- Dr. Letise T. Houser
- National Marine Sanctuary Program
Born and raised in Chicago, my first exposure to the ocean was through programs on PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) and Discovery Channel and my many visits to the Shedd Aquarium—still one of my favorite places! Plus, growing up, the vastness of Lake Michigan was “ocean” enough for me. My mother says she recognized my fascination as young as the age of four, and by the time I was 11 or 12 years old, she encouraged me to research how I could apply it. That was still before the internet craze, so I actually had to go to the public library and gather piles of reference books. After a couple trips, I was sure it was the life in the ocean that excited me most, which made me realize I wanted to be a marine biologist. My educational and career path started to form from there, and I’ve had some great experiences ever since—from the bottom of the seafloor to the Antarctic.
Many years later, I am still awestruck by the ocean and its many inhabitants and dynamics. Now, I’ve reached a point in my career where I seek to apply my experiences to affect changes in national ocean policy and improve outreach to the public regarding the ocean’s importance and our impacts on it. Having spent a brief period on Capitol Hill, I am currently the Government Relations Manager and Education Coordinator for the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. What better place to bring so many components together (science, education, policy, etc.) than the marine sanctuaries!
It is been both a pleasure and a privilege participating in the plans and preparations for this Aquarius mission, and I’m looking forward to seeing it come to fruition.
