In the wake of recent events, the imminent threat of environmental concern seems to be on the forefront of all of our minds. It is now more important than ever for societies to join together in an effort to protect our treasured natural ecosystems. Coastal gems such as our beloved Santa Cruz County are particularly at risk of losing their renowned facets of ecological beauty.
(Seymour Marine Discovery Center)
It is during times like these that the value of local educational resources are truly understood, like that of Santa Cruz’s Seymour Marine Discovery Center. While it may seem unlikely, this local science education center plays a pivotal role in responding to the impacts of climate change on a coastal community like ours.
Since 2000, the Seymour Center has been dedicated to educating people about the role scientific research plays in the understanding and conservation of the world’s oceans. Operated by UC Santa Cruz, this world-renowned facility provides citizens with a vibrant, inclusive community gathering place for science lovers and environmental wavemakers.
While the Seymour Center has been offering an in-depth exploration of marine, coastal and climate science for many years, their visitor exhibits and programs have recently undergone a significant revamp. Jonathan Hicken, the center’s new Executive Director, spoke to Lookout this fall about the emerging changes and his vision for transforming the facility into a hub of climate change resilience.
“We’re gonna be designing co-created experiences with scientists and nonprofits and cities and policymakers. And really address these issues that are most relevant to us here, now.”
— Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center
This innovative new vision takes form in the center’s newest exhibit, Water’s Extreme Journey, a hands-on, interactive maze that takes visitors through the fascinating cycle of a single drop of water. By engaging visitors with art, play and scientific inquiry, the exhibit illuminates various human impacts- great and small- while also teaching how to contribute to healthy, safe water in their community and beyond.
“I think this is really representative of the kind of programming we want to do more of,” says Hicken. “Let’s invite the community in. Let’s figure out what matters to them. And let’s hear from a wide variety of voices from North County, South County, everybody in between, amplify their voices and their work and mobilize this community to support them.”
Read on to learn just how you can make a difference by supporting the Seymour Center’s mission to expand awareness of ocean conservation and climate action work happening in Santa Cruz.
Starting ripples, making waves
At the Seymour Marine Discovery Center, our goal is to foster relationships with and between environmental partners and community members by offering refreshed experiences that appeal to an expanded audience base. Here, you and your family can:
- Encounter the science behind the marine and coastal issues most relevant to our lives, like sea level rise, wildfire, biodiversity, freshwater, and more.
- Discover the past, present and future solutions that lead to a more resilient coastal community and Monterey Bay
- Contribute your own questions, creativity and actions to make a difference
However, in order to achieve this, we need your support. When you give to the Seymour Center, you deliver more science to more families. 75,000 people, including 3,000 school children, will encounter the science behind the marine and coastal issues most relevant to our community, like biodiversity, sea level rise, wildfire, & freshwater.
Your support also helps accelerate local conservation, as you enable visitors to discover the past, present and future solutions that lead to a more resilient community. Additionally, your generosity helps maintain our vibrant gathering space as we continue to design new events, exhibits and experiences where you can share your love of the ocean with fellow science lovers.
