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Educating the future Stewards of Puget Sound.
Our History
Pacific Marine Research was founded in 1984 and has educated over 125,000 students through its flagship program, Marine Science Afloat™, and provided students with a hands-on marine science experience on a floating classroom. Pacific Marine’s mission is to educate and train the future stewards of Puget Sound. This expensive to operate program, operating budget has been funded in large part thru user fees.
The 3 years of covid shutdown ended our afloat program leaving PMR with insufficient funds to cover the substantial costs involved in putting the shipboard program back together. Between insurance, chartering a suitable vessel, hiring and training new staff, the rebuilding of the afloat program was not feasible.
PMR continuing to fulfill our education mission required a restructuring of PMR organization and its programming.
During the pandemic Marine Science Remote brought elements of our shipboard program fully remote to the classroom via Zoom. Content included a plankton unit, a Live Dive unit, and a Food web unit. This programing and continuing existence of PMR was primarily funded thru Grants Donations and a PPP Loan.
Post-Pandemic as students returned to the classroom PMR developed a Hybrid Remote /in-person program, with both elements of our remote program and in classroom in-person presentations.
The economics realities of the difficulty of funding PMR without a user fee led to a further downsizing in 2024. PMR needed to become a one paid employee organization. Programming needed to be adapted so that it could be delivered by one person.
27 Plankton in the Classroom presentations in 2024 reached over 750 students. In addition, I gave community, homeschool and scouting group presentations.
By 2025 PMR will be an all-volunteer organization with no regularly paid employees. I will continue Plankton in the Classroom programing as a volunteer. There are a number of expenses just involved in keeping PMR going that will need to be covered by grants or individual donations.
Please consider helping! Contact us at
Classroom Outreach Program and general inquires: fieldtrips@marinescienceafloat.org
A program of Pacific Marine Research (EIN 91-1271685)