Education and Science Forum

Save the date: March 4-6, 2025 at University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

The Biennial Education and Science Forum focuses on the important role educational partners such as the four EPP/MSI Cooperative Science Centers (CSCs) and Undergraduate Scholarship Program contribute to the NOAA community. The EPP Forum supports NOAA’s objective to develop a diverse and capable workforce. Since 2001, EPP/MSI institutions have graduated over 2,000 students in NOAA mission fields. Over seventy percent of graduates are from communities traditionally underrepresented in NOAA mission fields.

Carla stands in front of an academic poster hung in a conference presentation room. She smiles for the camera next to her poster, wearing business professional clothing and a conference identification tag on a lanyard.
Carla Mejias, an doctoral student supported through the NOAA Cooperative Science Center in Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology at University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez, presents at the 10th Biennial NOAA EPP/MSI Forum. (NOAA Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems)
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Save the Date:  EPP/MSI 11th Biennial NOAA EPP/MSI Education and Science Forum

March 4-6, 2025 at University of Maryland Eastern Shore. 

The NOAA Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center II will host the 11th Biennial Education and Science Forum, themed “Innovate, educate, sustain: Preparing tomorrow’s stewards for oceans, coastal, and atmospheric challenges.” 

Past forums

10th Biennial NOAA EPP/MSI Forum

Phase two of the forum will be held in-person on the campus of Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida on April 6-8, 2022

The NOAA EPP/MSI 10th Biennial Education and Science Forum - phase one occurred on April 8 - 9, 2021. The forum was hosted by the NOAA Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems at Florida A&M University, but took place virtually due to the COVID-19 public health threat. Learn more about the forum and view the schedule of events. 

Forum theme: "Two decades of excellence: Nurturing future leaders in STEM," highlights the important role of educational partners, such as the four EPP/MSI CSCs, and how they contribute to the NOAA community and the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) community at large.

Purpose: To showcase collaborative research and education between faculty and students at EPP/MSI CSCs and NOAA scientists. The forum provides a venue to present research findings, discuss new engagement opportunities, and to promote career opportunities for STEM graduates with academic, government, and private sectors.

Phase one sessions

April 8, 2021

  • Plenary I: Keynote - Larry Robinson, Ph.D.
  • Plenary II: Passing the torch to the next generation STEM workforce - panel discussion
  • Student workshop I: Student professional development workshops
  •  Invited student talks

April 9, 2021

  • Plenary III: Student-focused activity
  • Roundtable discussions - Strategies for NOAA science: AI/cloud/computing/unscrewed systems/bioinformations
  •  Invited student talks 
  • Student workshop II: Student professional development workshops

Phase two

Phase two of the forum will take place April 6-8, 2022. Register today! Abstract submission is now open and closes November 18, 2021. Visit the forum website to learn more about the forum, register, or submit an abstract.

9th Biennial Forum

The Ninth Biennial NOAA EPP/MSI Education and Science Forum was hosted by the NOAA Center for Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology at Howard University from March 18 - 21, 2018. 

Forum theme: “Partnering with Academia to Prepare Highly Skilled and Diverse Candidates for NOAA's STEM Workforce: Building Successful Educational and Research Collaborations for an Inclusive NOAA Mission Enterprise.”

Purpose: To showcase collaborative research and education between faculty and students at EPP-funded Cooperative Science Centers and NOAA scientists. The forum provides a venue to present research finding, discuss new engagement opportunities, and to promote career opportunities for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) graduates with academic, government, and private sectors.

Sessions:

  • Plenary
  • 150 technical presentations (oral and poster)
  • Workshops (choices of technical and professional development activities)
  • Networking engagements:
    • providing students and postdocs with an improved sense of the career choices and opportunities
    • providing opportunities for potential employers to identify candidates for their future workforce from the students and postdocs talent pool developed through EPP awards
  • Exhibitor Hall

8th Biennial Forum

 

The 8th Biennial EPP/MSI Forum was held August 28–31, 2016, at the The City College of New York.

