On June 6, 2026, the University of Georgia Aquarium on Skidaway Island welcomed over 1,000 attendees for a World Ocean Day event focused on sea level science. The gathering was facilitated by the Sea Level Education, Awareness, and Literacy (SEAL) project, an initiative funded by NASA’s Science Activation program designed to provide coastal communities with data and educational resources regarding rising sea levels.
The SEAL project, a collaboration between NASA and four NOAA Sea Grant programs, aims to improve climate resilience by providing educators with lesson plans and interactive tools. During the event, participants engaged with several hands-on activities, including a game titled “Tumbling Tower,” which illustrates the various impacts of rising water levels on communities. Attendees also created “sea level friendship bracelets” using beads to visualize local sea level data.
A highlight of the day was the introduction of an augmented reality sandbox. This technology allowed visitors to manipulate sand to form coastal landscapes, which were then overlaid with real-time, NASA-informed projections of sea level rise. Users could test various adaptation strategies, such as building dunes or moving infrastructure, to observe how these changes might affect future flood risks.
Shannon Matzke, a Marine Educator and Public Program Coordinator at UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, noted that the NASA partnership allowed the aquarium to offer free admission, broadening the event's reach. “Incorporating SEAL activities made the day even more impactful for visitors – many of whom live in coastal communities already experiencing the effects of sea level rise,” Matzke said.
Educators at the event received four new lesson plans covering topics such as modeling and environmental impacts. These materials are part of a broader effort to make NASA-derived STEM resources accessible to both formal and informal learning environments. Interested parties can request digital copies of these materials by contacting Shannon Matzke.
Source: NASA
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