Whalefest 2026 Schedule
Saturday, April 11th
11:00am Giovanna Sainz, MBARI: “FathomVerse: Where Gaming Meets Community Science to Explore our Ocean”
11:45am Ashley Kidd, Sunflower Star Laboratory: “Shooting for the Stars: Sunflower Star Laboratory’s Community-based Approach to Sunflower Sea Star Conservation and Kelp Forest Recovery”
12:30pm – 2:00pm Lunch break
2:00pm Stephanie Marcos, Marine Life Studies: “Whale Entanglement: Risks, Responses, and Prevention”
2:45pm Geoff Shester, Ph.D., Oceana: "Panel Discussion: Collaborations to Develop Whale-Safe Pop-Up Gear to Catch Dungeness Crab: A Win-Win for Whales and Local Fishermen"
Sunday, April 12th
11:00 Adam Ratner, The Marine Mammal Center: “Behind the Bark: 50 Years of Saving Seals and Sea Lions”
11:45 Matt Savoca, Ph/D. Hopkins Marine Station at Stanford University, California Marine Sanctuary Foundation: “From Watershed to Whales: Tracking Microplastics from Land to Sea in Monterey Bay
12:30 – 2:00 Lunch break
2:00 Jack Barkowski, Ph.D. Candidate, Hopkins Marine Station at Stanford University: “Whales Beneath the Waves: Insights into Whale Behavior from Video Camera Tags”
2:45 John Ryan, Ph.D., MBARI: “Creating Safer Habitat for Whales in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary”
3:30 (approximate) John Ryan and Lucy Zhang: “Sonata in Whale Major”