adopt a Float" project © Communication department / Manuel Vitali
The international “Adopt a Float” programme was set up by the Institut de la mer de Villefranche (IMEV – Villefranche Sea Institute).
24 Year 11 students (US grade 10) at the Lycée Albert Ier are taking part in the “Adopt a Float” science project. Begun by Laetitia Paulet, a teacher of economic and social sciences, and run in partnership with several Monegasque institutions, it aims to raise awareness of oceanography and the protection of marine environments.
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Thomas Boniface, scientific mediator at the Institut de la Mer de Villefranche (IMEV), explained how the float works. Nicknamed Prince Albert 1st by the students, the underwater robot is capable of reporting invaluable scientific data such as water temperature, chlorophyll content, salinity and acidity, thanks to miniaturised sensors that populate a database in real time.
Representatives of the PELAGOS and RAMOGE bodies, which are involved in preserving Mediterranean marine areas, also came to the school to explain their remit.
The next step for the students is to create a fresco with Costa Rican artist Carlos Hiller, who draws his inspiration from life underwater to raise awareness of environmental issues. And if all goes well, they’ll also be able to go on a school trip to Patagonia to fit a whale with a tag!