Inspiring Ocean Scholars, Exploring Coastal Futures
Sea Education Association has been a leader in ocean education since 1971.
Our Mission
Sea Education Association (SEA) is a global teaching, learning and research institution dedicated to the exploration, understanding and stewardship of the ocean and coastal communities. Through participation in one of SEA’s programs, students are immersed into scientific and cultural discovery, academic rigor, and personal growth.
SEA’s campus is located in the oceanographic community of Woods Hole, MA and is one of the six members that make up the Woods Hole scientific community working closely with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woodwell Climate Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (including National Marine Fisheries Service and Northeast Fisheries Science Center), and United States Geological Center.
Programs
Undergraduate students can participate in one of SEA’s semester or summer programs to earn academic credit.
High school students can explore a variety of summer program offerings designed to provide hands-on experience in ocean studies.
Designed for recent high school graduates who have deferred their college acceptance or will matriculate in the spring semester.
Learning with SEA
With an interdisciplinary approach to ocean studies, SEA programs offer students the opportunity to explore their academic interests as they relate to current ocean issues like climate change, environmental justice, biodiversity, conservation and policy, and marine environmental history.
Request Information
Faculty
Sea Education Association faculty are leading experts in the fields of oceanography, marine environmental history, coral reef ecology, maritime history, and ocean policy. SEA’s faculty are actively engaged in ongoing research initiatives and bring their passion to SEA programs.
Recent Faculty Research
Dr. Heather Page
Assistant Professor of Oceanography
With a background in oceanography, Dr. Page’s expertise encompasses the intricate relationships between corals, reef fishes, and other reef organisms, with a particular focus on the resilience and adaptation of these fragile ecosystems in the face of climate change
Dr. Kara Lavender Law
Research Professor of Oceanography
Dr. Lavender Law’s research focuses on understanding the distribution, fate, and impacts of plastic debris in the world’s oceans. Her groundbreaking work has shed light on the extent of plastic pollution and its ecological consequences, driving global efforts to address this pressing environmental issue.
Dr. Jeff Schell
Assistant Professor of Oceanography
Recently featured on NBC Nightly News, Dr. Schell is known for his research on Sargassum. Dr. Schell’s research looks to understand why big blooms are occurring in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean and how temperature, salinity and nutrients affect the growth of different types of Sargassum.
What SEA alumni are saying…
Senior thesis: Benthic Community Variation of Shallow Coral Reefs and the Effect of Herbivory on Different Algae in U.S. Virgin Islands
Current position: Assistant Professor, University of California, Berkeley
“There was nothing like the challenges, the joys, and the lessons I learned at SEA. The opportunity to explore the ocean aboard a ship as a member of a crew while participating in cutting edge research empowered me to continue into a career on the ocean and as a researcher. Being aboard the SSV Corwith Cramer taught me so much about how big the ocean really is, and how to explore it with fellow crewmates I consider family to this day.” -Joseph Townsend, Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, 2015
Current Position: Territorial Coral Disease Response Coordinator, Department of Planning and Natural Resources for the Virgin Islands; Science Assistant, National Science Foundation