Beneath the Waves, Inc. is a global platform for ocean conservation, education, and discovery. Our mission is to raise awareness regarding critical marine issues, foster the advancement of science, and promote the protection of our oceans.

___

It all started on a dock in Moorea, French Polynesia in early 2009, where directors Austin Gallagher and Erica Staaterman first met while conducting their respective research projects. One day we were putting away our dive gear and rinsing our cameras, and began chatting about how scientists were always traveling to unique locations to conduct their work, but a lot of these stories never made it past the journal in which their data was published. The urgency of communicating this scientific research was further motivated by the altered status of ecosystems around the planet, especially in the oceans. We felt like things were at a tipping point, and many discussions and collaborations later, the idea for an engaging and exciting science communication event emerged. Since many of our most memorable experiences were happening beneath the waves, the idea for a film festival and ocean communication platform took hold.

The Beneath the Waves Film Festival, now in its sixth year, is a unique student-and-scientist-run film festival that has solicited hundreds of films from all over the world and has connected thousands of people from all walks of life and locations with the stories and issues facing our oceans. See where we have been and what we have done here.

Our team is led by graduate and undergraduate students in the marine sciences