Love Blue Monmouth President Siena Zisa and Vice-President Grace Schleiden and Urban Coast Institute Communications Director and Ocean Data Manager Karl Vilacoba presented on the panel “From Data to Dialogue: Communicating Science and Solutions in the Marine Debris Space” at the 2025 Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Summit on Nov. 13.
Hosted by the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO) in Dewey Beach, Delaware, the two-day event assembled leaders from state and federal agencies, tribes, non-profit organizations, academia, and other regional partners to strengthen coordination, share updates on current and emerging marine debris issues, and highlight effective prevention and reduction strategies. Additional information and presentation videos can be found on the summit website.
Zisa and Schleiden, both senior marine and environmental biology and policy students, discussed the impacts that the student club’s cleanups have made on reducing beach litter and building student awareness of the issue. They also shared their work with Love Blue Monmouth during a poster session at the summit. Vilacoba presented on his work using the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portal as a tool for public engagement and education.
The session was moderated by MARCO Mid-Atlantic Ocean Planning Committee Tribal Co-chair Aiyana Coard of the Shinnecock Indian Nation. Additional panelists included Storm Water Systems Marketing Manager Ian Carson, and Green Fin Studio Vice President Dave Jasinski and Environmental Communication Manager Allison Burbach.