Our Mission
Our Mission is ocean conservation through research and education.
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Conservation
We strive to conserve endangered species by working with local partners to achieve conservation goals and engaging the public in the process.
Research
Our research projects focus on fundamental questions about the natural world and the intricacies of how species interact with their environment.
Education
Our core mission is to impart knowledge and provide experiences for youth to engage in meaningful marine science both in the classroom and in the field.
From Colorado’s mountains to the coast of Patagonia, microplastics brought us together! 🌎🔬
Ocean First Institute, in partnership with Wahoo Bay and Florida Atlantic University’s Laboratory Schools, hosted a virtual FTIR training for Inland Ocean Coalition’s diverse network, bringing together participants from at least six U.S. states: California, Colorado, Florida, Washington, North Carolina, and Tennessee, and three countries: the United States, Canada, and Argentina!
Educators, researchers, policy advocates, conservation ambassadors, and entrepreneurs joined us to explore how FTIR technology helps scientists identify microplastics and discuss what that knowledge could mean for their own communities.
Hosted from our Wahoo Bay Ocean Sciences and Conservation Lab at FAU, the training connected people across borders through a shared interest in understanding and addressing plastic pollution.
Thank you to our incredible partners and supporters for making this training happen and of course to the team that taught the program! We could not do it without you. 🙌
#Microplastics #OceanScience #EnvironmentalEducation #OceanFirstInstitute
Looking for a PT Colorado-based outreach educator to join our team in delivering our programming in school districts within Denver county and Front Range communities. Please share our listing with your network if you know someone that might be a great fit for our team. Application link in Bio! 🔗
#ColoradoOutreachEducator #EducatorJobListing #PartTimeEducator #InformalEducation #MarineScienceEducator
10,000 STRONG 💜🦈
Ocean First Institute has reached 10,000 followers, and we couldn’t have gotten here without YOU. Every follow, like, share, comment, and conversation helps take our mission further. Your support helps us share the science, celebrate the incredible work happening in Shark and ocean conservation, and inspire more people to care about protecting our blue planet. THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts. 💙
Two of our graduate students at University of Colorado Boulder just presented their research as part of the Masters of the Environment program! Please join us in celebrating and congratulating Augustus Hoff and Sydney Eckert on this huge achievement. Their research looks at USA policy overlap with CITES Appendix I shark and ray species. During the 20th Conferences of the Parties (CoP20) in Uzbekistan Manta Rays, Devil Rays, Whale Sharks, and Oceanic Whitetip Sharks were voted onto CITES Appendix I which is the highest level of international protection under CITES. Our students wanted to see what USA based policies currently have to say regarding protections of these species. We can’t wait to share the results with you soon!
Please join us in congratulating Sydney and Augustus! 🎉🎉🎉
#CUBoulderMENV #CoP20 #CITES #sharkandrayscience #elasmobranchii
Wow! How do we find the words to describe the immense gratitude our team has for Loggerhead Marinelife Center?! We are honored and we are humbled that our CEO and Chief Scientist Dr. Mikki McComb-Kobza was awarded the 2026 Eleanor Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award.
Dr. Mikki has worked tirelessly in the marine science field and those early days rescuing sea turtles are a huge part of her story as a leader and scientist. To bestow this award based on the founder of Loggerhead Marinelife Center is something we know is dearly special. Please join us in congratulating our fearless and fabulous leader, Dr. Mikki McComb-Kobza. 👏You truly show us all what it means to follow your heart, never give up on your dreams, and save the world for the future of sea turtles and of course, sharks. We love you! 🏆🐢
#goblueawards #2026EleanorFletcherLifetimeAchievement #SharkScience #MarineScientist #OceanFirstInstitute
The Go Blue Sponsor Reception last night was beyond incredible! Dr. Mikki had a chat about her history with the Loggerhead Marinelife Center and current shark research with an incredible audience in Florida!
Tonight, Dr. Mikki McComb-Kobza will accept the 2026 Eleanor Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award at the Go Blue Award Ceremony. Last night was a great way to kick off the celebration with friends both new and old. Thank you to the incredible supporters and sponsors of such a fantastic event!
#goblueawards #sponsorreception #loggerheadmarinelifecenter #oceanconservation
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You are critical and essential in fulfilling our mission. Your donation assures Ocean First Institute can continue to engage in ground breaking research and educate the next generation of ocean ambassadors about the importance of our greatest natural resource and its interconnectedness to all life on the planet.
Looking for a PT Colorado-based outreach educator to join our team in delivering our programming in school districts within Denver county and Front Range communities. Please share our listing with your network if you know someone that might be a great fit for our team. Application link in Bio! 🔗
#coloradooutreacheducator #educatorjoblisting #parttimeeducator #informaleducation #marinescienceeducator ...
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10,000 STRONG 💜🦈
Ocean First Institute has reached 10,000 followers, and we couldn’t have gotten here without YOU. Every follow, like, share, comment, and conversation helps take our mission further. Your support helps us share the science, celebrate the incredible work happening in Shark and ocean conservation, and inspire more people to care about protecting our blue planet. THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts. 💙 ...
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Please join us for an extraordinary evening in support of our friends Fins Attached Marine Research And Conservation ...
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