UPDATE—We are monitoring the rapidly evolving local and global COVID-19 situation and have decided to delay the opening of registration until April at the earliest. We will continue to post updates as the situation develops.

Lodging Information

We are pleased to offer lodging in the renovated dorms at beautiful Pearson College UWC. Lodging includes breakfasts and dinners during your stay, in addition to the lunches provided with conference registration. Mealtimes and evening events provide excellent opportunities for networking, sharing, and extending learning. We encourage locals to stay overnight in order to build on the relationships and conversations they will begin during the daytime sessions. All fees listed in this table are in $USD.

  • Choose one, two, or four people per room
  • Dorm building common areas include a gathering space and a kitchenette
  • Bathrooms are shared
  • Guest wifi is available across campus
Quad Occupancy Double Occupancy Single Occupancy
Full Conference $280 $310 $390
Two Days (Sun-Tue or Tue-Thu) $140 $155 $195

Travel Information

You will find Pearson College along the wooded shores of the Pacific Ocean at sheltered Pedder Bay, on the southernmost tip of Vancouver Island, 29 km west of Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia, Canada.

For detailed directions on how to get to Pearson from the ferry, airport, or Victoria, please visit their website.

We will be working on coordinating travel arrangements for the conference from central locations. If you are arriving into Victoria via the airport or ferry and need a ride or can offer a ride, please email your arrival and departure times to registration@pacname.org, so we can help with arranging transportation.

Campus Map:

Pearson College Campus Map

Educating for Sustainable Seas: Diving into the Ocean Decade

The Northwest Aquatic and Marine Educators and the Canadian Network for Ocean Education invite educators, researchers, students, and resource professionals from the Pacific Northwest and across Canada to present at the 2021 NAME/CaNOE summer conference. In keeping with current COVID guidelines, this year’s conference will be held online from August 17-20, 2021.

Virtual conference sessions, networking opportunities, and social activities will be spread across four consecutive weekdays from Tuesday, August 17, through Friday, August 20. The extended timeline will help minimize online fatigue and allow us to better accommodate the needs of participants from a range of time zones across the U.S.A. and Canada.

Presentations that align with the conference theme and goals are encouraged:

  • Learn and plan for the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development
  • Discover resources and information from communities and organizations that value healthy marine and aquatic ecosystems, and discuss how they can be incorporated into ocean and aquatic education
  • Share activities, lessons, and resources that embrace diverse ways of teaching and learning ocean literacy concepts in the classroom and community
  • Explore and discuss current issues in marine and aquatic science and the role of place, language and culture in informing solutions

Call for Presentations

The 2021 Call for Presentations is now closed. Thank you for your submissions and we are looking forward to an amazing program!


Presentation Formats

1. Short Virtual Presentations: (15-minute sessions)

Standard online presentations, including 3 minutes for questions. Please be prepared to share your screen!

2. “Hands-On” Virtual Workshop or Presentation: (45-minute sessions)

Share your favorite marine and aquatic lessons, activities, or stewardship and research initiatives with your colleagues – including any adaptations you’ve made for teaching under current COVID conditions while encouraging hands-on and place-based learning. Past sessions have featured: squid dissections, octopus parachute fun, surface tension experiments, salmon life cycle games, art projects, community monitoring programs, citizen science projects and more.

Sharing outdoor learning experiences are also welcome here!

3. “Hands-On” Virtual Workshop or Interactive Presentation: (90-minute sessions)

As above: Two 45-minute sessions can be combined for a total of 90-minutes. Interactivity could include breakout rooms, discussion activities, or other whole or small group activities.

4. Poster Presentation (+ 5-minute “Lightning Round” Introduction)

The poster session is an engaging way for students, teachers, scientists and community professionals to share their lessons, research, and citizen science initiatives. The introduction is a great way to draw the audience into your research idea, project results, education tips and techniques for building networks – at lightning speed! There will be time for a few quick questions after each round, and additional time for networking, feedback and engaging with participants on a one-on-one basis while posters are up for viewing. The online poster gallery will be available for viewing throughout the conference.

