Meet the Expert: Fabien Cousteau
Aquanaut, Oceanographic Explorer, Environmental Advocate and
Founder of Fabien Cousteau Ocean Learning Center.
As the first grandson of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Fabien spent his early years
aboard his famous grandfather’s ships, Calypso and Alcyone; and learning how to
scuba dive on his fourth birthday.
In the following years, and as a member of multiple causedriven and charitable boards, Fabien has been working with local communitiesand children worldwide to help restore local water ecosystems.
In June 2014, Fabien and his team of aquanauts embarked on Mission 31, the
longest science expedition to take place at Aquarius, the world’s only underwater marine laboratory located in Florida. Fabien’s Mission 31 broke new ground in ocean exploration and honored the 50th anniversary of his grandfather’s original underwater living experiment (Conshelf Two) by going deeper, longer and further, while broadcasting each moment live on multiple channels exposing the world to the adventure, drama and mystique of what lies beneath.
Early in 2016 he founded the Fabien Cousteau Ocean Learning Center (“FCOLC”) to fulfill his dream of creating a vehicle to make a positive change in the world. Currently he is working on multiple projects and dedicates much of his time to the exciting programs and initiatives of the FCOLC.
MISSION 31 VIDEOS:
A rare opportunity to travel 63 feet below the surface of the ocean to visit Jacques Cousteau’s grandson, Fabien Cousteau.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3V_Ij0LH_c
During Mission 31, science partners Florida International University (FIU) and Northeastern University will collaborate to study climate change and the related challenges of ocean acidification; ocean pollution with an emphasis on the effects of plastics; and overconsumption of resources with specific focus on the decline of biodiversity.
Video “What’s it like living on the bottom of the ocean for more than two weeks?”
https://youtu.be/BpqsCJNkavM
Fabien Cousteau and his fellow Aquanauts come back to the surface after completing a 16-hour decompression and a record-breaking 31 days living under the sea. An historic mission comes to an end!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCVs9pUytMQ
Fabien’s TED Talk “What I Learned from Spending 31 Days Underwater”
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Challenge:
Draw a picture of what YOU think the next underwater habitat should look like!
Will it be like Aquarius? Or the International Space Station (but underwater)?
Or will you come up with something incrediby new and amazing?
Fabien wants to know!
With your parent’s permission, upload it to to Twitter and/or Instagram and tag us @kidssolve
and Fabien at FabienCousteau Ocean Learning Center on Twitter and Instgram @FCousteauOLC
or Fabien Cousteau at @FCousteau
OR you can leave us a comment on our episode page
If you do, you will be entered to win a copy of this week’s books.
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FREE BOOKS for this Episode!
Two young explorers join Fabien Cousteau and his team to get up close and personal with great white sharks in this start to a series of graphic adventure novels.
Junior explorers Bella and Marcus join famed explorer Fabien Cousteau and his research team as they embark on an ocean journey off the coast of South Africa, where the world’s largest concentrations of great white sharks are found. Their mission is to investigate a sighting of a massive white shark, and tag it so they can track and protect it. Along the way, they’ll encounter whales, seals, dolphins, penguins, and a colorful array of other marine life. They’ll also enter a shark cage and come face to face with these powerful creatures.
Junior explorers Rocco and Olivia embark on an exciting journey into the frigid Arctic waters with famed explorer Fabien Cousteau and his research team. Together, they hope to find the rare dumbo octopus and uncover how this exceptional creature is able to live in such an extreme climate.
BOOK LIST:
Astronaut-Aquanaut by author Jennifer Swanson, NGKids Books
Journey from the deepest trenches in the oceans to the farthest humans have ventured into space and learn what it takes to explore the extremes. You might just be surprised by how similar the domains of ASTRONAUTS and AQUANAUTS really are. Dr. Helmuth, Fabien Cousteau, and Astronaut Cady Coleman are featured experts in this book.
Otis and Will Discover the Deep: The Record-Setting Dive of the Bathysphere by Barb Rosenstock (Author), Katherine Roy (Illustrator)
The Oceanology Handbook: A Course For Underwater Explorers (Ologies) by Prof. Pierre Aronnax
Marine Science for Kids: Exploring and Protecting Our Watery World, Includes Cool Careers and 21 Activities by Bethanie Hestermann, Josh Hestermann, and Stephanie Arne (Foreword)
Life in the Ocean: The Story of Oceanographer Sylvia Earle by Claire A. Nivola (Author, Illustrator)