Dear Members,
On behalf of the Secretariat and IOLN Steering Committee we would like to express our best wishes to you for Christmas and the New Year. We know that this year has been very difficult and we wanted to let you know that we are thinking of you. We have emailed the 2019/2020 excutive summary to all members, and have included some highlights and updates below.
The IOLN Steering Group
The IOLN would not function without the passion and continued support of the steering committee, who continue to meet and plan for the future of the network this year. They include
Aoife Deane , MAREI
Catherine Barrett, Bord Iascaigh Mhara
Cushla Dromgool Regan, Camden Education Trust
David Murphy, AquaTT
Fiona Regan, Dublin City University
John Joyce, Spindrift Press
Karin Dubsky, Coastwatch
Margaret Rea
Noel Doyle, Leave no Trace
Ronan O’ Toole, Geological Survey Ireland
Sheila Byrnes, Marine Institute
Sinead McCoy, Cleancoast Thomas McCloughlin, Dublin City University
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR
While this year was challenging, but with support from the IOLN Steering Group, we are delighted to report continued growth and development of the network in 2020.
- We were delighted to host a blue schools focus early this year with our colleagues from the European Marine Science Educators Association.
- We ran the #WeAreIslanders Campaign online in 2020, with materials shared in RTE Learn, member’s content highlighted and shared on social media. We worked together to get World Ocean Day and We are Islanders trending in Ireland on the 8th of June 2020.
- We became one of the founding members for EU4Ocean and present the network on this platform. We are a member of the Clean and Healthy Oceans Working Group.
- We held an online members event in the Summer of 2020, where we were delighted to be joined by speakers from across Ireland and Europe.
- We represented the network at the Atlantic Ocean Sea Basin workshop held as part of the launch for EU4Ocean, and presented at COMMOCEAN 2020.
As we wrap up this year, we would like to leave you with a final thought;
We are continually inspired by the passion and drive for caring for the ocean and producing innovative ocean science within the Irish Network. We want to share your stories, research and content with the global ocean literacy community.
Dr. Noirin Burke and Garry Kendellen, Secretariat of the Irish Ocean Literacy Network on behalf of Galway Atlantaquaria.
A reminder to members that we have a number of social media platforms to share your message.
These include:
FACEBOOK
https://www.facebook.com/groups/IrishOceanLiteracyNetwork/
TWITTER
https://twitter.com/iolnetwork?lang=en
LINKED IN Irish Ocean Literacy Network – Listed Group
WEBSITEhttps://irishoceanliteracy.ie/
Use the #WeAreIslanders hashtag so that we can re-share and increase the reach of your content too.
We would like to say a special thanks to Sadhbh Hannon, Marine Institute Intern, who assisted with website updates during the summer of 2020.
Collaboration Have you an idea or project you would like support with? Why not use the IOLN collaboration form to look for a fellow member to work with or support? Complete the IOLN collaboration form and we will share it with the network, which is now made up of 115 individuals, representing over 60 organisations across the Island of Ireland. Click the link below to find out more:
COLLABORATION FORM
NEW MEMBERS WELCOME
Not a member, or know someone who would like to join the IOLN? New members are always welcome and can contact us at info@irishoceanliteracy.ie to join the Irish Ocean Literacy Network, working together for an ocean literacte society acorss the Island of Ireland.
