Recognizing Our Amazing Volunteers and Interns

Intern Emily Smith describing her cool buoyancy project to ASLC staff

Photo: Nate Chambers

Yesterday was one of those fun fun fun summer days at the Alaska SeaLife Center.  Beginning with the Intern Fair, we had the opportunity to see each of the our 2010 Interns demonstrate their projects and give feedback.  It is simply breathtaking to see the creative work these talented young scientists and educators are doing this summer - from cool new science projects to innovative ways to interpret our work to visitors.  The SeaLife Center is benefiting greatly from their enthusiasm, skill and fresh perspectives. All projects enrich our knowledge base and stimulate our staff - as they move into implemenation, I have no doubt that they will also enrich our visitors experience.

Volunteer and Intern Dinner MC, Daniel Barth

Photo: Nate Chambers

Last night, we had the opportunity to recognize the work being done by our interns and volunteers and to celebrate their many achievements.  Led in inimitable style by Daniel Barth, our relatively new HR Specialist and volunteer and intern program coordinator, awards were given to the following Interns for their projects:
• Most Useful Intern Project Award – Caitlin DeGrave (Eider intern)
• Best Intern Display Award – Adrienne Fisher (Laboratory intern)
• Most Creative Intern Project Award – Anne Winters (Interp/NPS intern)
• Best Overall Intern Project Award – Andrew Hayes (Aquarium intern)
• Honorable Mention – Jessica Vitale (Chiswell Research intern)
• Honorable Mention – Jessica Sellers (Interp/Dive intern)

2010 ASLC AmeriCorps Volunteers (l to r)

Noel Sutton, Rebecca Taylor, Christine Metzger and Matt Myers)

Photo: Nate Chambers

During the dinner, we also had the opportunity to recognize the extraordinary contributions of our 100 strong Alaskan-based volunteers (Anchorage, Seward, Homer and other centers)  and 2010 AmeriCorps volunteers and their supervisors.  Over the past year, our AmeriCorps volunteers alone have collectively provided some 5,500 hours of service to the Center and to the community of Seward!
Awards were presented to:
• Volunteers of the Year Award – Terril Efrind and Brian Hutchison (Dive volunteers)
• Intern of the Year – Caitlin DeGrave (Eider intern)
o Honorable Mention for Intern of the Year – Brenna O’Gorman (Interp/Mammals intern)
• Supervisor of the Year – Amber Stephens (Mammals department)
• AmeriCorps Member of the Year – Christine Metzger (Avian)
o AmeriCorps Honorable Mention – Noel Sutton (Mammals)
o AmeriCorps Admirable Mention – Rebecca Taylor (Education)
o AmeriCorps Worthy Mention – Matthew Myers (Education)

A light hearted moment with Richard Champion, our longest serving volunteer

Photo: Nate Chambers

It was a terrific evening and demonstrated again the very close bonds between staff, volunteers and interns - each plays a key role in the success of the Center and we appreciate both the diversity of their skills and the infectious enthusiasm they bring to our work.

Winston Churchill once remarked that "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give". 
Thank you again to everyone who gives so very generously of their time and skill to the work of the Alaska SeaLife Center - we are a better organization for all that you do.

New National Ocean Policy - Perfect Timing for ASLC!

Many of you will have already seen the historic announcement by President Obama on June 19th of a new National Ocean Policy - the full policy is presented on the White House website -  http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/oceans.

The policy is the culmination of a year long effort by an Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force that was charged with developing recommendations to enhance national ability to "maintain healthy, resilient, and sustainable oceans, coasts and Great lake resources for the benefit of present and future generations".  The Alaska SeaLife Center provided written input to the Task Force and I also gave public testimony at their hearing in Anchorage on August 24th (see SeaLife Ship's Blog August, 2009)

The policy adopts the recommendations of the Interagency Task Force.  Key initiatives include:

* establishment of a high level National Ocean Council that works in close coordination with a range of existing agencies (e.g. Ocean Research and Resources Advisory Panel which is meeting at the ASLC next week) and in close consultation with Regional Advisory Committees which will oversee spatial planning efforts in 9 regions - Alaska/Arctic is defined as one of those regions;

* development of a framework for stewardship of oceans and coasts that coordinates Federal activities with those of other levels of government, the public and private sector - coastal and marine spatial planning will be a major element of that framework.  Coastal and marine spatial planning identifies areas most suitable for various types or classes of activities in order to reduce conflicts among uses, reduce environmental impacts, facilitate compatible uses, and preserve critical ecosystem services to meet economic, environmental, security, and social objectives;

* mechanisms to enable international coordination, including pursuing US accession to the Law of the Sea Convention (a topic that was the subject of an international meeting in Seward last year); and

* support for ocean stewardship in a fiscally responsible manner.

