Ocean Innovator Award
Recognizing and promoting innovative ocean-related research and applied solutions.
2025 Ocean Innovator Award
Sea & Shore Solutions will showcase the 2025 Ocean Innovator Award Winners at the Ocean Innovators Webinar on May 29, 2024 at 10am PT! These innovators were awarded first, second, and third place awards through the 2024 Ocean Innovator Award opportunity, which recognizes and promotes innovative ocean-related research and applied solutions.
Early career professionals from around the globe submitted creative presentations about their innovative projects related to coastal, ocean, and estuarine environments. Our three winners, Patrick Nichols, Elizabeth Faquhar, and Jessi Florendo, were selected by a team of expert reviewers across several dimensions of the ocean and coastal career field.
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1st Place: Patrick Nichols
Ph.D. Candidate, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Using innovative eDNA technology, including passive samplers and species-specific assays, researchers detected an invasive alga in the Marshall Islands, extending its known range. The project aims to map its spread, identify its origin, and develop accessible eDNA tools for early detection and reef protection.
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2nd Place: Elizabeth Farquhar
Research Specialist, North Carolia State University
SEACOW is a low-cost (~$1,400) IoT device for estimating air–water ΔpCO2 in coastal areas. Utilizing an affordable sensor, SEACOW achieves 2-3% accuracy compared to high-end instruments and minimizes drift, a common issue with low-cost sensors. This innovation allows for more affordable monitoring of air-sea CO2 exchange, aiding biogeochemical research.
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3rd Place: Jessi Florendo
Program Coordinator and Marine Restoration Practitioner, Puget Sound Restoration Fund
Bull kelp is declining in Puget Sound. To address this, Jessi and their team piloted 'kelp gardening,' a low-tech, community-driven restoration approach. Using biodegradable materials and local seed, they streamlined the outplanting process, making it accessible to property owners and the public. Successful deployments demonstrate the potential for scalable, community-powered kelp restoration.
The Ocean Innovator Award recognizes and promotes innovative ocean-related research and applied solutions. We are particularly interested in projects that create unique solutions to salient ocean and coastal topics, such as renewable energy, conservation, and beyond. Top winners will be selected based on the quality and originality of their research. Winners will receive a cash prize up to $2,000 and be featured on an Ocean Innovators Webinar to elevate their work across the nation.
Eligibility: This award is open to early career individuals (loosely defined as up to 3 years into your career) in ocean, coastal, or estuarine fields, including current students. There are no specific restrictions on the location, topic, or theme of the project, as long as the project clearly relates to ocean, coastal, or estuarine environments. We encourage applications from various disciplines and approaches. Projects can be in any stage of the process; we will consider projects with unfinished results. If you have specific questions about eligibility, please contact us at info@sea-shoresolutions.com
The application period is closed.
The 2026 opportunity will open in February or March.
Previous Award Cycles
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Hear the winners talk about their projects on the recorded 2024 Ocean Innovator Award Webinar.
Winners
FIRST PLACE: Arona Bender, Ph.D. Student at Duke University. Explore groundbreaking drone technology equipped with thermal infrared sensors to monitor nesting activity across multiple beaches, revolutionizing traditional conservation efforts. View Project
SECOND PLACE: Pilar Rodriguez, Cetacean Conservation Biology Apprentice, Marine Mammal Center. Discover how innovative methodologies leveraging radar sensors and cameras are transforming whale-ship strike risk assessments in urban areas with high vessel traffic like the San Francisco Bay. View Project