About the Association

The Teacher at Sea Alumni Association (TASAA) is composed of over 850 educators from across the United States who have successfully completed their NOAA Teacher at Sea research cruise. The Association provides valuable networking opportunities and high-quality professional development experiences for these exceptional educational leaders.

Since 2011, the Teacher at Sea Alumni Association has been managed by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and works in partnership with NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program.

The mission of the Association is to:

1. Provide a bridge between the “at sea” experience and further engagement with NOAA staff and resources.
2. Continue to build and strengthen alumni understanding of physical and marine oceanography.
3. Encourage and support collaboration to build a strong alumni network.
4. Foster relationships between NOAA scientists, alumni, and their students.

How we achieve our mission:

1. Through eight alumni regions, we connect educators with NOAA scientists and facilities at the local level and encourage networking and collaboration among alumni on regional topics. 
2. At the national level, we support alumni in attending and/or presenting at relevant educational conferences and connect alumni through meetings at these events.
3. Alumni are invited to support the outreach efforts of NOAA’s Office of Education at science education conferences and to share their Teacher at Sea experiences with other educators.
4. Through various professional development opportunities and small grants, the Association supports alumni in developing unique experiences for their students, which incorporate NOAA topics.