This World Oceans Day, we are diving deeper into the myriad reasons why the preservation of our oceans and sea life is of paramount importance.

The Biomimicry Institute hosts nature retreats as part of their Ray of Hope and Launchpad programs. It’s like summer camp for bio-inspired innovators. What Launchpad Program Manager Dave Hutchins came to understand while hosting our 2023 Launchpad cohort in Montana, is that these retreats are more like an intervention.

From tackling the issues of microplastics and urban heat islands, to addressing clean energy solutions through the use of wind turbines and underwater solar panels, the Biomimicry Institute’s 2022-23 Youth Design Challenge (YDC) winners have offered unique, nature-inspired ideas to solve local design challenges. The YDC, now in its sixth year, serves as a bridge from core concepts to advanced project-focused STEM learning for middle and high school students across the world.

The Biomimicry Institute’s Executive Director, Beth Rattner, writes about the Institute’s transition into a new Executive Director.