History
The Atlanta Reef Club introduced SaltwaterU in 2005 as a 1-day educational program.
The event was held at Zoo Atlanta and included a full day of activities: speaking events, raffles, meals with our experts, and a regional coral frag swap.
The speaker lineup included Eric Borneman, Dr. Sylvia Earle, Chris Hetlage, James Hrynshyn, Dr. Bill Light, Scott Michael, Ray O'Conner, Walt Smith, and Jeff Swanagan.
The event was a great success for everyone involved, and it was evident that the ARC could bring more education to the public by expanding the event the next year.
You may still view the 2005 SaltwaterU website.
SaltwaterU TWO
With the Georgia Aquarium, now the largest and "most engaging" aquarium in the world, opening in November, 2005 in Atlanta,
it only made sense that the venue be held in cooperation with the Aquarium. The first major speaker and the kickoff party will actually be held in the
Cold Water Quest exhibit, right in front of the beluga whales!
This year, the event has been expanded to a three-day conference plus an additional excursion to Gray's Reef for both teens and adults. Speakers from around the world will be giving talks based on the findings from their ongoing research.
Outreach
This year, the venue will include a Teen track that will overlap the regularly scheduled events. There will also be a Kids camp,
where younger kids (4-12) will have fun while learning about ecological preservation.
The excursion to Gray's Reef will be partly targeted toward underserved teens, who may not otherwise be exposed to the marine life right off the coast of their own state. We are currently accepting donations from individuals and companies who wish to help a teen to attend this event.
Sponsorship
This event is made possible by our sponsors. Eight arms of sponsorship have been setup, providing a range of
sponsorships for corresponding exposure through advertising. The sponsorship will give exposure to all those that attend the event, visit this website, read the brochure,
and to those that will be at the Aquarium during the event. Please visit the sponsor section for
more information.
All raffle donations are gratefully accepted, as long as they fall within the guidelines set forth. These donations are a great way to promote products and push exposure!
Raffles
Raffle tickets will be sold before and during the event. Raffle tickets are $1, $5, and $10.
| Contact: |
kevin@saltwateru.com Kevin Jessop, SWU Committee Chair (404) 542-2351 |
