Norris Lecture features a panel of marine wildlife veterinarians on November 7

dave casper with wolf eel
Dave Casper, Director of Veterinary Services, UC Santa Cruz
melissa miller with sea otter
Melissa Miller, Veterinary Pathologist, California Department of Fish and Wildlife
mike murray with sea otter
Mike Murray, Veterinarian, Monterey Bay Aquarium

A panel of three marine wildlife veterinarians from across the Monterey Bay area will discuss their challenges, successes, and unusual experiences during the annual Ken Norris Memorial Lecture on Thursday, November 7, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center.

Titled "Doctor Ocean: A Lively Discussion with Three Marine Wildlife Veterinarians," the event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited; doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Santa Cruz Mayor Hilary Bryant will moderate the discussion with veterinarians Dave Casper of UC Santa Cruz; Melissa Miller of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife; and Mike Murray of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. These experienced veterinary specialists spend their days nursing aquarium animals, saving stranded marine mammals, and studying unusual diseases. Their work is an essential part of scientific efforts to understand the ocean and its inhabitants.

The Ken Norris Memorial Lecture is sponsored by Jo Lynne and Fred Jones and Aptos-Creekside Pet Hospital. For more information about this event, please call the Seymour Center at (831) 459-3800.

Overlooking the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the Seymour Center is a "living classroom" featuring aquariums, exhibits, touch tanks, whale skeletons, full-scale elephant seal models, the Ocean Discovery Shop, and unsurpassed ocean vistas. The aquariums and exhibits feature the everyday tools of ocean exploration and focus on research conducted by scientists locally and around the world. Interactive stations provide hands-on learning experiences, and docents lead tours and bring marine science to life. The Seymour Center is located at the end of Delaware Avenue in Santa Cruz.