Thalassophile Project

July is a very special month for Thalassophile Project because it's and our 5-year anniversary! 🎉

We planted so many dreams and goals this year, and seeing them already growing and giving fruit is such a joy to witness!

To celebrate, we have some huge news to share!

Back in March, Rada, Rebecca, and Daisy teamed up with the Cornwall Deaf Community Centre (CDCC) to research d/Deaf youth access to ocean literacy. The findings? Most felt unwelcome or unrepresented, yet overwhelmingly eager to join outdoor learning like beach cleans and rockpool sessions 🌊

Because that need is so clear, we’re beyond excited to announce funding from Youth and Environment Europe’s Bridging Movements programme! Alongside CDCC, the Ocean For All team from Ocean Conservation Trust, and our Thalassophile members, we’re hosting an immersive, accessible community engagement event this September during the International Week of Deaf People! 🤟🏼

My dream for Thalassophile Project was always to help make the Ocean's magic and joy accessible to as many people as possible, as I am a firm believer in people protecting what they know, love and respect. To be able to co-create experiences where that ocean connection can be developed in the most authentic way possible, is invaluable to me and gives me a deep sense of meaning.

I would like to extend my deepest heartfelt gratutude to everyone who has believed and supported our mission to increase and create and — from our first podcast listeners (yes, Thalassophile Project started as a podcast ;)), to our ambassadors, partners and community 💙

Stay tuned — we are only just beginning!

📸: Grace Westgarth

𝗢𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬 🐚✨️

🌊 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮 𝗱/𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗳 𝗼𝗿 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝟭𝟴-𝟯𝟱? Would you like to help shape a project designed to make and more accessible for people with disabilities?

🌊 The Thalassophile Project and Youth and Environment Europe () invite you to take part in a participatory community-based study exploring how d/Deaf youth experience and access ecological and ocean literacy.

🌊 The purpose of this community consultation is to understand how you want to be engaged in ocean conservation and climate action, and identify the barriers standing in the way.

🌊 Interested? Share your thoughts and ideas via the Google Form linked in our bio 🔗

As a thank you, you can also choose to enter a prize draw to win 2 Behind the Scenes tickets to the and a print by 🎁

🌊 Share this with your networks or tag d/Deaf young people who might like to take part!

What do a Basking Shark, Eagle Ray, Remora, S***m Whale and Sea Cucumber have in common? 🤔

They are part of the 90 new British Sign Language (BSL) signs created by the Scottish Sensory Centre’s UK Sign Development Team at The University of Edinburgh, as part of the EU-funded Marine, Underwater, Fish For Inclusion (MUFFIN) Project—and the ones Rebecca Hegedűs taught our group during the Marine Sign Language Workshop we led last week 👋🏼

We are pleased the session sparked meaningful discussions between students and staff, many of which are already translating into action—from leaving the front row free in lecture theatres, to live captioning, to more inclusive fieldwork practices.

The bottom line is accessibility is the first step towards true belonging and in STEM. It will only work when we are all an active part of the conversation and take the time to understand how each of us can contribute to a more inclusive higher education environment.

Thank you to everyone who attended and engaged so openly!

Thank you, Rebecca, for sharing your expertise and lived experience so generously—we are so grateful to have you on our team 💙

And thank you to ExeterMarine for facilitating the workshop and ensuring we continue to break barriers to and education.

Yesterday was International Mother Tongue Day—a perfect opportunity to celebrate the diversity of native languages and the importance of preserving them.

Rewilding BSL with new specialised signs is a crucial step to bridge the gap in communication and empower BSL users to contribute and participate fully in ocean conservation.

In the words of Dr Audrey Cameron, a Chancellor’s Fellow in Science Education and BSL, and MUFFIN Project Lead: "This is not just about creating new signs for complex terms—it is about fostering a deeper connection between people and the marine environment."

