Cruise News - Maritime News

Young Explorers, Fostering Next Generation of Marine Scientists and Activists

This year's Young Explorers program will provide hands-on research and mentorship opportunities to 15 university students in the fields of marine biology and ocean exploration.

Global ocean exploration nonprofit OceanX announced today that its flagship educational program, Young Explorers, will embark on its fourth mission hosting 15 university and college students aboard OceanXplorer, the advanced research and filmmaking vessel used by OceanX to explore the ocean and bring it back to the world. Students will have the unique opportunity to explore and map two shipwrecks, the HMCS Athabaskan and USS Bonhomme Richard, using OceanXplorer's cutting-edge science and media technology and learn under the mentorship of expert scientists and faculty from top educational institutions and nonprofit organizations. Young Explorers 2023 will travel from Bergen, Norway, to Brest, France, from August 8th to 18th.

Since launching in 2021, the Young Explorers program has offered learning and career opportunities to young people, particularly those underrepresented in STEAM, marine science, and exploration fields. The program aims to expand access to ocean exploration, foster a new generation of ocean advocates, and offer hands-on, immersive instruction to students in fields related to marine research and media.

"Young Explorers is the culmination of OceanX's educational effort to cultivate a passion for marine science and exploration in the next generation," said Mark Dalio, co-founder and co-CEO of OceanX. "Every year, our educational arm is bolstered by our growing network of admirable partners that have made an invaluable contribution to advancing inclusive representation in the fields of STEAM and marine science. We're thrilled to offer this opportunity for students to further their knowledge and excitement for ocean exploration."

The Young Explorers class of 2023 are undergraduate students from colleges and universities across the country including Spelman College, Howard University, Yale University, Stanford University, University of Southern California, Maine Maritime Academy, Sacred Heart University, Western Washington University, Dartmouth College, and Worcester Polytechnic. These young explorers will have the opportunity to enrich their multidisciplinary majors in the arts and sciences, ranging from documentary filmmaking and computer science to environmental studies and more aboard the mission.

Faculty and staff from Spelman College, Black in Marine Science, the Ocean Discovery League, and Stanford University will serve as mentors alongside the OceanX team and OceanXplorer crew. The faculty onboard who have diverse backgrounds in environmental journalism, communications, marine sciences, and higher-education teaching brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the mission.

During the ten-day mission, the young explorers will utilize OceanXplorer's multibeam system to locate and chart the shipwrecks of the USS Bonhomme Richard and HMCS Athabaskan.

The curriculum focuses on three key areas: science, operations, and media/storytelling, and will also touch on interdisciplinary career paths. Students will have the opportunity to learn about mapping and acoustics, oceanography and deep sea exploration technology, maritime archaeology, data science and AI, and storytelling and science communication.

The Young Explorers Program forms part of OceanX's greater commitment to ocean science and media education and fostering a deep understanding of the oceans to cultivate the next generation of marine scientists and advocates. Since 2021, The Young Explorers program has embarked on three missions, with a total of 34 graduates of the program.

About OceanX

OceanX is a mission to support scientists to explore the ocean and to bring it back to the world through captivating media. Uniting leading media, science, and philanthropy partners, OceanX utilizes next-gen technology, fearless science, compelling storytelling, and immersive experiences to educate, inspire, and connect the world with the ocean and build a global community deeply engaged with understanding, enjoying, and protecting our oceans. OceanX is an initiative of Dalio Philanthropies, which furthers the diverse philanthropic interests of Dalio family members. For more information, visit www.oceanx.org and follow OceanX on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and LinkedIn.