Testimonials

I grew up in rural New Hampshire with two older sisters, both of whom competed at the local (Nor’Easter) and national level on our high school’s NOSB team. Despite living multiple hours from the seacoast, my sisters fiercely studied for our annual Bowl, with our parents buying Sverdrup’s textbooks and the three of us jointly making literally hundreds of index cards with example questions. We spent whole summers quizzing each other on ocean science. By the time I started high school, I knew the ins-and-outs of pycnoclines and shallow water waves! 

I later led my school’s team to two national-level competitions and was inspired at one of these competitions to pursue scientific research as a career. I am writing to you now as a PhD student at Columbia University, where I study motor neuron changes in the context of Lou Gehrig’s disease. I can confidently draw a line from my first after-school Ocean Bowl practice to my current position in scientific research and I am sure that – in addition to the many stories of former NOSB students becoming marine biologists and ecologists – my story of ocean-science-to-medical-science is one of many. 

I am, like you, saddened and frustrated by the funding cuts to science broadly, especially to great programs like NOSB. I will be reaching out to my former NOSB teammates to encourage them to send in their stories as well. If I can be of any help in terms of testimony or volunteering, please let me know.

The National Ocean Sciences Bowl played a pivotal role in my journey as I studied marine science and explored how to apply it in the real world. I participated in NOSB throughout high school, received a scholarship to pursue my marine science degree, and continued volunteering while at OSU. The program showed me what genuine passion, collaboration, and curiosity in the STEM community look like, from the students participating to those who helped organize it. That experience was a big part of the framework for what I’ve done since, including founding Shifting Tides, where I lead interactive workshops on the Oregon Coast focused on marine science and sustainable fisheries. I strive to bring that same spirit of discovery and connection to others in a way that’s both fun and engaging. NOSB surrounded me with a community of like-minded people working together to better understand our world.

NOSB touches so many lives and “is more than a competition.” I coached a NOSB team for 21 years (with job changes, started teams in 3 high schools). Won 14 Blue Lobster Bowls and 7 National Championships (2 different high schools). I have seen how NOSB has created the stewards of the oceans for years to come. My son got inspired on a NOSB field trip at age 8 at Woods Hole Oceanographic when he touched Alvin (their submersible), captained a NOSB team in high school, studied marine science at the Coast Guard Academy, and is now a Lieutenant serving in Corpus Christi, Texas. My proudest moment was getting a phone call from Jacques Cousteau when I was doing oceanographic research in the Coast Guard in my early years. I wanted to pass on this love of the oceans to others, and that is why I dove into NOSB from the beginning, not for the trophies, much more than that. Not bad for a guy that grew up in a lobstering family on an island off the coast of Maine and travel was getting off the island to upstate Maine.

I competed in NOSB all four years of high school, and the memories that I made practicing and competing with my team remain some of my favorites from that time. The learning opportunities NOSB provided opened my eyes to the wide range of career paths within ocean sciences and changed the trajectory of my planned career. Because of the high level of knowledge required to compete both regionally and nationally, I went into my college ocean sciences classes with a strong foundation, giving me a head start and making the transition to college much easier. Beyond the knowledge I gained through competing in NOSB, I built leadership skills as my team’s captain, improved my public speaking abilities, and had the chance to network with like-minded peers and professionals. NOSB continues to play an important role in my life today, as I look forward to volunteering at my local competition every year. I love to see the same excitement and passion in the students that I once felt as a competitor. Overall, NOSB has had a huge impact on my life and the lives of many others that I know. It is an immensely valuable program that deserves continued support for the next generation of marine scientists and policy makers.