The New Explorers Scholarship: Opening Doors for Tomorrow’s Trailblazers
Empowering Underrepresented Voices in STEM and Exploration
Many Seabirds have taken nontraditional paths to fulfill their passion for whales and the ocean. Therefore, we know intimately how the struggle to achieve our wildest dreams can silence many along the way. It’s really hard!
Our New Explorers Scholarship aims to level the playing field and uplift future leaders. Our goal is straightforward but meaningful: we aim to lift up those who haven’t always had access to resources by offering mentorship, new opportunities, and the financial support that can turn big dreams into reality.
Who are these “new explorers”? They are the visionaries whose stories don’t always match the traditional mold—the moms balancing family and ambition, the teachers sparking curiosity in young minds, youth yearning for a chance to shine, retirees embarking on new adventures, mid-career professionals seeking more meaningful work, and artists weaving creativity into the fabric of science. They are BIPOC or people whose abilities are different from the norm, LGBTQ+ or those from under-resourced communities struggling to make ends meet but who have big ocean dreams. They may not have “the right” college degree or any degrees, or are younger/older and not taken seriously as a scientist.
Drawing from our Director of Science and Cuban American Cristie Ledon Moore, we encourage everyone to embrace their backgrounds, what makes them different, as their superpower, because their unique perspective allows them to see things and problem-solve differently in ways others might not.
In Cristie’s words: “My biggest thing with my personal BIPOC experience is the perspective shift that my grandparents gave me to see my heritage as my strength, particularly when I hit barriers and challenges. I’ve always reflected back on my own family’s resilience and work ethic. They legit left everything back in Cuba and got here with zero, so everything they built was pure determination. I go back to that a lot in everything and particularly in my career when things might not seem fair or equitable—trying to keep pushing or creating opportunity when it doesn’t seem like it’s there.”
Critically, we’re building our new explorers scholarship to support beyond financial aid; recipients gain a community committed to their growth. Recipients benefit from one-on-one mentorship with seasoned professionals, hands-on experience to grow their skillsets, and direct funding to turn aspirations into reality. We believe talent and passion exist everywhere, but opportunity doesn’t—so we’re bridging that gap, one explorer at a time.
In 2025, we were excited to offer field training stipends for two mid-career female ocean advocates, empowering them to lead and innovate in marine science. Looking ahead, our support will send a BIPOC leader to join the Seabirds on a whale expedition, paving the way for greater representation in ocean exploration.
Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is at the heart of the program, and we’re expanding our impact through new partnerships and curated opportunities.
Cristie ends, “I think it’s important for BIPOC to see background as strength. Opportunities are such big factors for growth. So if we can provide that piece, the opportunity, then we’ve already helped them tackle one of the biggest hurdles.”
If you have an opportunity to provide a new explorer, we’d love to get in touch! Together, we can redefine who gets to explore, innovate, and lead.