The Alaska SeaLife Center has been working with our many Federal, State, local, academic and non-government partners to provide input to the new policy and is seeking to play an even greater role in implementation of this new policy in Alaska as part of our mission commitment to improved ocean stewardship.  This initiative comes at a perfect time for the Center as it meshes perfectly with our Deep Blue 2020 vision and strategic plan. 
Over the next few months we expect to ramp up our efforts to promote public understanding of key elements of the policy (e.g. to help Alaskans understand what coastal and marine spatial planning is and is not).  

Please let us know what more we could do to help you better understand this new policy and engage in the new initiatives it will spur.

2371 FB Friends and Counting!

I just learned that Facebook now has more than a half billion members which makes it the world's third largest discretely identifiable human community (after China and India)!  It really amazes me just how quickly Facebook has become part of our way of life since its humble beginnings just seven years ago.  But then again, perhaps I should not be surprised with that dramatic growth given the power of social networking that is so readily evident with Facebook. After all, success breeds success.

Since the start of 2010, Alaska SeaLife Center Facebook fan membership has increased by 350% and is continuing to grow both in engagement and in influence.  For example, fans quickly tell us what they like (and don't like) as we share program news... and we have had the experience where organizations who track web activity in Alaska or on marine topics generally have been prompted to engage with ASLC initiatives as a result of member posts - it is really fantastic to know that FB comments have great reach and immediate impact!

That is due in no small part to the great work done by Jenna Miller, our social media intern, who worked with Amy Haddow and Nikki Nelson to set up our current FB page last year, and is continuing to manage our FB site this summer.
As a result of their efforts, and with the arrival of Lexie Mizeras, our new VP of Marketing and Philanthropy, we are hoping to mount an even more cohesive social media campaign to better link ASLC staff, members and partners... So please keep the comments coming and please keep encouraging your friends to add ASLC to their FB links!

To join or refer ASLC to friends already on FB, use the link below once you are logged in...
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alaska-SeaLife-Center/

Good Luck to our Mt Marathon Runners on 4th July!

Few cities are as defined by their scenery as is Seward.  Among all the rugged peaks that tower over the city, all of us have a special relationship with Mt Marathon.  It is the massive backdrop to the city that dominates ones view from nearly all city streets - indeed, one of my friends from China last year described Seward as "a cute little city that clings to the base of this mountain in order to avoid falling into the sea!"

Seward Mural Society

All visitors soon learn about the the famous 4th of July Mt Marathon race and there is an amazing race history that is now well described in various murals and posters (see http://www.sewardak.org/news-events/marathon/marathon.htm).  Alaska's best known mountain race shall be run for the 83rd time this weekend and already Seward's campgrounds and RV parks are full with visitors anticipating another dramatic and fun 4th of July!

Jessica Vaughn at the summit for the first time last year.

On Sunday, eight ASLC staff Amy Haddow, Susheela Roach, Lisa Hartman, Tim Lebling, Elizabeth Moundalexis, Jessica Vaughn, Christy Phillips and Nancy Anderson as well as several former staff and close partners like Clarence Pautzke from the NPRB will again take on the mountain. 

This amazing race is a true test of stamina and strength - the mountain is steep up and down and, as last year's race demonstrated so vividly, can be challenging for top level athletes!

We wish all our colleagues and friends on the race a safe and fun day - who knows, maybe you'll inspire the other 90% of ASLC staff who didn't sign up for the race this year to get in shape for the 84th race in 2011?! (nudge, nudge...)

Honoring Senator John Kerry's Contributions to Coastal Stewardship

I had the privilege last night to participate in the Coastal America Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership (CWRP) 10th Anniversary Celebration during which the Senator John H. Chafee Coastal Stewardship Award was presented to Senator John Kerry. 

Senator Kerry has been a true oceans champion and sponsored many important pieces of legislation related to coastal and ocean management, including the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the National Sea Grant College Program Act.  He has also been a long term supporter of the Coastal America program (http://www.coastalamerica.gov/).  In 1996, he led the designation of the New England Aquarium as the first National Coastal Ecosystem Learning Center (CELC) -- there are now 23 such Centers around the country and the Alaska SeaLife Center is playing a key role in that network.  Next year will be the 15th anniversary of the CELC network and the 20th Anniversary of the Coastal America program.

It was a truly inspirational event and I greatly enjoyed hearing from such ocean leaders as Leon Panetta, the first recipient of the Chafee Award and now CIA Director, Dr Larry Robinson, Assitant Secretary  for Oceans and Atmosphere in the Dept. of Commerce, Virginia Tippie, Director of Coastal America and Pat Hester from Spectra Energy who is Chair of the CWRP. 

