Ocean Innovator Award

Ocean Innovator Award is sponsored by Sea & Shore Solutions. Ocean Innovator Award is a grant from Sea and Shore Solutions that funds early-career individuals conducting innovative ocean, coastal, or estuarine research and applied solutions.

Ocean Innovator Award — Sea & Shore Solutions Recognizing and promoting innovative ocean-related research and applied solutions. 2026 Ocean Innovator Award winners Ph. D.

Candidate, Oregon State University Kelp forests have a special role in sustaining Oregon’s nearshore fish communities. To document these populations, Wave uses innovative SCUBA survey methods alongside environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring. She is helping develop an autonomous eDNA sampler to deploy in these coastal habitats.

This vital research aims to establish long-term monitoring frameworks for future marine conservation. 2nd Place: Yudmila Chunguane Lead Marine Biologist, Love the Oceans Project BEAM (Biodiversity Enhancement and Algae Management) is a youth-led coral reef restoration initiative situated in Jangamo Bay, Mozambique.

By empowering youth, generating reproducible scientific data through relevant institutional partnerships, and fostering local and regional knowledge exchange, BEAM provides a replicable model for sustainable coral reef management. 3rd Place: Andrea de Moura Milanelli Ph. D.

Student, Thünen Institute Incidental capture in fishing gear is a major threats to marine mammals worldwide. Andrea developed the PearlNet, an innovative modification of conventional gillnets designed to increase their acoustic detectability for echolocating animals. By combining acoustics, fishing technology, engineering, and collaboration with fishers, the PearlNet represents a practical and scalable innovation.

All three winners were featured at the 2026 Ocean Innovator Award webinar, co-hosted with OCTO. 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.

Winners are selected based on the quality and originality of their research. Winners receive a cash prize up to $2,000 and are 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 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. Elizabeth Farquhar, Research Specialist, North Carolina 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. 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. 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.

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.