Enjoy an extraordinary dinner at renowned Chicago-area restaurants and learn how your seafood choices can help protect our environment. We’ll indulge in sustainable seafood appetizers and entrees, dabble in desserts and hear from Shedd specialists about the latest happenings at the aquarium. Each restaurant will feature a unique environmentally friendly menu created just for this event.
Special thanks to Shedd’s Auxiliary Society, host of our Right Bite dinner series.
Each event is $75 per person.
Remaining dinners in the series are at
Shaw's Crab House – Monday, July 14
Naha – Monday, Sept. 8
Robert Morris College – Tuesday, Nov. 18
To register, please call 312-692-3123.
Discover techniques used to quickly identify marine fishes, reef corals and sharks. Enhance your next dive or other ocean adventure by learning how these animals are classified by standard characteristics, not just colors. Then practice your new skills using Shedd’s exhibits as your observation laboratory.
Please check back for more details; themes to be announced in the fall.
- Saturday, Oct. 4
- Saturday, Nov. 1
- Saturday, Dec. 6
Environmental Quality Seminar
This intensive five-day seminar offers environmental-quality professionals direct access to Shedd Aquarium's state-of-the-art water-quality analysis laboratory, life-support systems and environmental-quality experts. As both an experienced chemist and instructor, Allen LaPointe, director of water systems and analysis, makes concepts clear enough for those new to the field yet sufficietly in-depth for experienced professionals. Each day of the seminar is filled with engaging in-class presentations and hands-on experiments in Shedd's water-quality laboratory. The seminar also includes extensive tours of Shedd's life-support infrastructure for exhibits and rarely seen back-of-house operations.
Key topics include: understanding physical and biological processes, monitoring environmental-quality parameters, managing closed and recirculating systems, interpreting results and taking corrective action.
Also included are morning and afternoon coffee breaks, lunch each day, two dinners, admission to the aquarium, course materials and exams; and personal consultation time with the instructor.
Dates: Monday, Aug. 25, to Friday, Aug. 29, 2008; day-long seminar
Fee: $1275; early registration fees before 6/13/2008
$1500; regular registration fees after 6/13/2008
To register please contact Lisa Ostrego at 312-692-3351. For more information please contact adults@sheddaquarium.org.
Graduate Credit Opportunity
Graduate credit is available through Western Illinois University. For more information please contact Lisa Ostrego at 312-692-3351 or adults@sheddaquarium.org.
Underwater Photography and Dive Course: The Ultimate Coral Reef Experience!
Join us for this fall for a comprehensive survey of underwater photographic principles and techniques. Test out your newfound skills when you dive among the residents of Shedd’s Caribbean Reef exhibit! The aquarium makes digital underwater camera equipment, tanks and weights available. You must be a certified scuba diver to participate in the reef dive session.
- Class sessions: Saturday, Nov. 1, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
and Saturday, Nov. 8, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. - Pool session: Wednesday, Nov. 12, 8 p.m. – 10 p.m.
- Picture review: Thursday, Nov. 13, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
- Coral reef dive: Tuesday, Nov. 18, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
OR Wednesday, Nov. 19, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. - Photo sharing: Wednesday, Dec. 3, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Fee: $495 ($450 Shedd members) Class only: $200
For more information or to register contact adults@sheddaquarium.org.
On-Site Courses
Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area (ACCA)
This consortium is made up of the following schools: Aurora University, Benedictine University, Concordia University, Dominican University, Elmhurst College, Judson College, Lewis University, North Central College, North Park University, Olivet Nazarene University, St. Xavier University, Trinity Christian College, Trinity International University, University of St. Francis and Wheaton College. You must be registered as a student of one of these schools to participate in this program.
Marine and Island Ecology of the Bahamas, 2008
Delve into the tropical world underwater as you explore habitats and animals found on and around the Bahamian Islands. Discover how oceanography and water chemistry affect marine habitats and island environments. Develop identification techniques as you study species such as fishes, reptiles, plants and invertebrates. Gain knowledge of techniques and procedures used in field research. Become familiar with tropical marine and island flora and fauna, and survey a variety of marine and terrestrial communities in the Exumas. Then board Shedd’s research vessel, the R/V Coral Reef II, and apply your newfound knowledge of field and research techniques in a nine-day field experience.
- Saturdays, March 29 through April 26, 2008; 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Course held at Shedd Aquarium
- Swim and snorkel check-out date TBD at Scuba Emporium in Skokie, Illinois
- Field experience: Monday, May 19, through Tuesday, May 27, 2008; OR Tuesday, May 27, through Wednesday, June 4, 2008, in Exuma Islands, Bahamas
School tuition: Please see school registrar for tuition rates.
Shedd tuition: $2,300 per student includes lodging aboard the R/V Coral Reef II and all meals.
Airfare is not included in this fee.
Credits: Course is worth four undergraduate credit hours.
For more information or to register please email us at adults@sheddaquarium.org.
Trainer for a DayLearn what it really takes to be a trainer at Shedd! Trainer for a Day allows participants to don rubber boots and get closer than ever with belugas, dolphins and sea lions, giving them the opportunity to know what it’s really like to care for marine mammals. Participants shadow a marine mammal trainer to assist with daily routines and experience several training/feeding sessions from the perspective of a Shedd trainer. This behind-the-scenes opportunity is a once-in-a-lifetime experience! And for birthdays, holidays, or other special occasions, Trainer for a Day gift certificates are available.
For this adult program, participants must be at least 12 years old. Participants 12 to15 years old must be accompanied by a paying parent or guardian. Group size is limited to three people per session.
Days: Fridays and Saturdays
Times: 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. or 1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Fee: $350 ($300 Shedd members) per person
To register, call the Trainer for a Day hotline at 312-692-3224 or e-mail us at trainerforaday@sheddaquarium.org.
