2025 CNMI Teacher of the Year Selected to Explore the Pacific Ocean Aboard Exploration Vessel Nautilus

(Saipan, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands – June 2, 2026) — Yeji Lee, a 5th grade teacher at William S. Reyes Elementary School and the 2025 CNMI State Teacher of the Year, has been selected by the Ocean Exploration Trust (OET) as a 2026 Science Communication Fellow. Yeji will sail aboard OET’s Exploration Vessel (E/V) Nautilus during the 2026 Exploration season as part of a deep ocean exploration team and bring the excitement of ocean exploration to learners in the CNMI and around the world.

Yeji Lee was selected from a worldwide pool of applicants and will join a cohort of 14 Fellows from schools, science centers, and non-profit organizations across the Pacific and North America. They will join OET in June and July to explore the ocean around the Mariana region- one of the most tectonically and volcanically dynamic locations on the planet.

This 23-day expedition will utilize the ROV, mapping, and telepresence systems of E/V Nautilus, in combination with partner technology, to explore priority deep-sea areas identified by the management and science community, including abyssal plain habitats, seamounts, and other deep-sea areas offshore the Mariana Islands that support resource management priorities.

While at sea, Yeji will have the opportunity to connect live with learners across the Northern Mariana Islands. Students, educators, families, and community members around the world can engage with the expedition team through NautilusLive.org, a 24-hour live-streaming web portal that brings expeditions from the field to explorers on shore through telepresence technology and social media. Yeji will participate in live broadcast dive commentary and question-and-answer sessions through the Nautilus Live website while aboard the ship; she will also engage in events and activities upon her return. Schools and community groups can also schedule free, live one-on-one Q&A sessions with explorers on the ship beginning in June.

“The Science Communication Fellowship invests in great educators, providing them with real-world experiences in ocean technology and elevating them as role models for learners. As Fellows are embedded at-sea alongside scientists and engineers, they convey the excitement of discovery and inspire students in their exploration of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and ocean fields," said Megan Cook, OET’s Director of Education and Outreach.

The OET Science Communication Fellowship brings formal and informal educators on board Nautilus to engage students and the public in the wonders of ocean exploration while sharing discoveries from the 2026 mission and aspects of daily life aboard a working exploration vessel. Throughout the year, Fellows develop their science communication skills, attend in-person professional development training alongside Fellows worldwide, and spend several weeks as a crucial part of the team aboard E/V Nautilus. Fellows bring ocean exploration back to their home communities by incorporating their experiences into classroom lesson plans, community presentations, and informal educational opportunities.

“Most of my days are spent alongside my fifth-grade scientists and engineers, helping them ask questions and solve real-world problems,” said Yeji Lee. “It is incredibly thrilling to now collaborate with scientists and engineers aboard E/V Nautilus as we explore parts of the deep ocean that remain largely unknown. Living in the Mariana Islands, we are surrounded by one of the deepest and most underexplored ocean habitats on Earth. I am honored to serve as a science communicator and share this journey directly with the students who will become the next generation of explorers, scientists, engineers, and leaders. I can’t wait to bring a piece of this journey home to my students and community, showing them that world-class science and discovery are happening right in our own backyard.”

Ocean Exploration Trust, a nonprofit founded by Dr. Robert Ballard, operates with a mission to explore the unknown parts of the ocean, seeking out multidisciplinary discoveries while pushing the boundaries of STEAM education and technological innovation. OET promotes science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) education worldwide, using the excitement of exploration and innovation to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers, including by providing students with opportunities to participate in expeditions.

“Every expedition we run adds to what the world knows about our ocean — but knowledge only matters if it reaches people,” said Allison Fundis, OET’s President & Chief Operating Officer. “Our Fellows are how that happens. They go where very few ever go, witness discoveries firsthand, and bring them back to the students and communities who will shape how we understand and steward the ocean for generations to come. That's why we explore.”

OET’s five 2026 expeditions will take the team to the Mariana Islands, near Wake Island, and the Hawaiian Islands. The expeditions will build ocean knowledge supporting international scientific and U.S. governmental priorities, particularly understanding ocean changes, sharing that knowledge with others, and contributing new discoveries and data to inform future conservation and resource management decisions.