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Outdoor session at NAME 2024

2026 Presentation Information

The Call for Presentations is now open for the 2026 Conference hosted by NAME at the Dumas Bay Centre in Federal Way, Washington! This year’s theme is SOUND SCIENCE, SHARED LEARNING, and we will be celebrating 50 Years of Aquatic & Marine Education.

We invite educators, researchers, students, and resource professionals from the Pacific Northwest to submit your proposals using the online form on our website. There will be a range of presentation formats, including presentations, “hands-on” workshops, interactive sessions, and posters.

Most conference sessions will take place on Saturday, October 3, but there will be plenaries,  networking opportunities, social activities, and local outdoor field experiences from October 2-4, 2026. All presenters must register for the conference and are encouraged to participate in other conference sessions, functions and events.

This year’s conference will feature 3 strands: Education, Culture, and STEAM. Do you have something exciting you want to share in marine or aquatic education, a way Tribal Ecological Knowledge or Indigenous Ways of Knowing are being uplifted, or an innovation in the field of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics)? We invite you to submit your proposal! Presentations should align with the goals and vision of this conference:

  • Explore coastal dynamics and the connections between fresh and saltwater communities
  • Impacts of climate change
  • Every human on Earth should be water-literate
  • Using the allure of water to enrich and facilitate learning
  • Sharing our knowledge and experience with others to create a community of informed stewards

All submissions received before the priority deadline of July 10, 2026 will be reviewed and successful applicants will be contacted by mid-August. Applications received after the priority deadline will be reviewed if there is program space available.

Presentation Formats

30-minute Presentations:

These are intended to be standard slide presentations, featuring quick highlights and including time for discussion or questions.

50-minute Workshops:

Share marine and aquatic lessons, activities, or research aligned to the conference strands. We encourage presentations that are hands-on and incorporate participation from attendees.

90-minute Hands-on Experiences:

These are meant to be immersive experiences for participants showcasing place-based, hands-on learning in the field of marine and aquatic science, education, and research.

Poster Presentations:

The poster session is an engaging way for students, teachers, scientists and community professionals to share their lessons, research, and citizen science initiatives. The poster display is a great way to draw the audience into your research idea, project results, education tips and offers opportunities for building connections. A specific time will be set aside during the conference for presenters to greet and share their posters with conference participants, offering time for networking, feedback and engaging with participants on a one-on-one basis while posters are up for viewing. The 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 display instructions.

More information about anticipated registration and accommodation costs will be posted shortly on the conference website.

For any questions please reach out to Nathan Zabel at nzabel@n-sea.org.

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2026 Registration Information

REGISTRATION WILL BE OPEN SOON!

Registration options

NAME Member Non-member
Full Conference
Early-bird (through July 31, 2026) $225 $255
Regular (starting August 1, 2026) $275 $305
Special Student rate $200 $215
One Day
Early-bird (through July 31, 2026) $175 $205
Regular (starting August 1, 2026) $225 $255
Special Student rate $150 $165
Event tickets for guests/family members
Guest Meal Package – Fri evening event, Sat lunch + snacks, Sat evening banquet $120
Guest ticket to evening event on Friday October 2 $40
Guest Lunch & snacks on Saturday October 3 $30
Guest ticket to NAME Gala Banquet & Auction only – Saturday October 3 $60
Continental Breakfast (non-lodger) $20

FULL CONFERENCE: Includes all conference sessions, lunches, snacks, and evening events from Friday evening through Sunday morning. Lodging and field experiences not included. Member price does NOT include NAME membership renewal; Non-member price includes a one-year individual NAME membership.

SINGLE DAY: Includes all conference sessions, lunch, snacks, and banquet on Saturday only. Member price does NOT include NAME membership renewal; Non-member price includes a one-year individual NAME membership.

STUDENT – Full Conference: Includes all conference sessions, lunches, snacks, and evening events from Friday evening through Sunday morning. Must be a full-time student. Lodging and field experiences not included. Member price does NOT include NAME membership renewal; Non-member price includes a one-year NAME student membership.

STUDENT – Single Day: Includes all conference sessions, lunch, snacks, and banquet on Saturday only. Must be a full-time student. Member price does NOT include NAME membership renewal; Non-member price includes a one-year NAME student membership.

Membership Renewal

Registering as a member does not include NAME membership renewal. Please add your membership renewal during registration, if desired. Don’t forget – registering as a non-member includes a one-year NAME individual membership!

Lodging

Conference registration does not include lodging. Lodging information can be found on our Lodging page.

