Nekton Foundation

Who we are

NEKTON AND CODE BLUE

Nekton Foundation is a new marine research organisation dedicated to exploring and protecting the deep ocean. By leading research expeditions and undertaking the Ocean Health Check, we provide the scientific data and content needed to inform organisations mandated with marine protection and stewardship, and civil society behaviour change.

Nekton has established an alliance of the world’s leading marine science, communications, funding, education and conservation organisations committed to aggregating their resources and delivering a series of deep ocean research expeditions, broadcast communications, education programmes and policy initiatives. Our objectives are to:

• EXPLORE: Conduct the Ocean Health Check by researching the changing deep ocean and anthropogenic impact.
• ENGAGE: Reconnect humanity with the ocean by captivating a global audience and amplifying ocean prioritisation.
• EDUCATE: Inspire a generation by bringing the ocean to the world’s classrooms and accelerating ocean literacy.
• EMPOWER: Catalyse change by informing global ocean stewardship, protection and restoration.

Nekton is lead by James Wallace (Managing Director), Oliver Steeds (Mission Director), Professor Alex Rogers (Principle Scientist and Head of Ocean Research and Conservation Group at Oxford University) and Jen Hegarty (Partnerships Director) supported by a team of pioneering explorers, scientists, communicators and international policy experts in the UK, EU, USA and Canada.

Our first Mission launches this summer with a research expedition into the deep ocean using ships, submersibles, robots and the latest scientific and filming equipment to test the Ocean Health Check as a standardised toolkit that can be exported and used by scientists, communicators and policy makers around the world.