If you are selected to present a poster, we will provide additional information regarding guidelines for poster size and format and upload instructions. The selected Poster Presenters will automatically be considered for monetary awards in a variety of categories.

NAME Old-Timers AKA “MAME”—the “Masters & Mavens of Aquatic & Marine Education” will be gathering to share stories and photos of the good old times from past conferences and our work together.

We will meet at the Day Use Beach Shelter adjacent to the Beach Campground at Ft. Worden for a BBQ at 5 pm on Monday August 12. Parking at the beach will require a WA Discover Pass. NAME will have a registration table set up in the lobby at the Commons at Ft. Worden and can provide instructions on arrival.

Registration costs for past NAME members who are only attending the Masters & Mavens event on Monday:

  • BBQ cost—$15

Additional options for Masters & Mavens:

  • Senior/Limited-Income Member Dues—$15/1-yr; $25/2-yr
  • If attending Monday-only sessions—$75

Register

Field Trips: Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Please note, more field trips details will be added as they are finalized. You are welcome to complete your registration without adding any field trips; send an email to registration@pacname.org at any time to add or change a field trip on your registration, or to add a guest to a field trip.


1. Elwha River Trip (Full day—offsite)
The Elwha Ecosystem Restoration Project is a 21st-century project of the U.S. National Park Service to remove two dams on the Elwha River on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state, and restore the river to a natural state. It is the largest dam removal project in history and the second largest ecosystem restoration project in the history of the National Park Service, after the Restoration of the Everglades. We’ll depart Port Townsend in the morning via shuttle and join experts along several points of interest along the Elwha River and learn more about this tremendous restoration project.   Please note: this an all day field trip.

Cost: $40 per person


2. Kayaking Port Townsend (2-3 hours, morning—onsite @ Fort Worden)
Paddle along the beautiful shoreline of Fort Worden and learn about the natural history of the Salish Sea including seabirds, intertidal life and the marine mammals that call these waters home. No previous padding experience necessary. Please dress to get wet and be sure to wear plenty of sunscreen.

Cost: $60 per person


3. Low Tide Beach Walks (2-3 hours, morning—onsite @ Fort Worden) [low tide 9:27am (-0.81ft)]

Explore the ebbs and flows of the marine coastal environment on a low tide walk led by Port Townsend Marine Science Center naturalists. Meet at the Marine Science Center located at the Fort, and explore tide pools and learn about how marine organisms are adapted for the challenges of living in the intertidal zone. Weather-appropriate clothing and shoes with good traction for moving around on wet slippery rocks are recommended.

Cost: Free


4. Western Flyer Tour (1-2 hours, afternoon—offsite, in Port Townsend)FULL
The Western Flyer is a fishing boat, most known for its use by John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts in their 1940 expedition to the Gulf of California. The Western Flyer Foundation was formed in its honor with the goal of educating youth about the intersection of science and literature. Join Chris Chase , the Project Director for the Foundation and a longtime shipwright, on a tour of that will share the history, restoration process and the exciting future of the Western Flyer.

This is a mid-afternoon field trip so it could be paired with another morning field trip.

This field trip has reached capacity and will no longer be available for new registrants


5. Northwest Maritime Center Facility and Pilothouse Simulator Tour (1 hour, afternoon—offsite, in Port Townsend):

Come learn about the maritime education programs going on at Northwest Maritime Center on the waterfront in downtown Port Townsend. See summer sailing programs and youth camps in action. Visit our boatshop where wooden boats are being built and repaired. Visit the pilothouse simulator that simulates a ship’s bridge used for Merchant Mariner’s training. Note: this field trip can be paired with the Western Flyer afternoon field trip

Cost: $10


6. Historic Longboat Expedition (3 hours, afternoon—offsite, in Port Townsend)

Head out rowing and sailing aboard a historic 26 foot long wooden vessel patterned after Captain George Vancouver’s ship’s boats. These boats are used as modern exploration platforms for students aged 12 and older to learn how to work together as a crew and develop awareness of the local marine environment and navigation. Learn about the unique programs that NWMC offers in partnership with local and regional schools.

