Promoting Ocean Literacy in New England
The 2025 NEOSEC Ocean Literacy Summit:
Knowing the Ocean: 20 Years of Ocean Literacy
October 27-28, 2025
The tenth biennial New England Ocean Science Education Collaborative (NEOSEC) Ocean Literacy Summit: Knowing the Ocean: 20 Years of Ocean Literacy will take place in Freeport, ME, on October 27 – 28, 2025 at the beautiful Harraseeket Inn. We will increase understanding and dialog in New England around the Ocean Literacy Principles. The Summit will focus on connecting scientists, educators, and community leaders to critically think about equitable collaboration, share best practices, and provide networking opportunities.
Registration
Conference registration (click here):
- Full early bird registration, including opening reception, Monday fieldtrips, and Tuesday day of talks is $200.
- Full registration after 9/22 is $250.
- Full student registration is $125.
- One day registration for Tuesday is $150.
Exhibitor Registration (click here):
- Full members are $300
- Association/non profit/govt. agency are $325
- For profit are $350
- Exhibitor, extra attendee is $150
Limited scholarships are available to help with barriers to attendance, especially for attendees of color or from community organizations.
Keynote Address by Diana Payne
Diana Payne is an Associate Professor in Residence and the Education Coordinator with Connecticut Sea Grant at the University of Connecticut’s Avery Point campus. She founded the Long Island Sound Mentor Teacher program and co-leads the Long Island Sound Schools Network and Tri-State Blue Schools network. Diana has held leadership roles in the Sea Grant Education Network (SGEN), National Marine Educators Association (NMEA), and New England Ocean Science Education Collaborative (NEOSEC). She currently serves as Chair of the NMEA Ocean Literacy committee and the NMEA Ocean Decade Working Group. Diana served as Regional Coordinator of the Quahog Bowl, the CT-RI regional of the National Ocean Science Bowl, for 12 years. At the international level, she was a Fulbright Scholar in Copenhagen, Denmark and is currently a member of the Steering Committee of Ocean Literacy With All (OLWA), an endorsed program of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. In 2023, Diana was appointed to and serves as Co-Chair of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) UNESCO Ocean Literacy Group of Experts (GoE).
The 2025 Ocean Literacy Summit will be at the Harraseeket Inn
We do have a room block at the Harraseeket Inn where the Summit will be held. Rooms are available at $169/night and you can book directly here or contact the hotel.
Other locations may be found around Freeport.
Summit Agenda
Monday, October 27
- 9 am: Field trips (see below)
- 11:30 am: Registration Opens
- Noon: Lunch
- 1 pm: Workshops
- 5 pm: Workshops End
- Break
- 6 pm: Trivia night and reception at Mast Landing Brewery
- 8 pm: Trivia Ends
Tuesday, October 28
- 8 am: Registration and coffee
- 9 am: Welcome
- 9:15 am: Keynote Presentation from Diana Payne, CT Sea Grant
- 10:15 am: Break
- 10:45 am: Exhibitors & Posters
- Noon: Lunch
- 1 pm: Concurrent session 1
- 2 pm: Concurrent session 2
- 2:50 pm: Snack Break
- 3:15 pm: Concurrent session 3
- 4:15 pm: Wrap up and Raffle
- 5 pm: Summit Ends
Field Trips
Birding with Maine Audubon Esteemed Naturalist
Time: 9:00am – 10:30am
Join Maine Audubon’s Nick Lund on a tour of Mast Landing Sanctuary, looking for late migrants and eastern forest resident birds. Nick Lund is Maine Audubon’s Advocacy and Outreach Manager. He is a birder and bird writer, the other of books including The ABA Field Guide to the Birds of Maine; Dinosaurs to Chickens: How Evolution Works; and The Ultimate Biography of Earth, and with articles appearing in Slate.com, The Washington Post, National Geographic, and other outlets. Register here
LabVenture, Gulf of Maine Research Institute
Time: 9:00-11:15
Come experience the LabVenture Program at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI). Each year, GMRI hosts nearly 10,000 Maine middle schoolers in its LabVenture program — a hands-on, interactive, authentic investigation of the changing Gulf of Maine ecosystem. At the lab, students use authentic tools of science and methods of inquiry to explore many of the same questions about the Gulf of Maine that research scientists at GMRI are addressing. This program runs for 2.25 hours in small groups of 3-5 people. Register here
Wolfe's Neck Center Regenerative Farm Tour
Time: 9:30-11:00 (arrive between 9:00-9:15)
Operating as a nonprofit organization since 1997, and an organic coastal farm for over sixty years, Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment is a farm-based education, research, and visitor center set amidst more than 600 acres of conserved open space along Casco Bay in Freeport, Maine.
