Florida Marine Science Educators Association (FMSEA) Conference 2026

From April 24-26th, 2026, The International SeaKeepers Society’s Community Engagement Manager, Lillian Engelhard, and Educational Outreach Manager, Jack Rucker, attended the Florida Marine Science Educators Association (FMSEA) 2026 Conference in Fort Pierce, Florida. FMSEA has been hosting annual conferences throughout the state since 1986, offering marine science educators the opportunity to hear from prominent speakers in marine science, engage in interactive professional development sessions, network with other educators and individuals, and exhibit to the general public. This year’s theme was Connecting the Dots, reflecting FMSEA’s mission to connect and empower educators to protect our ocean.

Some highlights from the weekend:
Lillian and Jack kicked off the conference with a field trip to the InWater Research Group research site at the FPL St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant. InWater Research Group aims to foster marine and coastal conservation through integrated research and education, tagging and studying sea turtles and other marine creatures at sites in the Big Bend Region, The Florida Keys, the Lake Worth Lagoon, the Jupiter Inlet, and off the coast of Boca Raton. The St. Lucie site is their largest research site, where animals enter the research site through intake pipes used to cool the Nuclear reactors, allowing biologists to oversee the capture, data collection, and safe return of sea turtles since 2009. During our visit to the site, we were able to tour the facility and even watch the data collection and tagging of a Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle! Next we stopped by the St. Lucie County Aquarium, where we were able to watch feeding time and learn about all the local wildlife residing in the Smithsonian Marine Ecosystems Exhibit from our knowledgeable tour guide!

We wrapped up the first day of the conference with the President’s Circle SciCafe at the Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. Conference attendees were able to network with each other as well as undergraduate and graduate students from multiple universities in Florida who were invited to present the results of studies they have conducted, ranging from topics like coral immune responses to the impact of outdoor learning on student performance. The conference attendees all gathered in the auditorium to hear from two speakers; Kelly Quinn and Tom Fitz. Kelly Quinn is the Art Director of Canvas of the Wild, where she designs murals and scientific graphics for conservation campaigns. SeaKeepers has been lucky to collaborate with Kelly for the creation of our Biscayne Bay Coral Reef & Mangrove Ecosystem Identification Guides and our Exploring South Florida Habitats Activity E-Workbooks and murals, and Kelly was named SeaKeepers’ Artist of the Year in 2021 and 2022. Our team was so excited to reconnect with Kelly and honored to hear her speak about our collaborative educational resources. We were also blown away by the words and footage shared by Tom Fitz, an Emmy-winning cameraman and the Executive Director of Schoolyard Films, which was formed in 2008 to educate students and inspire environmental stewardship.

Day two was packed with learning and networking opportunities back at FAU Harbor Oceanographic Institute. The day started off with a Keynote address from Dr. Alistair Dove, an Australian-American scientist whose research currently focuses on the biology of whale sharks. Dr. Dove told stories of the expeditions he has been on in an effort to learn more about whale sharks and conduct research focusing on their diving behaviors, migration, and gestation, with a call to protect these amazing creatures which face many threats. Lillian and Jack spent the rest of the day attending presentations and workshops from organizations like Earth Echo International, Sharks4Kids, Florida Sea Grant, ANGARI and OCEARCH, among many others. These organizations and educators presented their work along with hands-on activities they recommend to bring marine science education into the classroom to engage students in education and conservation. We also had a chance to establish new connections and revisit old ones by interacting with all the incredible organizations exhibiting at the conference, such as Reef Relief, Guy Harvey Foundation, and University of South Florida! Through all the lectures, discussions, activities and conversations, we ended the day with a ton of new resources and connections which will allow us to expand and improve upon SeaKeepers Educational Outreach program with new topics and activities to engage students all over the world.

Day two ended with a FMSEA annual member meeting, followed by a silent auction, banquet, and entertainment at Pelican Yacht Club where attendees were able to network and support FMSEA’s educator scholarship fund. Lillian and Jack had a great time networking and learning from our peers at FMSEA, and we look forward to attending next year!