100+ students network at California Sea Grant student mixer

Laughter and flashes of a live photo stream set the tone as students filtered into an event mixer on the opening night of the 106th annual meeting of the Western Society of Naturalists (WSN), a West Coast-based scientific society focused on ecology, evolution, natural history and marine biology. The California Sea Grant-hosted “Seas the Connection: Make Waves, Mix Minds” brought together over 100 students for a night of peer-to-peer networking. With icebreakers, informational tables and California Sea Grant staff on hand, the mixer provided a space for students to discuss their interests and learn about California Sea Grant programs, resources and fellowship opportunities. 

California Sea Grant frequently sponsors WSN, and with the 2025 meeting held in San Diego – California Sea Grant’s home base – it saw an opportunity to provide additional support. “We proposed a mixer as a way to give back to students and expose them to different fellowship and funding opportunities with California Sea Grant,” said California Sea Grant Fellowship Coordinator Delanie Medina.  

“Naturally, when young professionals hear the word ‘conference,’ it can be intimidating. This was an easy way to encourage students to meet at the start of the WSN annual meeting, so that they could get to know each other in an informal setting while also learning about the work California Sea Grant is doing,” added Medina. 

Mixing and Mingling 

Upon arrival, students grabbed an activity card – part scavenger hunt, part icebreaker – with tasks designed to spark curiosity and conversation. They were encouraged to spin a trivia wheel, takes photos at the "Coastal Clicks" station, chat with California Sea Grant Aquaculture Specialist Simona Augyte and mark their institution or program on an interactive sticker map. They could also enter a raffle to win logoed gear, educational posters and a copy of San Diego Seafood: Then and Now, a cookbook curated by California Sea Grant.

A Fresh Perspective 

The mixer doubled as a hands-on workforce development exercise for three current California Sea Grant State Fellows – Jack Anderson, David Boehmer and Katya Beener – who helped plan the event as part of their state fellowship extension project. 

“It was very valuable to learn from a seasoned event planner and work with such a skilled and creative team,” said Beener. “This experience provided me with an understanding of all the steps and logistics that go into planning events, and I hope to apply what I learned to future meetings.”

The fellows brought a unique perspective to the mixer planning team. As recent students themselves, they understood firsthand the needs of undergraduate and graduate students attending a conference that focused on networking and sharing research. 

“Semi-structured spaces for in-person conversation and connection are too few and far between in the age of [Microsoft] Teams and Zoom. Providing that opportunity through this event was so rewarding,” said Anderson. 

The WSN annual meeting and student mixer also allowed California Sea Grant to connect with funded students and see their research showcased. Four future fellows and over a third of the current State Fellow cohort presented talks or posters at the 2025 meeting.