PICRC’s Educators-in-Science program empowers educators to teach ocean science

The Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC), in partnership with Palau’s Ministry of Education (MoE), recently hosted its annual Educators-in-Science professional development workshop. Held from July 15-18, the workshop included a full-day of activities on Tuesday (July 15), a half-day session on Wednesday (July 16), and concluded with a ship tour on Friday (July 18).

Now in its third year, the workshop brought together sixteen middle school teachers (grades 5-8) from Koror Elementary School, George B. Harris Elementary School, Meyuns Elementary School, Ngaraard Elementary School, and Maris Stella School.

Throughout the week, the teachers engaged in a range of hands-on activities designed for classroom integration. These included lessons on ocean acidification, coral restoration, cetacean (whale and dolphin) surveys, reef fish dissection, and plankton studies. One highlight was a live interaction with Exploration Vessel Nautilus, currently operating in the Solomon Islands, where the teachers viewed deep-sea footage collected in Palauan waters during the vessel’s expedition last year. They were also introduced to the Tide Turners Plastic Challenge, a regional initiative designed to empower youth to tackle plastic pollution through awareness, community engagement, and policy advocacy. In addition, researchers from PICRC presented recent findings on coral bleaching and marine mammal surveys, providing teachers with the insights into the latest marine science research in Palau.

The workshop concluded with a certificate ceremony with Director Ida Kilcullen from the Ministry of Education and PICRC’s CEO Roxanne Siual Blesam, who acknowledged the teachers’ dedication and commitment to bringing ocean science into their classrooms.

On Friday, the teachers were invited onboard the Okeanos Explorer, a research vessel operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ocean Exploration. The teachers received a 90-minute tour of the vessel and learned about its research capabilities and exploration objectives. The ship is the only US federal vessel dedicated to exploring our largely unknown ocean for the purpose of discovery. Okeanos Explorer is currently in Palau, carrying out deep-sea mapping surveys in the Palau National Marine Sanctuary between late July – October 2025.

The Educators-in-Science workshop is designed to empower and equip teachers with the tools and confidence to bring ocean science into their classrooms through hands-on learning and exposure to the latest marine research in Palau.

“Teachers are the stewards of our next generation,” stated PICRC CEO Roxanne Blesam. “Supporting them in sharing knowledge with their students is a vital part of raising environmentally-conscious citizens. I want to congratulate and thank all the teachers who attended our workshop.”