Ocean Sensors

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Supported By

We're supporting projects that advance the development and implementation of cutting-edge ocean sensor technologies and robotic platforms. 

Science Leads: Jessica Sandoval, Katy Croff Bell


The Projects

Browse the participating projects

Assessing the environmental safety and feasibility of using artificial upwellings for coral reef restoration

Unprecedented ocean temperatures in 2023/2024 have led to the worst mass coral bleaching event on record...

Upgrading regional ocean monitoring with advanced sensors and open data in Costa Rica

Costa Rica, known for its rich biodiversity, has 92% of its territory in the ocean. However, it lacks a...

Testing critical measurements on a modular platform for regenerative seaweed farms, at the largest wave in the world

This project investigates the fabrication of low-cost, 3D printable smart buoys for monitoring the condition...

Can surfers and swimmers measure waves with their smartwatches?

Smartwatches have the same sensors used on buoys to measure waves. We hypothesize that we can extract wave...

Can we make it easy to identify marine species from environmental DNA?

We are creating a Field Ready eDNA analyzer to increase our understanding of marine animals. It can be used...

Building affordable and reliable devices to collect marine environmental data

Environmental sensors are vital in marine science, measuring conductivity, temperature and depth allows...

Developing a standardized protocol for open science photogrammetry survey data using both ROVs & DPVs

A lack of standardization in ecological survey protocols for occupational and community field scientists...

More About This Challenge

The sciency details

Challenge Amount:
$75,000
Submission Deadline:
Nov 29, 2024
Campaign Launch:
Nov 29, 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

How do challenge grants work?

Projects must meet Experiment project guidelines and funding discretion rests with the Science Lead.

When will the grant be awarded?

On November 29th at 5PM PT, the prizes will be awarded according to the posted schedule.

Can I still submit a project?

We are no longer accepting projects for this grant, however we will be launching many more challenge grant opportunities. Sign up for our mailing list for up-to-date community news.

Please Note:

If we see suspicious acitivity of researchers or backers potentially cheating during the challenge, the project will be completely disqualified from winning the grant.

Challenge Aims

The ocean holds vast potential for scientific discovery and crucial insights into global environmental challenges. If you have innovative ideas on how to advance ocean sensor methodologies or design novel robotic approaches to ocean data collection, we want to hear from you. The Ocean Sensors grant program supports pioneering research to address critical needs in oceanographic observation and understanding.

We are seeking proposals for innovative projects that leverage ocean sensors or robotics in novel ways. This could include:

  • Developing new sensor technologies to collect data on previously inaccessible or poorly understood aspects of the ocean.
  • Implementing sensor networks to monitor and track oceanographic phenomena in real time.
  • Designing and deploying novel robotic platforms for ocean exploration and data collection.

We are particularly interested in projects that:

  • Address critical oceanographic issues such as climate change, pollution, or biodiversity loss.
  • Have the potential to make a significant impact on our understanding or management of the ocean.
  • Demonstrate a clear path to implementation and sustainability.

If you have a bold vision for the future of ocean exploration and discovery, we encourage you to apply!

ROLLING SUBMISSIONS:  The goal of this small, fast grant program is to get these projects off the ground quickly. If selected, the grant (up to $10,000 with the average Science Engine grant being $4,000) will be applied towards an ongoing Experiment project. Project leads are encouraged to try to raise additional support from the crowdfunding process, as granted amounts may only cover part of the project funds. The sooner you fill out a project application the better (use the "start a project" link below). In addition to funding, we hope to stay engaged with the projects as mentors and supporters, helping to make the experiments a success. 

Project Eligilibity


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