2018 Presentation Information

[WD_Button id=29987]

The Northwest Aquatic and Marine Educators (NAME) invites you to present at our 43rd Annual Conference, entitled “Confluence.”  This year’s conference, hosted by the Oregon Chapter, will take place in Portland, Oregon from July 29 through August 2, 2018.

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.

“Confluence” is an all-encompassing theme. It refers to the point at which two or more bodies of water meet and flow together.  It also refers to the process of merging ideas toward common understanding and to the creation of community from diverse perspectives.

For this conference, three strands will also be woven into metaphorical confluence: Education, Culture and Science.

  • Education—Topics with a focus on prepared materials for educators fulfilling the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) opportunities.
  • Culture—This includes topics with a keen focus on the traditional, indigenous knowledge, and/or the role of art in environmental education, STEAM, (includes artistic innovation).
  • Science—Topics elaborating the most up-to-date scientific knowledge/discoveries giving educators the background and tools needed to fulfill STEM and NGSS.

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

Oral Presentations and Workshops 

Monday, July 30 & Thursday, August 2

Presentations should be either 45 or 90 minutes. This year, presenters will be asked to highlight their presentation with a 5-minute “preview” at the morning plenary session, so that all participants get a sense of the concurrent options before we break out into sessions. Presenters are encouraged to collaborate with other educators and to run presentations that are as hands-on as possible! Power-point discussions on a theme relevant to the conference are also welcome.

Poster Presentations/Sea Faire

Wednesday, August 1

Poster presentations and Sea Faire will be held during the dinner and auction. Sea Faire 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 and is intended to allow participants to share resources and ideas. Participants in Sea Faire who wish to sell items are welcome to do so but are encouraged to keep the items for sale relevant to the conference and the NAME organization.

Please submit proposals online on the NAME website (preferred), or complete the Call for Proposals form (available soon) and return via e-mail to: oregon@pacname.org

Application deadline is May 31, 2018

Questions? Contact Melissa Keyser at oregon@pacname.org

/by

2018 Conference Schedule

Read more
/by
, ,

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.

/by

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

/by

2017 Concurrent Sessions

Read more
/by

2017 Alaska Master Naturalist Course Information

This year, we will be offering the opportunity for teachers to receive three (3) 500-level Education credits for attending the NAME conference and participating in all activities. The cost is $114 for the three credits. Please contact Jennifer Greene at UAA PACE for information on credits and registration: pace@uaa.alaska.edu. Please contact Kay Shoemaker with questions on Alaska Master Naturalist certification: kwshoemaker@alaska.edu.

Please feel free to share this flyer with colleagues! It’s not too late to register!

/by

2017 Conference Schedule

Read more
/by

2017 Keynote Speakers

Kris Holderied

NOAA Oceanographer & Director of the Kasitsna Bay Lab

Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Kasitsna Bay Laboratory since 2005, Kris Holderied conducts research on coastal ecosystems, oversees facility operations and assists with marine science education activities. Her research focuses on oceanography, estuaries and nearshore habitats, with a focus on better understanding how changing ocean conditions affect Alaska coastal resources and communities. Education activities at the laboratory include graduate student research, college classes, teacher training workshops, student internships and K-12 field science camps.

Holderied previously worked as a physical oceanographer with NOAA in Silver Spring, Md., developing satellite-based products for benthic habitat mapping, harmful algal bloom detection and coastal climate change impacts. Before that, she worked on environmental compliance projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Norfolk, Va. and served in the U.S. Navy, providing weather and oceanographic forecasts in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. She has a bachelor of science degree in oceanography from the U.S. Naval Academy and a master’s degree in physical oceanography from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program.

Solving ocean mysteries for Alaska coastal communities: Connections matter

What’s up with the Pacific Ocean “warm Blob”, sea star wasting disease, and paralytic shellfish poisoning events in Kachemak Bay?  Where the heck did all those whales come from and where did they go?  We’ll take a look at how we are tracking changes in marine waters and resources used by our coastal communities for food and tourism, and at the ocean connections that link everything together.

Resources:

Gulf Watch Alaska: The Mystery of the Blob

Loren Anderson

Director of Culture Programs, Alutiiq, Alaska Native Heritage Center

Loren is the Cultural Programs Manager at the Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage.  Some of his duties at the Heritage Center include organizing Alaska Native Cultural Awareness Workshops, developing budgets, facilitating school visits, performing at outreaches, supervising summertime staff, and managing cultural events and celebrations.  He has served on the elections and information committees for my Regional Native Corporation, Koniag Inc.  He serves on the Native Village of Afognak Tribal Council, is the chairperson for the Village of Afognak finance committee and also serves as an advisor on the Alutiiq Language Preservation Project.  He is a graduate of the Humanities Forum Leadership Anchorage program. He helped form the traditional Sugpiat dance group, Imamsuat. He composes Native songs; creates art, and fills the role of a tradition bearer when he’s called upon.   He continually strives to promote his culture and instill pride in our youth.

Culture: What is it?  What are its invisible aspects?  How do we become aware of our own cultural lenses?

