Move Over, Aquaman: Three of the World’s Top Female Ocean Explorers to Talk Trailblazing in Ocean Discovery and Conservati

LOS ANGELES , September 24 /Businesswire/ - AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles announced an upcoming webinar with three of the top female explorers and scientists in the field of ocean exploration and conservation. The webinar will be focused on the role these women played in breaking barriers in their field. The webinar will take place on October 9 at 12 PM PDT. Pre-registration is required, and space is limited. The link to sign up for the event is: https://altasea-project-blue.org/webinars/.

The webinar will feature Dr. Carlie Wiener, Dr. Dawn Wright, and Allison Fundis – three of the leading scientists, communicators, and explorers in the field, who have blazed the trail for the next generation of ocean explorers. The October 9 webinar is the latest in a series of webinars that AltaSea has hosted in 2020 following their launch of Project Blue, a digital education platform designed to provide science-based programming through webinars and live chats and inspire the next generation of explorers.

“These remarkable women have broken the glass ceiling at the bottom of the ocean, exploring what has been traditionally a man’s domain,” said Jenny Krusoe, founding executive director of AltaSea. “Collectively, they have covered significant ground in the exploration of the vast ocean, and their careers light the path forward for the next wave.”

The webinar comes on the eve of AltaSea’s biggest event of the year, The Blue Hour, which is a drive-in experience focusing on LA as the global capital of the Blue Economy and the importance of educating young people on ocean exploration and conservation. The Blue Hour will honor those who have paved the way for AltaSea and those who will continue to forge new paths. Space at the October 10 experience is limited, and tickets can be found here: https://altasea-project-blue.org/project-blue-presents-2/.

Allison Fundis, Chief Operating Officer of the Ocean Exploration Trust (OET), has spent much of the last 15 years exploring the deep sea, investigating submarine volcanoes, other unique ecosystems, shipwrecks, and even searching for Amelia Earhart’s airplane. Her work has taken her to remote stretches of the world, where she has led or participated in more than 50 expeditions at sea. As the COO for Ocean Exploration Trust, Allison leads a team of talented scientists, engineers, and educators to conduct annual missions aboard exploration vessel Nautilus. She is passionate about making authentic opportunities in STEM available to students, educators, and the public through her work and serves as an IF/THEN Ambassador for the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Dr. Carlie Wiener, Director of Communications and Engagement Strategy at the Schmidt Ocean Institute, has over thirteen years of experience in marine science communications. Dr. Wiener has taught several courses throughout her career, specializing on communicating oceanography and marine science to the public. She has over twelve publications printed in top scientific research journals across the country.

Dr. Dawn Wright, Chief Scientist of the Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri), became the first African American female to dive to the ocean floor early in her career, and never stopped breaking barriers after that. She currently plays a critical role at Esri by strengthening the scientific foundation for their software and services. She also represents the company, a world-leading geographic information system software, research and development company, to the international scientific community. Additionally, Dr. Wright is an active board member of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and other conservation agencies. A professor of Geography and Oceanography in the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University, Dr. Wright was honored as Oregon Professor of the Year in 2007.

Dr. Wright will be presented with the Ocean Innovation Award at The Blue Hour the following evening.

“We believe it’s important to recognize and honor those who are dedicated to forging paths for the next generation of explorers,” said Krusoe. “These women are the embodiment of strength and perseverance, and I’m excited to use our platform to promote their advice and words of encouragement.”

Moderating the October 9 webinar will be the multi-Emmy award-winning journalist, Val Zavala. Zavala spent 30 years as a broadcast journalist at KCET in Los Angeles, winning numerous journalism awards. During her career, Zavala has covered a broad spectrum of Southern California issues, including politics, the environment, and the economy.

About AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles

AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles is dedicated to accelerating scientific collaboration, advancing an emerging blue economy through business innovation and job creation, and inspiring the next generation, all for a more sustainable, just, and equitable world.

For more information on AltaSea, please see our website: https://altasea.org

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