Maritime Museum Connects UC Santa Barbara Scientists with Young Women Looking to Explore Ocean Science

What began as a foggy morning at the harbor turned into a beautiful sunny afternoon as UC Santa Barbara female marine scientists gathered to share a day of learning and mentorship with high-school age students from the surrounding community.

A program of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, the Girls in Ocean Science Conference provided connections and resources for young women looking to explore ocean science-based fields of study and careers. “We launched the conference in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and were fortunate to be able to expand it this last year,” said Greg Gorga, executive director of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. “We have found that many locals never get to experience the ocean or our coastal environment. The museum is all about getting children, and their families, to have those experiences.”

Throughout the day, participants rotated through sessions that included conversations and hands-on experiences with Jenn Caselle and members of the UC Santa Barbara Caselle Lab (which focuses its research on marine conservation and reef ecology) and Callie Leiphardt, project scientist at the UC Santa Barbara Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory (which focuses on finding solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing our ocean systems). The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary rounded out the conference program by providing a sea voyage on their research vessel Shearwater. “High school is a time where students are starting to think about future pursuits,” said Callie Leiphardt. “The conference was a great way to expose participants to different opportunities in marine science.”

Members of the Caselle Lab described their work around restoring ocean habitats, specifically kelp forests. Callie Leiphardt discussed her work with the Whale Safe Project, which aims to reverse the disturbing trend of whale-ship strikes occurring in ocean waters on route to busy container ports. This project comes out of the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory, which was founded through a generous donation from Marc and Lynne Benioff. “I loved sharing my project and talking about the marine and environmental science research happening at UCSB,” said Callie Leiphardt. “With important efforts and new ideas continuing to move forward, there is more of a need than ever for people working in ocean science jobs.”

Attendees expressed interest in future roles in biology, shark and marine animal conservation, and environmental science. Their enthusiasm was met with optimism as presenters shared their professional journeys as well as the diverse field of opportunity and value of transferable skills. “It is possible to take your passions and skills and turn them into a career in marine science,” said Callie Leiphardt. “I was always in search of opportunities that could help me learn and grow in my field and was fortunate to meet some very inspiring female role models who had positive impacts on my journey.”

At UC Santa Barbara, a culture of giving is woven into the fabric of the university with many individuals, departments, and groups on campus volunteering to make the community a better place. Collaborative partnerships with nonprofit organizations such as the Maritime Museum are just one example of the powerful bond created in the continued vibrancy of our society. “We depend on the natural environment for so many different things – everything is interconnected,” said Callie Leiphardt. “It is imperative that we inspire the next generation of marine scientists so that we can continue to move forward with our work to improve ocean health.”

UC Santa Barbara – Connecting to Community

Looking to volunteer? The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum has opportunities available for all ages in their educational programs, school science nights, tours, special events, and outdoor visitors center. Learn more about becoming a volunteer.