Note: This month’s event will be held on Wed., Dec. 10, 2025 (the second Wednesday of the month!)
The Aquarium of the Pacific will feature an engaging discussion on Pacific walruses and their role in monitoring the health of critical ocean ecosystems at their December First Wednesday lecture.
Dive into their habitats, behaviors, migrations, and unique adaptations, and explore the methods we use to study these fascinating marine mammals with Dr. Karyn Rode.
“We’ll uncover the vital role they play in the Arctic ecosystem and examine how they are responding to sea ice loss in this subspecies found in the Bering and Chukchi seas. The talk will be followed with a Q&A with the audience,” the Aquarium said in a statement.
After the presentation, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy holiday music, crafts, cocktails (cash bar) and conversations in our Art Gallery and experience our Paint-a-Fish exhibit. The lecture will also be live streamed and recorded.
Tickets are $5.00 for advance online reservations or $10.00 per ticket on the day of the event at the door (pending availability. Please check first), the statement said.
Parking is $6.00 for the first 2.5 hours in the structure located directly across from the Aquarium.
Dr. Karyn D. Rode is a research wildlife biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey – Alaska Science Center. She works with the Eskimo Walrus Commission, IUCN Polar Bear Specialist Group, the US Fish and Wildlife Service Polar Bear recovery team, and the US-Russia Agreement on the Conservation and Management of Polar Bears.
She collaborates with local, state, federal, and international agencies and universities to identify and address research needs for walruses and polar bears. Her research focuses on identifying biological and ecological indicators for monitoring large mammal populations and ecosystem change and determining mechanisms of population regulation in response to environmental change.
Dr. Rode also studies wildlife interactions with humans in areas of industry, via tourism and recreation, to help minimize or avoid negative effects on wildlife and ensure human safety. Much of her work is centered on nutritional and physiological ecology and its effects on wildlife body condition, reproduction, and survival. She has authored over 90 scientific publications.
She is a member of the IUCN Polar Bear Specialist Group, the American Zoological Association’s Polar Bear Research Council, and the Science/TEK working group of the US Fish and Wildlife Service Polar Bear Recovery Team. She co-chairs the Research and Conservation grants program for the International Association of Bear Research and Management. She holds a doctorate and master’s degree in Zoology from Washington State University and bachelor’s in wildlife biology from Colorado State University.
The Aquarium of the Pacific’s First Wednesdays series focuses on animals, nature, and conservation efforts. The events bring scientists, authors, and other experts into its Honda Pacific Visions Theater for an illustrated talk paired with book signings or meet and greets and cocktail/social hours with music and crafts. The programs are best suited for high schools and college students, young professionals, and adults of all ages.