report
The final All Hands on Deck report was presented at the 2020 Ocean Sciences Meeting in San Diego, CA. In it, we present:
Changes made to make All Hands the most diverse and inclusive Ocean Exploration Forum than ever before
Activities that took place at the event, such as panels, lightning talks, demos, workshops, and other activities
Accomplishments that participants made in the year following All Hands on Deck
Actionable recommendations (excerpt below) that can and should be made to encourage expanded engagement and participation in a national program for ocean exploration in the US and beyond
Click here to download a copy of the report
Recommendations
It will take effort, resources, and intentional changes to the way we think and operate to truly broaden participation of groups historically and consistently underrepresented in ocean sciences. The following are actionable recommendations that can and should be made to encourage expanded engagement and participation in a national program for ocean exploration in the US and beyond.
We thank Catalina Martinez, Regional Program Manager at the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration & Research, for her advice and consultation in developing these recommendations.
Diversity & Inclusion
How can we ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion in all projects, events, and other ocean exploration opportunities?
Include representatives from all demographics you are trying to reach from the beginning of all efforts to avoid disconnects and missteps.
Ensure that your recruitment, application, and selection processes are open and inclusive.
Diverse representation matters in all forms including culture, national origin, age, religion, physical ability, socioeconomics, and gender identity. Create platforms to elevate all voices at all levels including leadership, speaking roles, and committees, etc.
Create an inclusive environment. Suggestions include: closed captioning and language interpreters; private areas for breastfeeding; on-site childcare; accessibility guidelines; guidance on Indigenous land acknowledgements; and, diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.
Passionate Play
How can we create fun, participatory experiences for engaging with ocean exploration?
Support initiatives to increase diversity in water sports, such as swimming, sailing, and surfing, to ensure lifelong connections with the water.
Work with toy companies on developing fun, play-based learning experiences for children to encourage cognitive flexibility, systems thinking, and adaptive social functioning.
Support initiatives to combine ocean learning experiences with water sports and outdoor exploration. Collaborate with local, national, and international organizations such as the World Surf League or Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program, YMCA, USA Swimming, Black Girls Surf, Scouts, National Parks, and National Marine Sanctuaries.
Incorporate and support art and music and other appropriate social contexts, such as traditional artists, to enable cultural connections and relevance, bringing ocean exploration to new audiences.
Immersive Storytelling
How can we create new, compelling stories to capture the imagination of new audiences?
Diversify storytellers to encompass a broad range of perspectives so that all voices are heard. Communication and engagement efforts must be rooted in culture, inclusion, accessibility, and relevance.
Imagine how things can go right. Highlight success stories, and invite the audience to be a part of the story -- how can they be invested in a better future for the ocean?
Don’t be afraid to use humor, adventure, and imagination to connect with audiences.
Not everyone can visit, swim in, or dive into the ocean. Create immersive experiences that intersect the digital, physical, and interpersonal to demonstrate why the ocean is such an amazing, important place that needs to be explored.
Use a variety of media -- podcasts, spoken word, visual -- and locations -- aquariums, theme parks, STEAM carnivals, libraries -- to bring your message to targeted audiences. Collaborate with them as centers of community, fun, and learning.
Expanding the Field
How can we enable new participants to enter and expand ocean exploration?
Low-cost sensors and systems need to be developed to dramatically bring down the cost of entry for new explorers and to efficiently cover large volumes of the ocean.
Create advanced data access and analysis capabilities to make ocean exploration data more discoverable and user-friendly, for scientists and non-scientists alike.
Establish programs for training and capacity building within underserved communities and developing nations to expand the number of people who are capable of carrying out high-quality data collection and analysis.
Establish funding mechanisms and incentives for nontraditional projects and support for students, early career professionals, and newcomers to the field.
Mentorship, increased collaboration, and more gatherings like All Hands on Deck to meet people from different backgrounds create supportive, inclusive environments, particularly for newcomers to ocean exploration.