Congratulations, 2026 Science Communication Fellows!
After reviewing over a hundred competitive applications, the Ocean Exploration Trust is excited to announce the educators selected this year to join our upcoming Nautilus expedition season as Science Communication Fellows! These newest members and selected returning Fellows of the Corps of Exploration bring with them unique perspectives and varied professional experiences while representing students and communities across the continental United States, Hawaiʻi, Puerto Rico, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Congratulations to all the participants!
2026 Science Communication Fellowship
The Science Communication Fellowship immerses formal and informal educators in the Corps of Exploration as expedition communicators. Fellows are instrumental in advancing the mission of Ocean Exploration Trust by bringing the thrill of ocean exploration, along with the pillars of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math, to their schools, organizations, and communities. By leveraging the Nautilus Live platform, they connect with a worldwide audience, sharing their insights and experiences to inspire a deeper engagement with marine exploration. Fellows become ambassadors for exploration, delivering personal accounts, expedition operations, and daily life at sea to varied audiences through live audio commentary online, ship-to-shore broadcasts, local events, and creative instruction within their home classrooms, schools, organizations, and communities. Congratulations to these fellows!
Science Communication Fellows
Ashley Cosme | Crown Point High School - Crown Point, IN
Gina Errico | Bishop Museum - Kailua, HI
Yeji Lee | William S. Reyes Elementary School - Saipan, MP
Rikki Marzen | King/Drew Magnet High School - Los Angeles, CA
Sabrina Medina | Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute - Wailuku, HI
Andria Miller | Jackson State University - Richland, MS
Caitlyn Ogbaekwe | Hawaiʻi Pacific University - Honolulu, HI
Preeti Pachauri | Stanfield Elementary School - Chandler, AZ
Adolfo Rodríguez Velázquez | University of Puerto Rico at Cayey - Las Piedras, PR
Lead Science Communication Fellows
Returning Corps of Exploration members, Lead Science Communication Fellows serve as mentors to the 2026 first-time SCF cohort and are key advisors to the OET Education & Outreach Team. Like first-year Fellows, they are ambassadors for ocean exploration, sharing the excitement of exploration and research with students and public audiences in their communities and around the world.
Erin Anthony | STEAM Power Media - Seabrook, Texas
Alice Chou | Mystic River Watershed Association - Boston, MA
Kim Etsitty | Navajo Pine High School - Navajo, NM
Brandon Rodriguez | Center for Collaborative Education - Glendale, CA
Gandharva Mahina Hou Ross | Molokai High School - Kaunakakai, HI