Events like this are a tremendous oportunity to reflect on both the difference that committed leaders can make and of the importance of persistence!  US coastal and ocean policy has been a 'work in progress' for a long time.  In order to understand why things are the way they are and where the proposed new ocean policy (see http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/oceans/interimreport) is heading (and why), it is helpful to hear directly from the people involved.  I'll share some more observations on that with staff when I get back home to Alaska.

Promoting Awareness Through Art... out of sight?

This week Howard Ferren, our Director of Conservation at the Alaska SeaLife Center, working in partnership with the Ocean Alaska Science and Learning Center of the National Park Service and with the Anchorage Museum, is hosting acclaimed artist, Prof. Pam Longobardi. Prof. Longobardi has worked with a wide range of media throughout her remarkable career, but in recent years has focused special attention on art from marine debris.  She is currently Professor of Art at Georgia State University and lives in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Over the past few years, she has created the Drifters Project, http://www.driftwebs.com/, an ongoing collaborative interdisciplinary project focusing on marine debris and plastics pollution.  The products of that work are fascinating and provocative as the image below indicates.

From: http://www.pamlongobardi.com/

Prof. Longobardi gave the first of two scheduled Alaska public lectures on her work last night at the Anchorage Museum.  The audience was enthralled with  her creative use of a wide range of media and her passion for drawing attention to the increasingly serious issue of ocean pollution by plastics.  Her next lecture is scheduled for 6pm this coming Thursday night here at the SeaLife Center and I encourage all with an interest in the future health of our oceans to attend and view her presentation and share in her goal of inspiring greater awareness of the impact of our lifestyle and consumption choices.

She demonstrates very effectively that marine debris is far more widespread than most of us imagine and that it has a dramatic impact on marine life - the image she shared of dozens of dead albatross chicks killed by discarded cigarette lighters and other drifting plastic waste will stay with me for the rest of my life.... that is a testament to the power of her art.

At this time of such widespread public concern for the future of our oceans associated with the bp well blowout and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, I fear that too much attention will be focused on short term responses.  Prof Longobardi's work is a timely reminder that our oceans are under assault from many sources and that it would be wise to take a much bigger picture and long term view of how we treat our ocean systems.

Out of sight should no longer equate to out of mind

World Ocean Day - a Day to Reflect and Recommit

Banner from the Ocean Project Site - http://www.theoceanproject.org/wod/

What a year to celebrate World Ocean Day - with an unprecedented and still uncontrolled oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico focusing public and political attention on marine ecosystems, suddenly the work that we do has a renewed sense of relevance and value!

This week I am in DC participating in the 10th annual Capitol Hill Ocean Week (CHOW) - the Alaska SeaLife Center is actively supporting the event.  The theme for CHOW is ocean energy - as all speakers to date have noted, that theme was selected a year in advance but is particularly prescient in view of the Deepwater Horizon blowout and spill, now at Day 50! 

I started the morning with a depressing, but helpful breakfast briefing organized by AZA on the impact of the spill on wildlife - our colleagues Dr Joe Smith at the Fort Wayne Childrens Zoo and John Hewitt at the Audubon Aquarium in New Orleans gave a riveting report from the frontline.  So far more than 1,000 seabirds and > 50 turtles and some 8 dolphins have been "processed".  The challenges of their work had an eery resemblance to the stories that I have heard from Pam Tuomi and others involved in the Exxon Valdez response.  Clearly, there is a lack of preparedness to respond adequately to disasters of this magnitude, despite the vast intellectual capital and amazing support provided by all members of the national strandings response and aquarium communities.

I left the briefing wondering about the future for the Gulf and what we must do in Alaska to be better prepared for a future that will likely continue to involve oil production for the best part of this century.  Even when the blowout has been shut down and the promised Gulf of Mexico restoration work underway, I can't help but wonder whether we are really committed to the long term energy reform that is esential if future spills like this one,  Exxon Valdez and the many others that preceded it are to be avoided.

It was therefore most encouraging to hear, later in the morning, Interior Secretrary Ken Salazar speak about how marine, energy and climate policy intersect - he took the opportunity to launch a new Federal partnership with 10 Atlantic States to develop a new program on reneweable energy.  I applauded his leadership, but wondered if that change will happen fast enough and at a level that makes a fundamental difference.

On this Ocean Day 2010, I hope that all of us recommit to doing all that we can to ensure the health of our global ocean that makes possible life on this planet (note that in the context of this special day it is a single ocean).  What more can the Alaska SeaLife Center do to help Alaska be better prepared to deal with oil and other threats to our oceans?  What more can we do to work more closely with industry and communities to promote a greater level of ocean stewardship?  What more can we do to demonstrate leadership in use of renewable energy?