Cancellation Policy:

Registrations that are cancelled for any reason are subject to the following refund policies:

Date Policy
Through July 31, 2026 Cancellations will receive a full refund
August 1-31, 2026 Cancellations will be refunded minus a $40 service fee
After August 31, 2026 No refunds will be granted (no exceptions) and any registrations that remain unpaid will be cancelled. Once we give the final numbers to the venue, we will be charged for everyone regardless of attendance, so we are unable to offer refunds after this date.

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 c/o Amy Sprenger, 24 Timber Lane, Eastsound, WA 98245.

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NAME Auction

The annual NAME auction is one of the highlights of the conference…a chance to have fun, bid on unique aquatic-themed items donated by NAME members and local businesses, and raise money for our mini-grant and scholarship fund! All of the funds raised at our annual silent and live auction go to support educators with scholarships and mini-grants to help them share the wonders of the world of water.

Have an auction item to donate? Fill out and submit the form below prior to arrival, or submit a form with your item at check-in. For more information about donations, please contact our auction chairperson at auction@pacname.org. Here are some ideas for great “aquatic” auction items: jewelry; outdoor gear; any and all crafts/artwork; gift certificates for whale watching, fishing trips, bird watching, cabin/hotel/motel accommodations, or guided outdoor trips. There may be treasures in your attic just waiting for the NAME Auction! Solicitation of auction items on behalf of NAME is highly appreciated.

Auction Donation Form

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Save the Date – Alaska 2017

The NAME-Alaska team is hard at work planning an exciting conference in 2017!

Save the Date: August 7-11, 2017, Homer, Alaska

Please visit the conference page for more details about the conference, including presentations, lodging, and registration information.

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Save the Date – Oregon 2018

Save the Date: July 29-August 2, 2018, Portland, Oregon

The NAME-Oregon team is hard at work planning an exciting conference in 2018! Please check back for more details about the conference—including presentations, lodging, and registration information—as they become available.

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SeaFaire

SeaFaire is a marketplace of ‘ideas’ where individuals, agencies, organizations and vendors can share and promote educational programs, equipment, curricula, and other materials appropriate for marine and aquatic educators.

SeaFaire will be open at Oregon Coast Community College from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm Saturday, July 26 with a dedicated session from 12:00-1:30 pm. Conference attendees will also be able to view SeaFaire materials between sessions and at breaks during the day.

There is no charge for a table for conference attendees. Tables are available for non-registered participants at a cost of $15 per person, which includes lunch on Saturday, but no access to any of the conference sessions.

Space is limited this year! Please send us the information below and we will accommodate as many groups as possible on a first come, first served basis. You must bring your own A/V equipment, lighting, extension cords, etc. Please remember that NAME is not responsible for securing items of value.

Set-up Time—Tables can be set up anytime after 10:00 am on Saturday, July 26.

Take-Down Time—All materials must be removed no later than 4:45 pm on Saturday.

If you have any questions contact Melissa Keyser at Melissa.ashley.keyser@gmail.com

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Virtual NAME Auction

The annual NAME auction is one of the highlights of the conference…a chance to have fun, bid on unique aquatic-themed items donated by NAME members and local businesses, and raise money for our mini-grant and scholarship fund! All of the funds raised at our annual silent and live auction go to support educators with scholarships and mini-grants to help them share the wonders of the world of water.

This year, our auction will be virtual! While we are still working out the details, we are excited to debut this new way to raise funds that will help expand our audience and provide resources for our members.

Due to the online format of the auction this year, we will be focusing our efforts on collecting donations that can be emailed or easily mailed, like gift cards or certificates. If you or an organization you know would like to contribute to this cause, please contact us at bc2021@pacname.org.

Auction Donation Form

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Virtual SeaFaire

SeaFaire is a marketplace of ‘ideas’ where individuals, agencies, organizations and vendors can share educational programs, equipment, curricula, and other materials appropriate for marine and aquatic educators. SeaFaire will be virtual this year. Through our Whova virtual platform there will be different opportunities for you connect with conference attendees, share your programs, and provide online resources.

Exhibitors

We are excited to provide the option to promote your organization through our virtual exhibitor center! Exhibitors can create a virtual exhibit booth, including information about your organization and its programs and resources, promotional offers, opportunities to interact with attendees, and lead generation. Exhibitors can also upload handouts, videos, and set up live showcases. More information on exhibitors is available here. Virtual exhibitor booths are available to add on to your registration for $80 USD.

Community Meet ups

The Whova platform provides lots of opportunities for attendees to meet up and network outside of sessions. Feel free to suggest a topic for discussion in our community board!

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