Left to right: NOAA CSC Director Reza Khanbilvardi, NY Congressman Jose Serrano, President of City College Lisa S. Coico, CCNY Dean of Grove School of Engineering Gilda Barabino, VP of Government Affairs for American Sportfishing Association Scott Gudes, NOAA Deputy Administrator Manson Brown, and NOAA Education Director Louisa Koch. (NOAA CREST)
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Forum Schedule

 

Forum 9 - 2018:     Howard University

Forum 8 – 2016:  The City College of The City University of New York

Forum 7 – 2014:     The University of Maryland Eastern Shore

Forum 6 – 2012:     Florida A&M University

Forum 5 – 2009:     Howard University

Forum 4 – 2006:     Florida A&M University

Forum 3 – 2004:     The City College of The City University of New York

Forum 2 – 2003:     NOAA (Silver Spring) - Howard University

Forum 1 – 2002:     The University of Maryland Eastern Shore

Students participate in the poster session at the 8th Biennial Education and Science Forum, hosted by NOAA CREST at the City College of New York.
Students participate in the poster session at the 8th Biennial Education and Science Forum, hosted by NOAA CREST at the City College of New York. (NOAA)
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8th Biennial Forum - Oral Presentation Awards (2016)

Name Center Status Award Theme
Armando Aispuro ECSC Graduate student 1st place (tie) Climate Adaptation & Mitigation
Elius Etienne CREST Graduate student 1st place (tie) Climate Adaptation & Mitigation
Arun Ravindranath CREST Graduate student 3rd place Climate Adaptation & Mitigation
Cheila Cullen CREST Graduate student 1st place Weather Ready Nation
Keren Rosado NCAS Graduate student 2nd place Weather Ready Nation
Luis Ortiz CREST Graduate student 3rd place Weather Ready Nation
Jessica Andrade LMRCSC Graduate student 1st place Healthy Oceans
Keith Leonard LMRCSC Graduate student 2nd place (tie) Healthy Oceans
Robert Figueroa-Downing ECSC Graduate student 2nd place (tie) Healthy Oceans
Shanna Williamson LMRCSC Graduate student 1st place Resilient Coastal Communities & Economies
Kristen Lycett LMRCSC Graduate student 2nd place Resilient Coastal Communities & Economies
Michelle Dovil NCAS Graduate student 3rd place Resilient Coastal Communities & Economies

Poster Presentation Awards

Undergraduate students
Name Center Award Theme
Erica Andujar CREST 1st Climate Adaptation & Mitigation
Yanna Chen CREST 2nd Climate Adaptation & Mitigation
Wilson Pena CREST 3rd Climate Adaptation & Mitigation
Kweku Mills-Robertson CREST 1st Weather Ready Nation
Miguel Cortez NCAS 2nd Weather Ready Nation
Tony Hurt NCAS 3rd Weather Ready Nation
Niya Wilkins LMRCSC 1st Healthy Oceans
Tyler Plum LMRCSC 2nd (tie) Healthy Oceans
Vanessa Foster LMRCSC 2nd (tie) Healthy Oceans
Queriah Simpson ECSC 1st Resilient Coastal Communities & Economies
Valentina Rappa CREST 2nd Resilient Coastal Communities & Economies
Demarcus Robinson ECSC 3rd Resilient Coastal Communities & Economies

Poster Presentation Awards

Graduate students
David Melecio-Vazquez CREST 1st Climate Adaptation & Mitigation
Behzah Asadieh CREST 2nd Climate Adaptation & Mitigation
Kafayat Olayinka NCAS 3rd Climate Adaptation & Mitigation
Steven Buckner CREST 1st Weather Ready Nation
Daniel Yeager NCAS 2nd Weather Ready Nation
Sean Levor CREST 3rd Weather Ready Nation
Alex Tompkins ECSC 1st (tie) Healthy Oceans
Charles Downey ECSC 1st (tie) Healthy Oceans
Emma Schultz LMRCSC 3rd Healthy Oceans
Efosa Igbinigun NCAS 1st Resilient Coastal Communities & Economies
Alana Menendez CREST 2nd Resilient Coastal Communities & Economies

 

Read about the 7th Biennial Education and Science Forum (2014).