Low Carbon Marine Conservation Research
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Our 2024 Fundraiser was a success!
Sailing to Save Our Home Planet
Our mission
We lead conservation research expeditions grounded in climate activism.
We work with scientists, storytellers, artists, and local communities to reimagine the ways that we relate to our ocean. We live and work from our 36-foot sailing research vessel.
OUR CREW
Meet the Crew
Lokahi Ocean Science is led by a couple dedicated to designing systems that reimagine our relationship with nature.
JP SPAVENTA
Captain and Engineer
JP serves as our captain, expedition leader, engineer, dive safety officer, and photographer/videographer. He studied engineering and physics at Stanford, and worked as an engineer on SEA’s sailing research vessel. He is bilingual in Spanish and English, as his family is Argentine-American. He has extensive experience driving small boats, sailing (over 7,000 nm), flying drones, repairing diesel engines, landing fish, scuba diving and free diving. When he’s not doing all those things, you can find him surfing the nearest righthand point break.
Audrey Bennett
Chief Scientist and Executive Director
Audrey serves as chief scientist, writer, bosun, and cook. She studied ecology and evolution at Stanford and worked as a scientist and teacher on SEA’s sailing research vessel. She grew up in the Monterey Bay and trained at Hopkins Marine Station and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. She has extensive experience sailing (7,000nm), scuba diving, writing, cooking vegetarian food, and studying the natural world. When she’s not doing these things, you can find her under a redwood tree.
Testimonials
What our collaborators have to say about us
Isabelle McNabb
Biology student, Stanford University; Stanford@SEA alum 2024JP and Audrey bring an aura of curiosity and joy everywhere they go, and to Lokahi Ocean Science, a dedication to preserve and engage with our marine ecosystems. Beyond this, they create a welcoming and collaborative environment, making marine science more accessible every day. I’m looking forward to sailing with Lokahi again soon!
Esteban Salazar
PhD student at Dalhousie UniversityThe Lōkahi [is] the vessel of dreams for a scientist. It was the perfect work environment to grow and learn. For Lōkahi to come to Mexico and give students such as myself this opportunity really is one of the things I am most grateful for.
Dr. James Ketchum
Director of Pelagios KakunjaLōkahi gives me the opportunity to align my work with my beliefs. I really think that everybody should do something about climate change and many people are not doing anything. This is a great opportunity to do research and at the same time you’re not contributing to climate change. It’s unique, I’ve never seen something like that… hopefully other boats will start doing the same thing.