1992

17th NMEA Conference

August 3-8, Portland & Newport, Oregon (Lewis & Clark College in Portland)
Theme: Seines to Satellites: Taming Technology

President Jim O’Connor with Past President Vicki Osis. (Photograph: Courtesy of Bill Hastie)

Executive Committee

President: James V. O’Connor (DC) (1991-92)
President-Elect: Sharon Walker (MS)
Membership Secretary: Michael Rigsby (CA)
Treasurer: Valerie Chase (MD)
Secretary: Rick Tinnin (TX)
Editor of Current: Nora L. Deans (CA)
Editor of NMEA news: Nora L. Deans (CA)

Board of Directors:

(1989-92): Karen Blyler (FL), Mary K. Masterson (NJ), J. Philip McLaren (MA),
(1990-93): John Dindo (AL), Kathleen Heidenreich (WA), Craig Strang (CA),
(1991-94): Sue Gammisch (VA), Mike Spranger (WA), Rhet Wilson (SC)
(1992-95): Deborah Coulombe (NH), Barbara Lee (HI), Michael O’Shea (NJ)

Chapter Representatives:

CAMEO (Consortium of Aquatic and Marine Educators of Ohio): Bill Simpkins (OH)
FMSEA (Florida Marine Science Education Association): Mark DeCrosta (FL)
GAME (Georgia Association of Marine Educators): Julian Hood (GA)/ Margaret Eidson (GA)
GOMMEA (Gulf of Maine Marine Education Association): Jeanne Meggison (ME)/ Ann Reid (NH)
MME (Massachusetts Marine Educators): George Duane (MA)
MAMEA (Mid-Atlantic Marine Education Association):Vicki Clark (VA)/ Terry Kirby (NC)
NJMEA (New Jersey Marine Education Association): Mary K. Masterson (NJ)
NYSMEA (New York State Marine Education Association): Joel Teret (NY)/ Elaine Dolgins (NY)
NAME (Northwest Aquatic and Marine Educators; note name change from Northwest Association of Marine Educators): Laurie Usher (WA)
OCEANIA: Ann Coopersmith (HI)/ Dave Guello
SCMEA (South Carolina Marine Educators Association): Phil Astwood (SC)
SAME (Southeastern Association of Marine Educators): Sharon Alonzo (LA)
SENEME (Southeastern New England Marine Education Association): Alice Resieaweaver (CT)/ Pam Sears
SWMEA (Southwest Marine Education Association: Linda Hagelin (CA)/ Joy Wolf (CA)
TMEA (Texas Marine Education Association): Jack Clason (TX)

Awards:

James Centorino Award: Bruce Stewart (CA) and Lee Lawrence (VA)
Outstanding Teacher Award: Neal Maine (OR)
Marine Education Award: Laurie Dumdie (WA) and Mary Cerullo (MN)
President’s Award: Mary Masterson (NJ) and Wendy Allen (SC)

Conference Highlights

Conference Chair Bill Hastie, his conference committee, and the Conference Co-sponsors (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon State University Extension/Sea Grant, University of Washington Sea Grant, and Washington Department of Fisheries) provided a full schedule of events for this 17th conference of NMEA. More than 350 marine educators attended the conference.

[Images above (L-R): The conference program kept us organized. (Photograph by Susan Leach Snyder); Conference bags were great to have for holding all the "goodies" (a.k.a. great curriculum materials) we collected. (Photograph by Susan Leach Snyder); Chris Raisback helped hand out the conference sweatshirts. (Photograph: Courtesy of Bill Hastie)]

A stern wheeler dinner and cruise down the Columbia River Gorge proved to be a good way to begin the six-day conference. Photographs: Courtesy of Bill Hastie

The first three days of the conference took place on the campus of Lewis and Clark College in Portland.

Portland events included concurrent sessions, an opening session by Dr. Jane Lubchenco titled “The Sustainable Biosphere Initiative,” a keynote address by Norma Paulus titled “An Educational Call to Arms,” a tour of the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, the annual NMEA business meeting, Sea Swap, a Northwest Salmon BBQ, and the NMEA Auction.

[Images above, L-R: Andy Woods and Susan Haynes were spotted walking to concurrent sessions. (Photograph: Courtesy of Bill Hastie); Conference whistles were put to good use during the conference...especially during the auctioning of THE PIKE. (Photograph by Susan Leach Snyder)]

Then came the mass migration to Newport, with field trips enroute. This event began for some at an early 6:30 AM. Field trip destinations included trips to a fish processing plant, coastal beaches, the coastal rainforest, a local stream, sand dunes, an estuary, the Performing Arts Center, Hatfield Marine Science Center, and the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Somehow, all busses arrived in Newport at 4:00 PM so that everyone could check into hotels. That evening, a light dinner was served at the Hatfield Marine Science Center and Oregon Coast Aquarium.

[Images above, L-R: A Newport, Oregon beach scene. (Photograph by Susan Leach Snyder); One group of conference participants went fishing, while another group explored a stream’s ecology. (Photographs: Courtesy of Bill Hastie)]

The next day, there were field sessions, workshops, chapter meetings, the NMEA Awards Presentation, and the Stegner Lecture by Susan Strauss, a storyteller.

The last day began with Sea Faire, that featured over 60 exhibits. Conference coordinators wrapped up the week’s events with a wonderful slide show of conference participants in action.

Additional Highlights of 1992:

At the NSTA National Convention in Boston, the NMEA Board held its mid-year meeting on March 26 from 8-5. On the 27th, NMEA provided a day-long symposium, focused on a variety of hands-on materials for teachers to take away. More materials were shared at the Oceanography Share-a-thon sponsored by the National Earth Science Teachers' Association.

The annual Report for 1992, by President James V. O’Connor (DC), appeared in Current- Volume 11, Number 4, 1993. The main goal during Jim O’Connor’s presidency (1991-1992) was to increase NMEA’s links with other professional societies. NMEA was invited to the Coastal Society’s annual conference where a panel on marine education initiatives and links was fostered for seven different marine groups. The Marine Technology Society gave NMEA a day-long forum on global change issues at their national convention in October. NMEA joined the Coalition for Earth Education and used our seat on the AAAS Education Committee to represent marine interests before the National Academy of Science Educational Initiatives. NMEA also had input into EPA’s Wet Way National Program with marine units.

According to NMEA news (Spring 1992), the NMEA committees were working on a variety of goals: a national marine resources materials CD-ROM called the “Marine Education Support System,” national and regional EPA environmental education mini-grants, future conference cruises to Alaska or Puerto Rico

In 1992, NMEA published three issues of Current: The Journal of Marine Education. The first was titled “Marine Mammals,” the second “Marine Sanctuaries,” and the third was a general issue. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Sanctuaries and Reserves Division assisted with the publication of the “Marine Sanctuaries” issue. Contributing an article to the “Marine Sanctuaries” issue was the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. They purchased copies for the Marine Education Society of Australia. This was the first time NMEA ever conducted a joint project with another international marine educators’ organization.