We’ll climb aboard our open-aired wagon to travel the property and learn about our regenerative farming practices, farmer training, and broad scope of farm based educational programming. Register here
Sea Farm to Table
Time: 9:00am – 11:30am
A guided tour of Spartan Sea Farm oyster and kelp farm via boat, followed by a visit to the Freeport Oyster Bar for a beverage of choice (e.g. kelp martini), and seafood tasting (light fare). Spartan Sea Farm: https://www.spartanseafarms.com; Freeport Oyster Bar: https://freeportoysterbar.com
Participants must get down the water to catch the boat (few mins away) and to the Freeport Oyster Bar- right down the road from OLS venue. Register here
Maine Maritime Museum
Time: 9:30am – 12:00pm
Bath, Maine
https://www.mainemaritimemuseum.org/
Founded in 1962, the Maine Maritime Museum sits on a beautiful 20-acre campus on the banks of the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine, the “City of Ships”.
The museum has many exhibits and demonstrations apart from cruises and shipyard tours. Guests can enjoy a self-guided exploration of our exhibits and expansive campus on the banks of the Kennebec River. From historic watercraft restoration to blacksmithing, lighthouses to lobstering, a Victorian home to contemporary interpretations of “maritime,” discover a connection to the past, present, and future of Maine’s waterways. Please come prepared to brave the outdoors!
Percy & Small Shipyard Walking Tour (45 mins, medium activity). The museum has plenty of on-site parking with front door unloading for cars and buses.
The museum is located at 243 Washington St, Bath, ME 04530 and has plenty of free parking. Register here
The Pam DiBona Impacts in Ocean Education Award
On August 10, 2025, the New England Ocean Science Education Collaborative (NEOSEC) lost our visionary founding program manager, Pamela DiBona. She was a cornerstone for our way of being and we will miss her dearly. In her honor, NEOSEC is establishing the Impacts in Ocean Education Award that will be awarded biennially at the Summits.
We ask for your help in getting this award started by making a donation to support Pam’s memory and the work that she so passionately cared for. Please give what you can. If you would like to support this award in a larger donation, please reach out to Aimee Bonanno – aimee.bonanno@umb.edu.
Want to Sponsor?
Ocean Literate – $5,000+
Give:
- 4 Full scholarships
- Support for a summit intern
- A well planned summit experience
- Professional development for 150+ educators
- Support for annual convenings and collaboration to increase equity, access, and belonging in ocean science
Get:
- 4 conference registrations
- 1/2 page advertisement in the program
- Social media highlight
- Exhibit table
- Verbal thank you at Summit
- Promotion as a Summit sponsor
Ocean Steward – $2,500 – $4,999
Give:
- 2 Full scholarships
- A well planned summit experience
- Professional development for 150+ educators
- Support for annual convenings and collaboration to increase equity, access, and belonging in ocean science
Get:
- 3 conference registrations
- 1/4 page advertisement in the program
- Social media highlight
- Exhibit table
- Verbal thank you at Summit
- Promotion as a Summit sponsor
Ocean Sustainer – $1,000 – $2,499
Give:
- A well planned summit experience
- Professional development for 150+ educators
Get:
- 2 conference registrations
- Exhibit table
- Verbal thank you at Summit
- Promotion as a Summit sponsor
Ocean Conservator – $500 – $999
Give:
- A well planned summit experience
- Professional development for 150+ educators
Get:
- 1 conference registration
- Exhibit table
- Verbal thank you at Summit
- Promotion as a Summit sponsor
Ocean Explorer – $200 – $499
Give:
- A well planned summit experience
- Professional development for 150+ educators
Get:
- Promotion as a Summit sponsor
Impact & Scholarship Levels
Smaller or larger amounts can be modified to fit your goals and abilities. Scholarship amounts can also be added to levels above.. For all of these levels you will get data to support your impact goal for your organization.
BIPOC Scholarship – $500
Give: Registration, lodging, and travel support for 1 person of color to attend the Summit.
Teacher Scholarship – $500
Give: Registration, lodging, and travel support for 1 educator to attend the Summit.
Community Participant Scholarship – $500
Give: Registration, lodging, and travel support for 1 community participant to attend the Summit.
Speaker Stipend – $500+
Give: Financial support to attract speakers to the Summit. Includes conference fees.
Graphic Notetaker – $1,000-$2,499
Give: Financial support to hire a graphic note taker. Graphic note takers increase accessibility and comprehension by expressing and recording information through a different modality.
To register as a sponsor, please contact Aimee Bonanno at Aimee.Bonanno@umb.edu
www.neosec.org
