[mynd 1 h]Former student of the Master's Programme in Coastal and Marine Management Annukka Pekkarinen from Finland recently wrote a children's book, Underwater Alien Invasion, published earlier this year by the World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmoe, Sweden. Pekkarinen is now a Ph.D. student and research assistant with the WMU.

The book is a public awareness project which aims at educating children on the topic of ballast water, alien invasive species and their management. It is based on an original idead by Pekkarinen along with two WMO alumni and was produced by the WMU as part of the North Sea Ballast Water Opportunity Project. Pekkarinen now works with inventory of dangerous goods in Swedish ports as well as compiling the North Sea Alien Species database in the North Sea Ballast Water Opportunity project. 

[mynd 2 h]A class of fifth-graders was invited to the publishing party to celebrate the release of the book. The group was given the opportunity to learn more about marine aliens in ballast water and each pupil received a copy of the book. The University Centre was also happy to receive a copy of the book and we would like to take the opportunity to congratulate Annukka Pekkarinen!