The Stephenson Exploration Advancement Program

The Stephenson Exploration Advancement (SEA) Program supports exploration and field research for marine exploration and conservation projects. Established through The Philip Stephenson Foundation, this grant category promotes marine exploration, protection, and conservation projects focused on adding value to people's lives and the health of the environment. The program is specifically designed for college undergraduates, graduate students, or independent explorers conducting fieldwork focused on marine research. The application cycle occurs annually, with applications opening in August for the following year's field season. Past recipients have conducted diverse marine research projects including coral bleaching resilience studies, manatee population monitoring through eDNA, whale shark prey identification, dolphin conservation initiatives, and deep-sea shark behavior research in locations spanning from the Arctic to Madagascar.