The Ocean Observers is an international educational network of marine scientists and communicators, teachers, and other stakeholders who are willing to share marine science educational resources and experiences for exploring the possibilities to establish new international collaborative activities. A long-term goal of the Ocean Observers initiative is to assemble all educational materials in a unique, free access repository, which will help to build a global ocean observation learning platform.
Marine science education and outreach are fundamental tools to raise awareness among the communities that a monitored, preserved, and healthy ocean is vital for the well-being of generations to come. The existing outreach activities, focused on in situ ocean observations, are isolated and lack national, European, and international visibility and coordination. Moreover, these activities involve various categories of people who lack opportunities to talk together. The Ocean Observers workshop wishes to promote discussions and collaboration between all actors involved in marine science outreach activities and help them to properly disseminate scientific knowledge about the ocean.