ANGARI Foundation Honored at UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute Annual Celebration & Awards Ceremony

On Saturday, March 25th, 2023, ANGARI Foundation was thrilled to be recognized as an “Outstanding Partner” at the University of Florida Thompson Earth Systems Institute’s (TESI) first Annual Celebration & Awards Ceremony held at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville, Florida. This event was a long-anticipated celebration of the Institute’s accomplishments and an opportunity to honor the scientists, educators, organizations and partners who have helped further TESI’s mission to “advance communication and education about Earth systems science in a way that inspires Floridians to be effective stewards of the planet.”

“From scientists volunteering their time to visit classrooms to undergraduate students developing engaging social media posts to educators working to introduce current research into their curriculums, fulfilling the mission of our Institute truly takes a village,” said TESI Director Bruce MacFadden.

The evening began with invited guests learning about TESI’s science outreach efforts during a social hour featuring posters presented by TESI Environmental Communicators, Fellows and students. The poster presentations highlighted a variety of TESI digital outreach projects, student programs, and experiences from University of Florida classes taught by TESI faculty. Following the social hour, the Institute staff and guests gathered for the formal program which commenced with a welcome by Doug Jones, Director of the Florida Museum of Natural History. This was followed by an introduction from TESI Director Bruce MacFadden and a discussion of the Institute’s impacts and accomplishments over the past year by TESI Program Coordinator Sadie Mills.

During the presentation of awards, outstanding partners, educators and collaborators of both TESI and the Institute’s Scientist in Every Florida School (SEFS) Program were recognized. ANGARI Foundation was pleased to be honored as the SEFS Outstanding Partner, and ANGARI Director of Science Education & Advancement Amanda Waite was in attendance to receive the award. TESI had this to say in conjunction with the recognition:

“…ANGARI Foundation has been an exceptional partner in advancing the SEFS mission of sharing Earth systems science, in particular, marine science. Together, we have co-developed a livestream series called the Ocean Expert Exchange. This program reaches K-12 students and lifelong learners throughout Florida and around the globe. The ANGARI Foundation has not only co-developed our virtual programming, but they have also been instrumental in supporting our Scientist in Every Florida School teacher professional development workshops. They have worked closely with groups of teachers to create lesson plans that bring current research into the classroom. This level of collaboration has been appreciated in promoting Earth system science education and fostering a passion for ocean conservation in the next generation. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the ANGARI Foundation and working together to spread marine science awareness and conservation for years to come.”

[left] TESI Director Bruce MacFadden discusses the nature of the Institute’s collaborative programming.

[right] ANGARI Foundation Director of Science Education & Advancement, Amanda Waite, with SEFS K-12 Education & Outreach Coordinators, Stephanie Killingsworth and Brian Abramowitz.

TESI and ANGARI’s missions are well-aligned, and the ANGARI team has thoroughly enjoyed their many successful collaborations with both SEFS and TESI to date. From diverse marine science offerings for audiences of all ages, to future plans for teacher professional development programs, scientist engagement and more, ANGARI is excited to continue to build and grow upon these efforts, and looks forward to what the future holds.

To learn more about the Annual Celebration & Awards Ceremony, visit https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/earth-systems/blog/tesi-honors-collaborators-during-annual-celebration-and-awards

[top of page] Featured image photo credit to Jeff Gage, Florida Museum of Natural History.