Helping out with MARVEN

This past spring, interns from the Digital Video Technology Program at Suncoast Technical College – Sarasota Campus helped pilot test MARVEN during our Estuary Explorations program with Sarasota County Schools. Their support helped refine how MARVEN connects students to science in real time, ensuring smooth audio, video, and interactive features. Our thanks to Tyler and Javier for their help and the opportunity to learn along with them.

As the new Mote Science Education Aquarium (Mote SEA) opens, MARVEN will continue to expand our reach by showcasing new habitats and highlighting our conservation work with sharks, sea turtles, manatees, otters, corals, and more. We hope to continue offering intern opportunities next year.

We also anticipate several general volunteer opportunities this fall. Volunteers can support MARVEN by helping with program prep, tech checks, or simply promoting these virtual experiences to guests and community partners. If you are a Mote Volunteer and interested in finding our more, send an email to  marven@mote.org.

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📬 Keep in Touch

• 📧 Send questions (or answers) to marven@mote.org
• 📰 Subscribe to our newsletter for updates on MARVEN programming
• ▶️ Explore more on our YouTube channel

Zoom in. Focus together. Wonder around.™

About this blog

This blog highlights Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium’s virtual learning programs and lifelong learning programs, offering resources, updates, and inspiration for learners of all ages. We regularly share new content about how Mote connects classrooms, libraries, homeschool groups, and lifelong learners with marine science through live, interactive Virtual Focus Trips.

Weekly Features

• FMNP Field Sites: News and notes from our lifelong learning programs and Florida environments through the Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP).
• MARVEN: Updates about our live, interactive Virtual Focus Trips™, including new Wonderful Virtual Animal Encounters (WAVE)™ and behind-the-scenes connections from the new Mote Science Education Aquarium (Mote SEA).
• Endless Oceans: Professional development and lifelong learning resources for educators, naturalists, and community science partners.
• SEA Me Read: STEM storybook reviews, read-aloud program highlights, and literacy activities that blend storytelling and science.
• STEMventures: Independent online learning experiences for homeschool groups, curious families, and learners of all ages who want to explore ocean science on their own schedule.
• Weekend Wonders: Photo journal showcasing the organisms featured in our programs, on exhibit at Mote, or researched by our scientists.

Virtual Learning at Mote

Mote has been a pioneer in interactive virtual learning for more than 30 years, beginning with the JASON Project in 1989 and continuing through our award-winning SeaTrek programs, Virtual Focus Trips, and free live-streamed events today. Our goal is to make marine science accessible, authentic, and interactive no matter where you are.

• Learn more about virtual learning at Mote Marine Laboratory.

About MARVEN

One of the innovative ways we deliver programs is through the Mote Aquarium Roving Virtual Exhibit Navigator (MARVEN). MARVEN is a mobile livestreaming cart with cameras, microphones, and digital tools that allow our educators to connect directly from Mote SEA’s exhibits. Whether meeting sharks, otters, manatees, or coral scientists, MARVEN makes every program feel like a front-row experience.

Editor

The editor for this blog is Jason Robertshaw, Virtual Learning Programs and Lifelong Learning Programs Manager.

Keep in Touch

• 📧 Email: marven@mote.org
• 📰 Subscribe to our newsletter to get updates on future sessions
• ▶️ Like and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Zoom in. Focus together. Wonder around.™

Meet M.A.R.V.E.N. – the Mote Aquarium Roving Virtual Exhibit Navigator

M.A.R.V.E.N. is a mobile livestreaming cart that connects learners of all ages to Mote’s science programs. Funded through a grant from the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, M.A.R.V.E.N. brings live, interactive Virtual Focus Trips to classrooms and communities directly from our exhibit spaces.

Equipped with three cameras, microphone headsets, and a media player, MARVEN delivers a broadcast-quality experience without the shakiness of handheld video. Built on a professional production cart with pneumatic wheels that glide smoothly in any direction, MARVEN allows educators to roam freely from anywhere and answer real-time questions from students and lifelong learners.

As we prepare to open the new Mote Science Education Aquarium (Mote SEA), M.A.R.V.E.N. will play a key role in showcasing new exhibits, conservation work, and behind-the-scenes science.

FUN FACT: “Marven” is also a name with Old English and Welsh roots, meaning “sea friend.” It evokes loyalty and friendship, with its ocean-inspired origin suggesting an adventurous, free-spirited character.

