The Seattle Aquarium celebrated three local changemakers at its 2026 Ocean Conservation Honors ceremony on November 5.
The Aquarium’s longstanding awards ceremony recognizes individuals who embody its mission, Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment. This year, for the first time, the Aquarium added a new recognition: the Youth Advocacy Award.
“Our award winners, Dr. Richard Feely, Dr. Kathryn Sobocinski and Annapoorani Lingeshwaran, each demonstrate ways we can drive meaningful change for the health of the Salish Sea and one world ocean we all share,” said Nora Nickum, Vice President of Conservation Programs and Partnerships at the Aquarium. “They embody our region’s leadership in ocean conservation and inspire all of us who are working to help marine ecosystems recover and thrive.”
Awards presented
Sylvia Earle Medal: This recognition was given to Dr. Richard A. Feely, a pioneering research scientist on ocean acidification who served over 51 years at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and authored more than 380 referred scientific research publications. Dr. Feely’s research provided the first global picture of human-caused carbon uptake in the ocean, setting the stage for the developing field of ocean acidification. For over two decades, the Sylvia Earle Award has been the Aquarium’s highest conservation honor. The award was originally called the Seattle Aquarium Medal and was renamed in 2018 to honor the legendary oceanographer Dr. Earle after she received the Aquarium’s lifetime achievement award. This award celebrates Dr. Feely’s lifelong commitment to sharing scientific learnings and emerging data to help the public understand the state of our one world ocean.
Conservation Research Award: The Aquarium bestowed this award on Dr. Kathryn L. Sobocinski, an applied marine ecologist at Western Washington University with expertise on salmon, estuaries and the coastal ocean. She served as lead author of the “State of the Salish Sea” report, a first-of-its-kind comprehensive analysis of human-caused stressors on the Salish Sea estuarine ecosystem. The report has garnered broad readership from conservation, education, governmental and tribal groups. The longstanding Conservation Research Award celebrates those whose work embodies the critical importance of discovery, learning and problem-solving. The recognition honors Dr. Sobocinski’s commitment to understanding and addressing questions at the intersection of human decision-making and marine ecosystems.
Youth Advocacy Award: The Aquarium recognized Annapoorani Lingeshwaran, a local high school sophomore and advocate for reducing microplastics in water, with its inaugural Youth Advocacy Award. She inspired and worked closely with Washington State Representative Gerry Pollet to champion a bill about microfiber filters in washing machines (HB 2212). Rep. Pollet and Annapoorani are building momentum to advance the bill in the 2027 legislative session, and the Aquarium’s policy team looks forward to supporting it. The Aquarium’s Youth Advocacy Award, launched in 2026, honors a young person in Washington state who is making waves in ocean conservation policy at the local, state or federal levels, and/or inspiring and empowering other youth to do so. This honor celebrates Annapoorani’s effectiveness in advocating for a policy that would protect people and wildlife.
Join the effort to protect the Salish Sea
At the Nov. 5 ceremony, the three honorees were asked, “What is one thing you’d encourage everyone in this room to do to protect the Salish Sea?” Each recommended an action with that goal in mind:
- Dr. Richard Feely: “We all can work together as a community. We do that from our homes, we do that when we teach our kids how important the environment is, when we teach them to learn as much as they can possibly learn about the environment and then share that information with their friends, neighbors and colleagues and therefore we begin to develop a community. And that community comes together to seize the possibilities. And quite frankly, the possibilities are the greatest here in Washington State. I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished together. But we have a long way to go. We need to continue to work together and press our deep concern for our environment.”
- Dr. Kathryn Sobocinski: “I encourage people to learn about and support the science. But then, take it a step further. Don’t be afraid to understand the science-to-policy connection and act in that realm, and support the policies and governance that will protect, conserve and restore our ecosystems in this region.”
- Annapoorani Lingeshwaran: “Consider thinking about how often you’re washing your synthetic clothing. If you’ve only been wearing a shirt for a couple of hours, maybe you don’t need to throw it in the wash right away. And I’m not going to tell you to go out and buy a microfiber filter tomorrow, but being a little more mindful about how we’re washing our clothing can really have an impact. On the other hand if you are interested in getting a microplastics fiber filter tomorrow, I encourage you to test it out!”
You can also join and/or support the Seattle Aquarium’s conservation work, which includes research, public policy advocacy, species recovery and engagement with visitors and the community. Learn more about that work and how to get involved on the Aquarium’s website.
About the Seattle Aquarium
Founded in 1977 along the Seattle waterfront, the Seattle Aquarium is a nonprofit marine conservation organization working to regenerate the health of Earth’s one ocean. We work among local, national, and global leaders to advance animal wellbeing, marine and ecosystem science, public policy, field conservation, education, and species recovery programs that benefit the ocean. Help support the Aquarium’s mission of Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment.
