Discovery Lecture Series
Discovery Lecture Series
MDC’s Monthly Public Lecture Series provides a forum for the community to learn about Florida’s Coastal & Indian River Lagoon Ecosystems and surrounding habitats. Qualified staff & guest speakers will share their knowledge about a vast array of topics including plants and animals, water quality, citizen science, local conservation efforts, and much more!
Our public lectures are FREE* and open to the public but advance registration is required. All lectures will be held on select Thursdays from 6-8 p.m. in our Learning Lab unless otherwise noted.
2025-26 Schedule
September 4 | Wendy Noke & Teresa Jablonski, Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute: “Dolphins of the Indian River Lagoon”
October 2 | Felipe De Paula, Ponce De Leon Inlet Lighthouse & Museum: “The Timucua of Northeast Florida”
November 6* | Dr. Todd Osborne, Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience: “Restoring Hard Clam Populations in the IRL“
December 4 | Mark Spradley, New Smyrna Museum of History: “History of Coastal New Smyrna”
January 8 | Julie Albert & Joel Cohen, Blue World Research Institute: “Right Whale Threats: Past, Present, & Future Solutions”
February 5 | Aric Attas, Artist & Musician: “Driven by Curiosity: Reflections on STEAM, Inspiration, & the Creative Process“
March 5 | Katie Hellman, Marine Science Center: “Inside Look at Bird Rehabilitation at Marine Science Center”
April 2 | Wendy Mathews, The Nature Conservancy: “Florida Panthers: A Peek Into the Life of Florida’s State Animal”
May 7 | Shelly Steele, Rise Yaupon: “History of Yaupon Tea & Rise Yaupon”
Discovery Lecture Series, Too
August 21 | Dr. Linda Walters & Madison Serrate: “Atmospheric Deposition of Microplastics: Citizen-Science Results from Around New Smyrna Beach and Mosquito Lagoon”
September 18 | TD Bank: “Evolution of Fraud and Scams”
November 12** | Jonas Roddenberry CFP, Edward Jones: “Ways to Leave a Legacy”
* This lecture is part of our Wild & Scenic Film Festival and requires a ticket to that event (details coming soon)
** This lecture is on a Wednesday
View Some of our Past Lectures
Our Mission:
"To protect our coastal ecosystems through education, conservation, and exploration"