Cost: $50 

Dr. Deborah Giles

Science & Research Director, Wild Orca

Dr. Deborah Giles (she goes by her last name) received her PhD from the University of California Davis in 2014. Her master’s thesis and PhD dissertation both focused on the federally listed southern resident killer whales. Formerly the research director at the Center for Whale Research, she is currently a resident scientist and lecturer at the University of Washington’s Friday Harbor Labs, where she teaches Marine Mammals of the Salish Sea and Marine Biology. Since 2009 Giles has been the vessel captain for Dr. Samuel Wasser’s project – University of Washington’s Center for Conservation Biology – utilizing a scat detection dog to locate floating killer whale scat to monitor the physiological health of southern resident killer whales.

Starting in 2010, Giles also began work with an ongoing collaborative project with Cascadia Research Collective and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service deploying acoustic suction-cup recording tags on killer whales to measure received noise levels by whales. Giles is the killer whale scientific adviser for the Orca Salmon Alliance, a program advisor for Killer Whale Tales, and is on the Steering Committee for the Salish Sea Ecosystem Advocates (SalishSEA).


Jessica Plumb

Director / Writer / Producer, Plumb Productions

Jessica Plumb is an award-winning filmmaker and writer, known for exploring the relationship between people and place. She is the Producer, Co-Director and writer of Return of the River, a feature documentary about the restoration of the Elwha River, and the largest dam removal in history. Recognized with a dozen festival awards, including “Best Storytelling” by the International Wildlife Film Festival, the film was reviewed as “hell-raising documentary filmmaking at its best”. Her short environmental films and video installations, described as video poetry, have screened in galleries and theaters throughout the United States and internationally. Plumb directs a video production company that creates educational and promotional films for clients. Her freelance writing has been published in the Seattle Times op-ed pages, Mountaineers Magazine, and Boston Sunday Globe among others. Before moving to the Olympic Peninsula, she worked in Boston and Beijing, and served as interim editor of the Yale China Review. Plumb holds a B.A. from Yale University and an interdisciplinary MFA from Goddard College.


Betsy Peabody

Director, Puget Sound Restoration Fund

Betsy Peabody is executive director of Puget Sound Restoration Fund (PSRF), a nonprofit organization founded in 1997 to restore marine habitat, water quality and native species in Puget Sound.  She is also President of the Pacific Shellfish Institute, a research organization developing and disseminating scientific information to foster sustainable shellfish resources and a healthy marine environment. In 2012, Betsy served on the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Ocean Acidification, and continues to be actively involved in efforts to mitigate the effects of ocean acidification.  In 2013, she collaborated with NOAA to establish a conservation hatchery at NOAA’s Manchester Research Station dedicated to restoring native shellfish and other living marine resources.  Betsy has a bachelor’s degree in English from Stanford University – and a strong appreciation for the role that marine resources play in our human story.

The more detailed conference schedule will be available soon. Below is the general schedule for the conference.

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
11-Aug 12-Aug 13-Aug 14-Aug 15-Aug
Morning Activity Board Meeting Keynote and Sessions I Field Trips Sessions III Keynote and All Hands General Meeting
Afternoon Activity Registration/ Board Meeting Sessions II Field Trips Sessions IV Sessions V
Evening Activity Welcome Reception @ Port Townsend Marine Science Center Early Evening Poster Session followed by BBQ at beach Explore PT for dinner on your own! Auction and Banquet at NW Maritime Center Closing Remarks and Departure

Lodging

Lodging is still available on a first come, first served basis! Lodging will be in the Fort Worden dormitories, which were built in 1904 and originally served as barracks for soldiers stationed at the Fort. Both single and double rooms are available with shard bathrooms down the hall. Lodging cost includes breakfast. Guest lodging can be purchased during registration. Please contact us if you have any questions about lodging or meals during the conference.

