Tracy Hajduk, National Education Coordinator for the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries

Today on the Outdoor Adventure Series, our guest is Tracy Hajduk, the National Education Coordinator for the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.

She has worked for NOAA for the past 13 years, coordinating national partnerships to help increase ocean and climate literacy and access to the national marine sanctuaries through education.

Topics We Discussed 

• How students who are not near a sanctuary can still get engaged.
• What teachers can do if they want to use more ocean and Great Lake resources in their classrooms.
• What makes you hopeful for the future with what you see in the youth today?

Aha Moment

For me, the most concrete time is seeing the youth I have worked with really take things and positively absorb things. Whether it is an intern who now knows this is the career path for them or hearing that something I helped create got the attention of a student who typically isn't as engaged and was asking questions about the ocean and participating is what I find most rewarding. I also enjoy when I can help lift my colleagues and help celebrate their work.

Insight2go

It constantly amazes me the different ways the ocean connects us all. It has many meanings to many people, from jobs, food, business, fun, exploration, and spiritual and emotional ways. I'm in awe of how people across the earth are connected by this large global ocean and how it connects us in such a powerful way".

Media & Resources

https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/mar22/women-in-ocean-careers/profiles.html   https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/dec20/every-kid-outdoors.html

The Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program - This scholarship provides support for master’s and doctoral degrees in oceanography, marine biology, and maritime archaeology—these may include but are not limited to ocean and/or coastal: engineering, social science, marine education, marine stewardship, cultural anthropology, and resource management disciplines—and particularly encourages women and members of minority groups to apply.

To learn more about the Outdoor Alliance for Kids, click here.

Next Steps

To learn more about the National Marine Sanctuaries, visit their websites at https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/.

To experience an immersive 360 view of your national marine sanctuaries, Sanctuaries 360°: Explore the Blue, visit their website at https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/vr/.

Click here to learn more about the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.

The Outdoor Adventure Series is a podcast production of Fox Coaching, Inc.