Sitka Sound Science Center

10/10/2026

We hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine as much as Clementine this weekend! ☀️🐙

10/08/2026

🌊 Did you know the Sitka Sound Science Center is a field station?

Research Director Lauren Bell and Research & Education Coordinator Chase Coleman recently traveled to Maine to attend the Organization of Biological Field Stations (OBFS) Annual Meeting at the Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park.

So, what exactly is a field station? At its heart, it’s a where place-based environmental research and education happens: exactly what’s at the heart of what we do here in Sitka.

The meeting offered a chance to learn from organizations doing similar work in different places, hear about innovative research and education programs, and find new inspiration for our work in Southeast Alaska. Being in a room with more than 100 people working at field stations across the country was a powerful reminder that while our landscapes may look different, many of the challenges and opportunities we face are shared.

It was also an opportunity to connect with current and potential partners, including Dr. Lara Roketenetz of the University of Akron, who has participated in our Scientist in the Schools program and brought a field course to Sitka this year.

Lauren also co-hosted two presentations with Sabena Allen of the University of Alaska:
🔹 Tribal Relations and Field Station Management
🔹 Research with CaRE at Field Stations: Building Reciprocal, Place-Based Research Partnerships with Tribes and First Nations

We’re excited to be part of a national community of field stations, and to keep strengthening the connections between research, education, people, and place here in Sitka! 🐟🌲🔬

10/06/2026

10/06/2026

10/05/2026

10/02/2026

Now that it’s October, we’ve hit the rainiest month of the year in Sitka — and that means the risk of landslides is at its peak.

We hope that the Sitka community makes use of the resources available to assess hazards and make decisions for their safety, especially our Landslide Dashboard tool.

The Landslide Dashboard was launched in 2022. Researched and built over several years, it was refined by and designed in large part through feedback from community members and partners, including the Sitka Tribe of Alaska and many others. 

Any weather and geohazard prediction tool, including this one, will contain uncertainty due to the sometimes unpredictable nature of the environment — however, there are steps you can take to make informed decisions based on data from previous landslides.

In this new blog post, SSSC’s Coastal Resilience Manager Luka Silva and Lead Geoscientist Nick Mathews outline what to keep in mind to interpret the Dashboard as accurately as possible, and keep you and your loved ones safe.

Read our tips here: https://sitkascience.org/tips-for-using-the-landslide-risk-dashboard/

Access the Landslide Dashboard here: https://sitkalandslide.org/

And please reach out to [email protected] with questions and suggestions — we are eager to hear your feedback!

10/01/2026

Fall hours are here and the wolf eels are excited!

That’s right summer is officially over and we’re adapting and shifting our hours to match. We are open to members, locals, and all visitors.

🦀Sunday 10 am to 2 pm, and Monday through Thursday 12 pm to 5 pm 🐙

Come say hi to the wolf eels all the other amazing critters we have in the aquarium while browsing our curated gift shop at 834 Lincoln st in Sitka Alaska.

09/26/2026

Bidding a fond farewell to our amazing summer science guide team.

You heard that right: summer is over, and with it we say goodbye to late sunny nights, masses of tourists, and, unfortunately, our science guide team as well.
Melody, Abby, and Taran have fielded questions, given directions, provided moral support, and held the camera for more than a few regulars and visitors at the Science Center over this busy season. We will feel their absence, but are excited for what lies ahead.

Melody made friends with Wonda, our resident wolf eel, and will be traveling to Los Angeles to pursue her master’s.

Abby adores our sweet little buffalo sculpin and has set her sights on the East Coast to work and teach in Virginia.

Taran says goodbye to the transient little sea slug, Dendronotus Rufus, and prepares to fly up north to visit friends before traveling all the way to Cape May for work.

Best fishes to you all!