Single Occupancy Double Occupancy
Full Conference $400 $330
Two Days (Sun-Tue or Tue-Thu) $200 $165

Lodging Cancellation Policy:

  • Lodging cancellations submitted by May 3, 2019 will be refunded.
  • Lodging cancellations submitted May 3, 2019 through July 8, 2019 will be refunded 50%.
  • No refunds for cancellations after July 8, 2019.

Camping

A limited number of camping spots at Fort Worden have been reserved for the conference. If you are interested in registering for a tent site, or a motor vehicle site, please contact Casey Ralston.


Getting Around

Download Fort Worden map here


Getting from Ft Worden to Northwest Maritime Center

Catch local shuttle bus #2 on Eisenhower Ave, across from Puget Sound Coast Artillery Museum and Gift Shop. 

Fees—Unlimited Rides All Day:

  •   Adult: $1.50
  •   Honored (>60 or disabled): $1.00
  •   Youth (7-18): $1.00
  •   Children (<7): Free
Leave Ft Worden Arrive Haller Fountain Downtown Port Townsend
9:11 am 9:19 am
10:11 am 10:19 am
11:11 am 11:19 am
12:11 pm 12:19 pm
1:11 pm 1:19 pm
2:11 pm 2:19 pm
3:11 pm 3:19 pm
4:11 pm 4:19 pm
5:11 pm 5:19 pm
6:11 pm 6:19 pm

Walk east from Heller Fountain down Washington St. Take a right on Monroe and then a left on Water St. The Northwest Maritime Center will be on your right.

Getting from Northwest Maritime Center to Fort Worden

It’s easier to walk than it is to take the shuttle bus.

NAME Banquet Shuttle

Catch the shuttle in the front parking lot of the Commons at Fort Worden.

Leave Fort Worden for NWMC:

5:15 pm

5:45 pm

6:10 pm

Leave NWMC for Fort Worden:

9:00 pm

9:30 pm

10:00 pm

Registration options

Full Conference Registration—includes all sessions, lunches, and evening events from Sunday evening, August 11 through Thursday lunch, August 15, including the NAME Awards Banquet and Auction.

Two-day Registration—includes all of the following, plus the option to join us on the field trips!

  • Sun-Tue: all sessions, lunches, and evening events from Sunday evening, August 11 through Tuesday lunch, August 13
  • Tue-Thu: all sessions, lunches, and evening events from Tuesday lunch, August 13 through Thursday lunch, August 15, including the NAME Awards Banquet and Auction.

Single-day Registration—includes all sessions plus lunch on the day registered. Available for Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday.

Membership Renewal

Registering as a member does not include NAME membership renewal. Please add your membership renewal during registration, if desired.

NAME Member Non-member
Full Conference
Early-bird (through May 3, 2019) $275 $305
Regular (beginning May 4, 2019) $350 $380
Two Day: Sun (8/11) through Tue (8/13)
Early-bird (through May 3, 2019) $155 $185
Regular (beginning May 4, 2019) $230 $260
Two Day: Tue (8/13) through Thu (8/15)
Early-bird (through May 3, 2019) $200 $230
Regular (beginning May 4, 2019) $275 $305
One Day: Mon (8/12), Wed (8/14), or Thu (8/15)
Early-bird (through May 3, 2019) $75 $105
Regular (beginning May 4, 2019) $130 $160
Event tickets for guests/family members
Evening BBQ (Monday, Aug 12) $15
NAME Awards Banquet and Auction (Wednesday, Aug 14) $50

Lodging

Conference registration does not include lodging, which can be purchased during registration and includes breakfast. Lodging information can be found on our Travel & Lodging page. Lodging is still available on a first come, first served basis!


