COSEE and a New Alaska SEANET website

As many of you know, the Alaska SeaLife center is a key participant in the COSEE Alaska program - a new initiative between ocean scientists, communicators and educators from the Alaska Ocean Observing System, University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, UAF Center for Cross Cultural Studies, Alaska Sea Grant, Alaska SeaLife Center and the Anchorage School District.


COSEE Alaska is the newest center in the national network of centers for ocean sciences education excellence COSEE, aimed at helping ocean scientists reach broad audiences with their research. The COSEE AK theme is People, Oceans and Climate Change, focused on weaving together traditional knowledge and western science to share place-based knowledge of ocean climate change in the north.  Full details are on the website - http://www.coseealaska.net/


SEANET is the Ocean Scientists and Educators in Alaska Network under COSEE and has the goal of promoting Alaska ocean and climate change literacy. The group is open to everyone with an interest in communicating about research and traditional knowledge about Alaska's seas - scientists, educators, outreach, communication, and media specialists; students of all ages, and community members.

For more information about participating in SEANET, contact Marilyn Sigman, msigman@alaska.edu, or Nora Deans, nora.deans@nprb.org, or just go and check out the site directly - its a very easy to navigate platform, has some nice material ready to use and is geared towards open discussion of topics - see http://oceanseanet.ning.com/.

Coastal America Partnership

Over recent weeks, we have been actively engaged with various partners in the Coastal America partnership to both better define our role and initiate a range of new collaborative activities. 

As the Coastal America web summary notes:
"The Coastal America Partnership is an action-oriented, results-driven collaboration process dedicated to restoring and preserving coastal ecosystems and addressing critical environmental issues. The partnership brings together people and resources from federal agencies, state and local governments, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector to collaboratively address our nation's coastal environmental challenges. With a goal of better management of coastal resources, the partnership coordinates the statutory responsibilities and combines the resources and expertise of 16 federal agencies, 23 Coastal Ecosystem Learning Centers, and hundreds of corporate partners".

Just 2 weeks ago, Nikki Nelson, our Education Program manager, attended the annual partnership meeting in Washington State to define key priorities for collaboration.  While there, Nikki joined the high level welcoming ceremony for the newest partnership member, the Vancouver Aquarium which is a globally significant aquarium and science center.  I had previously met with the Director, Dr John Nightingale, to discuss potential collaboration.

During the ceremony to admit the Vancouver aquarium, various US and Canadian agencies and Coastal America network partners made pledges.  Our commitment was "ASLC will work with the Vancouver Aquarium and other CELC Partners on collaborative projects focused on the Arctic". 

That commitment was consistent with both our geographical and scientific niche and reflects our shared interests in arctic issues which are increasingly prominent both in Alaska and globally.

We encourage all ASLC staff, members and partners to visit the Vancouver aquarium and let them know how much we are looking forward to working more closely with them and welcome your feedback on this new partnership.