History & Mission
Background
The Consortium for Ocean Leadership, representing leading oceanographic institutions universities and aquaria, manages a national academic competition for high schools on topics related to the study of the oceans — the National Ocean Sciences Bowl® (NOSB). The NOSB is a nationally recognized and highly acclaimed high school academic competition that provides a forum for talented students to test their knowledge of the marine sciences including biology, chemistry, physics, and geology. The NOSB was created in 1998 in honor of the International Year of the Ocean and since its inception, the competition has grown to include 25 regional competition locations with 300 schools and over 2,000 students participating annually.
Mission
The NOSB mission is to enrich science teaching and learning across the United States through a high-profile national competition that increases high school students’ knowledge of the oceans and enhances public understanding and stewardship of the oceans.
Goals
- Cultivate environments which develop knowledgeable ocean stewards that understand the ocean’s impact on daily life and the importance of scientific research;
- Foster the use of the ocean as an interdisciplinary vehicle to teach science and mathematics and encourage the inclusion of the ocean sciences in curricula;
- Encourage and support the involvement of under-represented and geographically diverse communities in the ocean sciences; and
- Provide students interactive education and career opportunities that develop critical thinking and workforce development skills, and provide exposure to ocean science professionals.
