Seymour Marine Discovery Center

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Seymour Marine Discovery Center Community-supported marine science education center at UC Santa Cruz, dedicated to educating people.
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Through our breathtaking seaside learning center, we bring the adventures and explorations of ocean science to life. Powered by the Long Marine Laboratory, a world-renowned university research facility, the Seymour Marine Discovery Center offers hands-on immersion into the world of ocean exploration and discovery. With a 20,000-square-foot visitor center, guests can touch a shark, explore the latest discoveries in ocean science, and take in the spectacular Monterey Bay, called the “Serengeti of the sea,” for its incredible diversity of marine life. The Center offers a deeper dive into the research conducted at Long Marine Lab and a chance for everyone to find their inner scientist through rich experiential learning programs including school field-trips, summer youth programs, Science Sundays, volunteer opportunities, internships, and more.

09/16/2026

Sunflower sea stars are more than just beautiful! They’re powerful predators ⭐

In Science, Solutions, Santa Cruz, Reuven Bank and Andrew Kim dive into what makes sunflower sea stars such incredible animals. From the moment they settle onto the seafloor, sunflower sea stars can eat sea urchins throughout their lives. That makes them an important part of the kelp forest ecosystem, where too many urchins can contribute to the loss of kelp.

🟢 Live now on Science, Solutions, Santa Cruz:
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- YouTube

See link in our bio 🔗

OceanScience MontereyBay MarineConservation

09/11/2026

Surfers might be more connected to the ocean than you think. 🦠🌊

In this week’s podcast, Nik Strong-Cvetich shares a wild fact about the gut microbiomes of surfers and what it reveals about the relationship between people and the ecosystems they spend time in. If surfers are part of the ocean ecosystem, what does that mean for how we think about conservation?

🟢 Live now on Science, Solutions, Santa Cruz:
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- YouTube

See link in our bio 🔗

09/10/2026

A surf break can be worth a LOT more than the wave itself. 💰🌊

Surfing contributes an estimated $200 million in economic value, but what happens when sea-level rise and coastal infrastructure change the conditions that make a surf break work? In this week’s podcast, Nik Strong-Cvetich explains why climate change isn’t just an environmental issue for surf communities. It can also have major economic consequences.

🟢 Live now on Science, Solutions, Santa Cruz:
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- YouTube

See link in our bio 🔗

09/09/2026

What exactly does it mean to “save a wave”? 🌊

Save the Waves’ mission has evolved beyond protecting the wave itself. Executive Director, Nik Strong-Cvetich explains why protecting a surf break means protecting the entire surf ecosystem, from the geology and marine life to the people and communities that depend on it.

🟢 Live now on Science, Solutions, Santa Cruz:
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- YouTube

See link in our bio 🔗

Surfing

09/04/2026

Did you know surfing in cold water can actually change the bones in your ear? 👂🌊

Because sometimes the ocean leaves its mark on us, literally!!!!

Sarah Gerhardt has had three surgeries for surfers’ ear, a condition where abnormal bone growth can narrow or eventually close the ear canal.👀

In this episode of Science, Solutions, Santa Cruz, Sarah explains the science behind surfers’ ear and shares what years of cold-water surfing have taught her about the relationship between our bodies, our environment, and the ocean. 🌱

🟢 Live now on Science, Solutions, Santa Cruz:
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- YouTube

See link in our bio 🔗

09/03/2026

What if you could change the properties of a plastic just by changing what’s inside it? 🧪

In this episode of Science, Solutions, Santa Cruz, Sarah Gerhardt breaks down the chemistry behind thermoplastics and explains how materials can be altered by adding things like plasticizers. She takes us from polymers and plastics to wetsuits, surfing, sustainability, and the science behind the materials we use every day. It’s a tiny look into the molecular world that makes up the everyday materials around us.

🟢 Live now on Science, Solutions, Santa Cruz:
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- YouTube

See link in our bio 🔗

09/02/2026

What did surfing giant waves teach Sarah about herself? 🌊

For Sarah Gerhardt, surfing is more than riding a wave. As the first woman to surf Mavericks, she’s learned how fear, focus, curiosity, and humility can shape the way we navigate challenges both in and out of the water. 🌱

In this episode of Science, Solutions, Santa Cruz, Sarah reflects on how surfing has carried her through different chapters of her life, from academia to parenthood and everything in between. ✨

🟢 Live now on Science, Solutions, Santa Cruz:
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- YouTube

See link in our bio 🔗

Mavericks OceanScience WomenInSTEM

08/30/2026

here’s something to add to your list when visiting Santa Cruz!! 👀🌊🦀

Newly opened this June, SeeMoreHQ is our first digital exhibition celebrating the people and stories shaping our coast. Explore local research, real-time environmental data, bilingual storytelling, and interactive experiences that connect our community to marine and environmental solutions right here in Santa Cruz. 💙🌅

Link in our bio to plan a visit!

08/28/2026

For Javier González-Rocha, environmental science is personal. 👥🌱

Growing up in Watsonville in a family of farmworkers, Javier saw firsthand the environmental challenges facing agricultural communities. Those lived experiences helped shape the questions he asks as a scientist today. Now, his research uses technology and data to better understand air quality while working alongside the communities most affected by it.

In this episode, Javier shares how his background, his hometown, and his passion for science came together to shape his career.

Live now on Science, Solutions, Santa Cruz:
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- YouTube

See link in our bio 🔗

EnvironmentalScience

08/27/2026

When do you think you’re most exposed to air pollution? 👀

You might assume it’s in the middle of the day, but Javier González-Rocha explains why early mornings can be especially important when it comes to exposure.

In this episode of Science, Solutions, Santa Cruz, an applied mathematics professor at UC Santa Cruz, Javier González-Rocha breaks down how the planetary boundary layer, weather, and seasonal changes affect the particles floating around in our air.

Live now on Science, Solutions, Santa Cruz:
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- YouTube

See link in our bio 🔗

EnvironmentalScience

Address

100 McAllister Way
Santa Cruz, CA
95060

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+18314593800

Website

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