Aquarium Staff Member Selected to Explore Ocean Aboard Robert Ballard’s Nautilus

July 18, 2017

Katelyn Sullivan, an Aquarium of the Pacific biologist and educator, has been selected as a 2017 AltaSea Nautilus Ambassador—an Ocean Exploration Trust program supported by the Goldhirsh Foundation’s My LA2050 Grants Challenge—and will sail aboard Exploration Vessel (E/V) Nautilus during its 2017 expedition. Sullivan will join the Corps of Exploration aboard E/V Nautilus in late July as the ship explores the Eastern Pacific Ocean off the central California coast.

“One of the major goals of our Nautilus Exploration Program is to inspire the next generation of explorers in STEM fields,” said Allison Fundis, vice president of education, outreach and communications for the Ocean Exploration Trust, which operates the E/V Nautilus. “We are excited to provide educators and students with the direct experience of ocean exploration, while allowing them the opportunity to share that experience with their peers around the world.”

“AltaSea and the Ocean Exploration Trust share a commitment to facilitate scientific discoveries while cultivating the next generation of STEM professionals and community leaders who will explore and protect the ocean,” said Jenny Krusoe, executive director of AltaSea. “We are thrilled to bring some of our region’s best educators aboard Nautilus through this program.”

The Nautilus Ambassador Program brings together six educators participating in the OET’s Community STEM Program aboard Nautilus. The Ambassadors were chosen for their leadership in education and commitment to bringing unique science, technology, engineering, and mathematics educational experiences to their learners.

These leading educators will experience life aboard a research vessel and see firsthand how deep-sea exploration and research is conducted. Nautilus Ambassadors gain exposure to at-sea science, technology, engineering, communications, and education during their time onboard while shadowing professionals in each field. They then will return to their classrooms in the fall to share their experiences with students and colleagues.

“The Aquarium of the Pacific’s mission to instill a sense of wonder, respect, and stewardship for the Pacific Ocean, its inhabitants, and ecosystems extends far beyond its front doors,” Sullivan said. “Our 1.7 million annual visitors, participants in our in-person and videoconferencing outreach programs for students and adults, and staff are forever impacted by conservation lessons and exploration experiences. I am thrilled to carry this mission with me as a communicator of ocean research while aboard the E/V Nautilus and long after.”

Ambassadors will spend five days aboard E/V Nautilus July 30 to August 5 for one leg of the six-month expedition. Educators will stand watch alongside scientists and engineers and interact with shore-based audiences via Nautilus Live, a web portal connecting expeditions in the field to future explorers on shore via telepresence technology at www.nautiluslive.org including live audio commentary and question-and-answer sessions. The public can also follow the expedition through social media on Twitter as @EVNautilus and on Facebook and Instagram as NautilusLive and through in-person live interactions at partner museums, aquaria, and science centers around the world.

OET and AltaSea have partnered to create STEM educational opportunities for teachers and students in the Los Angeles area. In addition, OET has made AltaSea’s wharf facilities in San Pedro the west coast homeport of E/V Nautilus. This is part of a broader AltaSea initiative promoting academic exploration in STEM. With support from the Goldhirsh Foundation’s My LA2050 grant, the AltaSea-OET Community STEM partnership provides opportunities for local students and educators to tour the ship and participate in Nautilus expeditions, ocean-focused professional-development workshops, ocean exploration-themed curricular resources, and community participation in live broadcasts with Nautilus team members. OET, a nonprofit founded by Dr. Robert Ballard in 2008, has the mission to explore the ocean, seeking discoveries in geology, biology, maritime history, archaeology, physics, and chemistry while pushing the boundaries of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education and technological innovation.

About the Ocean Exploration Trust The Ocean Exploration Trust was founded in 2008 by Dr. Robert Ballard to explore the ocean, seeking out new discoveries in the fields of geology, biology, maritime history, and archaeology while pushing the boundaries of STEM education and technological innovation. Our international program is launched from aboard the Exploration Vessel (E/V) Nautilus, offering live exploration to participants on shore and the public via live video, audio, and data feeds. The major 2017 expedition and education sponsors are the NOAA Office of Exploration & Research, the Office of Naval Research, Ocean Networks Canada, NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, the University of Rhode Island, CITGO, AltaSea, KVH and additional private donors. Follow us online at www.nautiluslive.org, on Facebook and Instagram at NautilusLive, and on Twitter as @EVNautilus.

About AltaSea AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles accelerates scientific collaboration, facilitates job creation and inspires the next generation for a more sustainable ocean. Built on a historic pier with direct access to the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean, AltaSea’s 35-acre campus brings people and organizations together to expand science-based understanding of the ocean; incubate and sustain ocean-related business; and pioneer new ocean-related education programs.

About Aquarium of the Pacific The nonprofit Aquarium of the Pacific is a community gathering place where diverse cultures and the arts are celebrated and where important challenges facing our planet are explored by scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders in search of sustainable solutions. Programs for adults include Aquatic Academy evening courses on current ocean issues, the ongoing Guest Speaker Series, and visual and performing arts events. The Aquarium is dedicated to conserving and building nature and nature’s services by building the interactions between and among peoples. Home to more than 11,000 animals, Aquarium exhibits also include the Ocean Science Center and the Ocean Exploration Hub. Charity Navigator awarded the Aquarium a 4-star charity rating in 2016.