AltaSea Launches ?Project Blue @Home' Virtual Education Program Featuring Titanic Discoverer Dr. Robert Ballard & LA Blue Economy CEOs

Today, AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles, which is creating a world-class campus for the ocean economy, is launching "Project Blue @Home," a virtual education platform designed to provide science-based programming with real-world applications to students who are currently sheltering at home due to COVID-19.

Project Blue @Home is an informal educational program that includes live video chats, video question-and-answer sessions and pre-packaged lessons. They will be hosted and taught by AltaSea personnel and leading marine science and exploration experts with ties to the ocean-based campus, including Dr. Robert Ballard, the founder of Ocean Exploration Trust, who discovered the wreck of the Titanic in 1985. Ballard's E/V Nautilus, a 64-meter research vessel, calls AltaSea its Pacific Coast home. Ocean Exploration Trust currently operates a program called "Nautilus Live," where the vessel broadcasts deep-sea live streams from various points of interest around the world on an annual expedition.

Ballard's first video Q&A session will go live Friday, April 17.

Last month, AltaSea launched the first themed contest in its Project Blue @Weekends campaign, "How the ocean can save the world." Project Blue's mission is two-fold: to position Los Angeles as the global center of the "Blue Economy" and provide students with a voice to help lead that effort. The Project Blue contestants will have a new theme every week, awarding $25 and $50 Amazon or Target gift cards to six winners each week.

The additional educational resources launched as part of Project Blue @Home are intended to aid families and teachers in guiding 6^th-12^th graders to learn more about topics including ocean economy, aquaculture, science and conservation through a series of easy-to-understand learning activities.

"The COVID-19 crisis has created huge challenges for everyone, not least of all our young people," said Tim McOsker, CEO of AltaSea. "With our fantastic partners and their commitment to providing valuable educational content to students, AltaSea is continuing its engagement to foster passion and learning in the critical role that the ocean has for our planet."

McOsker will lead a live chat about the ocean economy as one segment of Project Blue @Home. In February, AltaSea and the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation released a report that included the ocean economy as the first new category of jobs in the region in more than a decade. According to the report, the ocean economy will produce more than 126,000 jobs paying a combined $37.7 billion in wages by 2023.

AltaSea partners participating in live chats and video or audio Q&A sessions as part of Project Blue @Home include:

• Robert Ballard, founder of Ocean Exploration Trust, which operates international programs centered on scientific exploration of the seafloor, many of which are launched from aboard Exploration Vessel (E/V) Nautilus, a 64-meter research vessel operated by the Ocean Exploration Trust. In addition to conducting scientific research, the company offers its expeditions to explorers on shore via live video, audio, and data feeds from the field.

• Rusty Jehangir, founder and CEO of Blue Robotics, which has developed the first professional-quality underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) at a price point that's accessible to all users, not just giant oil and gas companies. Blue Robotics currently tests its ROVs and other products at AltaSea, which provides a rare secure, quiet place to access the water.

• Diane Kim, co-founder and CEO of Holdfast Aquaculture, which produces top-quality seed for bivalves, including mussels, clams, oysters, and seaweeds, which act as nature's own filtration systems, keeping our oceans clean and providing a healthy, local and scalable source of food. Holdfast's products promote sustainable aquaculture, and tap into a growing market for these superfoods.

About AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles

AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles is creating a world-class ocean-based campus where science, business and education come together to generate innovative solutions to the most critical global sustainability issues today: food, energy, and climate security. AltaSea accelerates scientific collaboration, facilitates job creation, and inspires the next generation for a more sustainable ocean. Built on a historic pier with access to the deep ocean, AltaSea's campus brings people together to expand science-based understanding of the ocean; incubate and sustain ocean-related business; and pioneer new ocean-related education programs. For more information on AltaSea, please see our website: https://altasea.org.