Annual Meeting and Conference at Woods Hole
Saturday, May 2nd 2026
The Massachusetts Marine Educators held their 50th Annual Meeting and Conference on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution's Quissett Campus, themed "Advances in Blue Tech: Where We've Been and Where We're Going." The day kicked off with inspirational keynote presentations: Dr. Zak Swartz of the Marine Biological Laboratory spoke on sea star reproduction and how early cellular development holds up under environmental stress, then Bruce Strickrott, lead submersible pilot at WHOI, gave attendees an inside look at the history and latest capabilities of the deep-sea vehicle Alvin. Participants then had a blast reflecting on MME’s 50 year history by building an interactive photographic timeline of meetings, members, and marine education history.
The MME Awards Ceremony brought more reflections and inspiration. Dr. Van Mooy, who accepted the 2026 Annual Award of Distinction on behalf of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), reiterated the power of educators:
“I often tell my graduate students that we are in the business of making really awesome discoveries….but no one is born just knowing about all the discoveries that have been made of the ocean. Each person must make those same discoveries for themselves, when they're learning. And in that sense, it's really educators, and not just researchers, who are the stewards of the legacy of all of the discoveries of the ocean. So thank you, all of you, and to the MME for 50 years of stewardship of ocean science, marine science, and all of those discoveries.”
Ellen Link, recipient of the 2026 Marine Educator Award, shared a motivation that resonated with every educator in attendance:
“Access to nature and to knowing the ocean is every child’s birthright.”
The afternoon was packed with hands-on workshops across two sessions, covering topics ranging from oyster shell research and Great White Shark DNA fingerprinting to coastal resiliency activities and salt marsh ecology games. Session 1 featured presentations by Needham High School, Lynn Labs, PolarSTEAM, and Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Session 2 featured presentations by WHOI Sea Grant, the Popponesset Water Stewardship Alliance, Northeastern University Marine Science Center, and MIT Sea Grant.
After workshops, attendees had the opportunity to join guided tours of the Marine Biological Lab, the WHOI dock (including a look at the Alvin and the R/V Atlantis), and the WHOI David Center for Innovation. The day wrapped up with a social reception at the SEA Education Association's Madden Center, bringing together marine educators to celebrate this milestone anniversary and their shared commitment to ocean literacy.