Most people today don’t recognize that they belong to a culture.  This presentation will help participants recognize what are the components of their cultures.  Knowing one’s culture helps participants recognize and appreciate the differences in various cultures and give them a clearer picture about how – they – see the world we all live in.

Nancy Lord

Alaskan writer of fiction & non-fiction, former State Writer Laureate

Nancy, who makes her home in Homer, Alaska, is passionate about place, history, and the natural environment.  From her many years of commercial salmon fishing and, later, work as a naturalist and historian on adventure cruise ships, she’s explored in both fiction and nonfiction the myths and realities of life in the north.  Among her published books are three collections of short stories and five works of literary nonfiction, including the memoir Fishcamp, the cautionary Beluga Days, and the front-lines story of climate change, Early Warming.  She most recently (2016) edited the anthology Made of Salmon: Alaska Stories From The Salmon Project.  Her (first!) novel, pH (working title had been The Pteropod Gang), is forthcoming (September 2017) from Graphic Arts/Alaska Northwest Books.

Nancy was honored as Alaska Writer Laureate for 2008-10, a term during which she traveled throughout the state to promote Alaska writers, writing, and libraries.

Writing on the Water

Nancy will share examples of the ways she’s used her writing (creatively and as an activist) to celebrate and encourage the stewardship of our life-giving waters.

Dave Aplin

Director of Community Outreach and Education, World Wildlife Fund US-Arctic Program.

Why am I painting the living room? An interactive discussion exploring our assumptions and goals as marine educators.

/by

2017 Presentation Information

[WD_Button id=2058]

Oral Presentations and Workshops 

Tuesday, August 8

Presentations should be either 45 or 90 minutes. This year, presenters will be asked to highlight their presentation with a 5-minute “preview” at the Tuesday plenary session, so that all participants get a sense of the concurrent options before we break out into sessions. Presenters are encouraged to collaborate with other educators and to run presentations that are as hands-on as possible! Power-point discussions on a theme relevant to the conference are also welcome.

Facilitated Dialogues

Thursday, August 10

Facilitated Dialogue is a guided conversation among community members. The role of the Facilitator is to help group members overcome communication barriers and engage in meaningful discussion for the benefit of all. In a dialogue circle, it is acknowledged that all members (whether experts or novices on a particular topic) have an important perspective to share and explore. The goal of dialogue is to engage the experiences of each participant in an effort to help the group focus on a single, challenging topic. Facilitators must have experience creating an equitably safe space for group participation, as well as tools for guiding group discussions. Dialogue may not necessarily result in a set of agreements but is expected to foster new perspectives for long-term advancement of community discussions.

Each Facilitated Dialogue session will run for 75 minutes. Ideal group sizes will be 10-20 participants.

Preference will be given to facilitators that have received certification in this skill. However, if you are interested in facilitating a dialogue circle, we are happy to pair you with a mentor! So please don’t hesitate to submit your idea. Email Laurie Stuart Morrow at director@prattmuseum.org for more information.

Poster Presentations/Sea Faire
Thursday, August 10

Poster presentations and Sea Faire will be held during the dinner and auction. Sea Faire 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 and is intended to allow participants to share resources and ideas. Participants in Sea Faire who wish to sell items are welcome to do so but are encouraged to keep the items for sale relevant to the conference and the NAME organization.

Please submit proposals online on the NAME website (preferred), or complete the Call for Proposals form and return via e-mail to: director@prattmuseum.org

Application deadline is June 15, 2017

Questions? Contact Laurie Stuart Morrow at director@prattmuseum.org

/by

2017 Registration Information

[WD_Button id=2091]

We will be offering the following registration options:

Full Conference Registration—includes all sessions, events and meals from Monday evening, August 7 through Friday morning, August 11, including the NAME Awards Banquet and Auction. Conference registration does not include any field trips that require additional costs on Wednesday, or the optional dinner cruise to Halibut Cove on Tuesday evening.

Single-day Registration—includes all sessions, plus lunch and coffee breaks only on the day/s registered. Does not include any field trips or evening events.

NAME Member Non-member
Full Conference
Early-bird (through April 30, 2017) $200 $230
Regular (beginning May 1, 2017) $250 $280
Student $125 $140
Single Day
Tuesday, August 8, or Thursday, August 10 $125 $155
Extras
BBQ (Wednesday, August 9) – guest ticket $15
Banquet (Thursday, August 10) – guest ticket $25

If you are interested in attending the conference but are hesitant for financial reasons, we encourage you to apply for a NAME scholarship. The annual NAME conference is organized with the purpose of bringing together a community of educators, researchers, students and citizen scientists who are passionate about marine and aquatic education; a limited number of scholarships and bursaries may be provided to those who would not attend simply because of the cost.

Cancellation of Conference Registration:
Cancellations submitted by August 3, 2017 will be refunded.
No refunds for cancellations after August 3, 2017.

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

NAME-Alaska c/o Marilyn Sigman
Alaska Sea Grant
1007 W. 3rd Ave. – Suite 100
Anchorage, AK 99501

Phone: (907) 274-9691
Fax: (907)277-5242 

/by