Cancellation Policy:

Conference Registration:

  • Registration cancellations submitted by May 3, 2019 will be refunded.
  • Registration cancellations submitted May 3, 2019 through July 8, 2019 will be refunded 50%.
  • No refunds for cancellations after July 8, 2019.

If you are paying by check (US funds, payable to Northwest Aquatic and Marine Educators) or purchase order, please send your payment to NAME-Washington:

Suzi Wong Swint/NAME
21617 Starbrook Lane
Mount Vernon, WA 98274 

The Northwest Aquatic and Marine Educators (NAME) invites you to present at our 44th Annual Conference, “Voyaging Through Changing Waters.”  This year’s conference will be held August 11-15, 2019 at Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend, Washington.

NAME was founded in 1976 and became a chapter of the National Marine Educators Association (NMEA) in 1980 dedicated to supporting water literacy in the Pacific Northwest.  Originally, NAME focused mainly on marine ecology, education and environmental issues. Then, in the early 1990s, NAME expanded its mission and membership to include all aquatic environments – saltwater, freshwater and everything in between.  As the name suggests, NAME spans the entire bioregion of the Pacific Northwest coast of North America comprising four chapters: Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon. As such, NAME pushes for education, research and advocacy beyond political boundaries and is one of only two international NMEA chapters with Canadian representation.

2019 Conference Strands:

Connecting cultures and communities

Do your programs reflect the diverse communities of your area? Do you address social justice and equity issues in aquatic and marine science programming? How do you make sure your curriculum is culturally sensitive and relevant to the students you serve?  Share your tips, techniques and lessons learned for successfully connecting all learners with the aquatic world.

Innovative Teaching, Research and Restoration

Do you have a cool or new science lesson, restoration project, citizen science program, or community art project to share? Are you incorporating the latest breaking research into your teaching or bringing specialists into your classroom? We are looking for teachers, informal educators, researchers or marine science loving citizens who want to share an innovative new idea or project they have been working on.

Place-Based Learning

Do you teach using your local community and landscape? How do you incorporate “calls to action” and solutions in discussions about human impacts on aquatic and marine ecosystems?  Share your knowledge and tips about programming in your local setting and how you make the connection to our one big ocean.

We encourage any and all topics to be presented that represent one or more of these strands.


There are three presentation formats: Oral Presentation, Hands-on Workshop or Poster presentation.   We encourage you to collaborate with other educators on presentations to present multiple perspectives and/or offer panel discussions on similar programming. If you would like to be grouped with educators presenting on similar topics, select “15 minutes” for your presentation time and NAME will connect you with two other presenters.

Most presentation rooms will have WiFi, a computer and a projector. Please bring presentations on a memory stick, USB Flash drive, or disk.   The conference building is surrounded by a patio and grassy outdoor spaces if your presentation requires time outside of the classroom.

Oral Presentations: (15 or 45 minute sessions)
Monday 8/12/19, Tuesday 8/13/19 & Wednesday 8/14/19
Standard classroom presentations.

Hands-On Workshops: (45 minute sessions)
Monday 8/12/19, Tuesday 8/13/19 & Wednesday 8/14/19
No PowerPoints allowed! Share your favorite hands-on marine and aquatic lessons, activities, or art projects with your colleagues. If you need access to water in your presentation room, please indicate below.  Past hands on sessions have featured: squid dissections, octopus parachute fun, surface tension experiments, salmon life cycle games, art projects and more.

Poster:
Monday evening 8/12/19
The poster session is an engaging way to share education, research, or citizen science projects.  This evening session will provide an opportunity for conference participants to learn more about current projects and to talk directly with scientists and educators during an informal evening reception.  If you are selected to present a poster, we will provide additional information regarding set-up and take-down process, approximate size of the posters, and how posters will be mounted and displayed. No A/V equipment will be available during this session.

Questions? Contact Amy Sprenger at president@pacname.org or 206-280-9850 or Casey Ralston at caseyral3@gmail.com or 206-817-6834