• Book a Wonderful Animal Virtual Encounter with M.A.R.V.E.N. for your classroom or community group
• Learn more about Mote’s virtual education programs

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📬 Keep in Touch

• 📧 Send questions or stories to marven@mote.org
• 📰 Subscribe to our newsletter for updates on future sessions
• ▶️ Like and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Zoom in. Focus together. Wonder around.™

Booking a Virtual Focus Trip with Mote

Ready to connect your learners with Mote’s ocean experts? We use TidyCal.com to make scheduling easy. Here’s how to book your program and choose a payment option that works for you.

Step 1: Choose How You Want to Book

• 💳 Pay Now (Credit Card or Bank Transfer)
• Your payment is securely processed through Stripe.
• You can pay by credit card or direct bank transfer.
• Your card will not be charged until your request is approved.
• 🧾 Pay Later (Invoice)
• Prefer to pay after booking? We’ll send you an invoice by email.
• You may pay by check or request a credit card payment link.
• Payment is due within 30 days of the invoice date. A 5% late fee applies to any unpaid balance after the due date and continues each billing cycle. Unpaid invoices may result in cancellation without the option to reschedule. Outstanding balances must be resolved before we accept new bookings.

💡 Tip: Paying by invoice is a great option for schools or districts that need administrative processing time.

Step 2: Request a Booking

1. 📅 Select a date and time. TidyCal shows only available time slots. If your preferred time isn’t listed, pick the closest option and use the Additional Info field to tell us exactly what you need.
2. Choose your program. Review your options and select the one you want delivered.
3. Complete the booking form. Enter all required details so we can process your request quickly.

Step 3: We Approve

• ✅ All bookings require review. We’ll respond within three business days to confirm or follow up.
• We will not charge your card or issue an invoice until your booking is approved.
• Once your program is approved:
• TidyCal will email your Zoom link.
• You’ll receive automatic reminders as your session approaches.
• Your confirmation email will include a reschedule link

Need to make a change?

You may reschedule anytime before the program starts. Your new date must be at least 21 days from the day you request the change.

Need to cancel?

Use the cancellation link in your confirmation email.

Please note: No refunds are available after a booking is approved.

🎟️ Are you a CILC Premium Member? You can save 10% by booking through CILC instead.

Questions?

📧 Email us at marven@mote.org

We’re happy to help you find the right program or walk through the booking process.

Zoom in. Focus together. Wonder around.

Over three decades of STEM learning journeys

Did you know Mote Marine Laboratory helped pioneer virtual learning long before Zooming was part of daily life?

In 1986, Mote made a commitment to expand its K–12 education efforts. Just three years later, that vision came to life when Dr. Bob Ballard, the famed ocean explorer who discovered the Titanic, invited Mote to join the groundbreaking JASON Project.

This innovative program used live videoconferencing to take students on virtual expeditions to places like ancient shipwrecks in the Mediterranean. Mote was the 12th site to receive broadcasts, and local excitement was immediate. The Selby Foundation funded all the equipment and Manatee and Sarasota County Schools brought 10,000 students into the experience.

This was Mote’s big leap into K–12 ocean education.

By 1994, Mote made headlines again—this time for allowing students in England to pilot an underwater drone in Mote Aquarium’s shark habitat. That success led to the launch of SeaTrek in 1996, one of the first full-scale, live virtual marine science programs.

SeaTrek featured:

• Real marine researchers as presenters
• High-energy, multimedia lessons
• Interactive classroom connections

Topics ranged from shark tagging to coral reef ecology. And the program’s reach? Over 15,000 students worldwide by 2006.

Mote’s leadership in virtual learning hasn’t gone unnoticed. Awards and recognition include:

• 2017 – Interactive Video Conference Content Provider Award from the International Society for Technology in Education
• 2020 – Inducted into the CILC Pinnacle Hall of Fame, honoring more than a decade of virtual learning excellence
• Multiple Pinnacle Awards from the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC)

Educators consistently praise Mote’s virtual programs for their energy, clarity, and educational impact.

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📣 Want to See What We’re Doing Now?

Today’s programs build on this rich history. Check out:

• Virtual Focus Trips: Live, interactive experiences for K–12 classrooms
• Ask the Ocean: Submit a question to our ocean experts
• SEA Me Read: STEM story times

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📬 Keep in Touch

Were you part of an early JASON Project? A SeaTrek session? We’d love to hear your story.

📧 Send questions or stories to marven@mote.org

🔗 Share your experience using #MyMoteMent

📰 Subscribe to our newsletter to get updates on future sessions

Zoom in. Focus together. Wonder around.