Curious to learn more? Find and explore the full collection of MUFFIN Project marine signs in our Resource Hub and at www.ssc.education.ed.ac.uk/BSL/marinehome.html

Happy learning! 🌊
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ID 1: Two white women stood to the left of a presentation screen. The woman on the furthest left is Rada. She has long, wavy, dark hair and is wearing smart trousers and a navy blue jumper. The woman stood next to her is Rebecca. She is shorter, with long blonde hair, wearing black trousers and a dark long sleeve top. The presentation room has white walls. The screen shows the title slide for the presentation. Text on a light blue background reads: "Sensing the Sea Series. Marine Sign Language Workshop". It features the MUFFIN Project and Thalassophile Project logos, as well as the University of Exeter one at the bottom of the slide on a pale sandy coloured background banner. There is a cartoon white man using British Sign Language in both bottom corners of the slide, signing 'sea' and 'dolphin', respectively.

ID 2: This image is taken from the back of the presentation room. Rebecca is stood at the front of the room gesturing to a presentation slide. The slide shows a QR code and details about the MUFFIN Project. A few people are sat around group tables facing away from the camera.

ID 3: Rebecca is stood next to presentation screen which shows a video screenshot from a BSL video guide series for marine life. The one featured in the photo is the BSL sign for 'Basking Shark'. A photo of a basking shark (large grey shark with large mouth for filter feeding) is in the top left corner. A picture of Rebecca holding her hands up to her mouth together in a circle shape is also shown on the screen to demonstrate the sign.

Video Description: Rebecca is presenting at the front of the classroom. The presentation screen has been turned off and the video is taken from the back of the room. She is teaching the BSL for S***m Whale. People sat round group tables can be seen copying the sign to learn.

For the ‘s***m’ sign, the dominant hand is positioned near the forehead and moves downward in a smooth diving motion to meet the non-dominant hand, which is held flat near the chest with the palm facing outward. This movement shows the large, curved head associated with a s***m whale.

For the ‘whale’ sign, the non-dominant hand and arm is held horizontally in front of the body to represent the flat surface of the sea. The dominant hand is shaped with the thumb and little finger extended and the three middle fingers folded down. It starts above the ‘sea’ hand and moves downward in a curve motion, passing beneath the flat hand to show a whale diving into the sea.

Happy Valentine’s Day, thalassophiles! 🌊💙

💙 To celebrate our love for both our beautiful and its people (that’s you!), we’re excited to share an improved version of our logo!

💙 Our fish’s tail is now clearly heart-shaped, symbolising the love, empathy, and care driving our work.

💙 Love is our greatest superpower and a universal language, reminding us that everyone deserves access to the joy and awe the sea inspires in us—regardless of their background or circumstances.

That’s why we also wanted to share a quote by writer, educator, and trainer for transformative and disability justice, Mia Mingus, which perfectly encapsulates what we stand for. She writes:

“I would argue that ‘disability justice’ is simply another term for love. And so is ‘solidarity,’ ‘access,’ and ‘access intimacy.’ I would argue that our work for liberation is simply a practice of love — one of the deepest and most profound there is. And the creation of this space is an act of love.”

👉 Read more about her wonderful work at the following link: https://share.google/2eBn2N9GWUt9v332X

💙 We are committed to creating accessible and inclusive blue spaces because meaningful ocean conservation begins with belonging.

Join us in building an and tell us what you love most about the sea 🌊💙


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ID 1: The image shows the logo of the Thalassophile Project. It features a stylised fish whose body resembles a conch shell. The shell represents the D/deaf community, referencing the common cultural idea of holding a shell to the ear to “listen to the sea.”

The eye of the fish is placed within the opening of the shell, representing the blind and partially sighted community. The fish’s tail is clearly heart-shaped, symbolising the love, empathy, and care at the heart of the project’s mission.

The conch shell is a darker shade of blue, while the fins and eye are lighter blue. At the bottom of the logo, the text reads “Thalassophile Project.”

ID 2: The image depicts a quote over a light and dark blue water colour background. Text is a quote by Disability Justice Activist, Mia Mingus, which reads: "I would argue that “disability justice” is simply another term for love. And so is “solidarity,” “access,” and “access intimacy.” I would argue that our work for liberation is simply a practice of love—one of the deepest and most profound there is. And the creation of this space is an act of love."

The bottom of the page says "Mia Mingus—Disability Justce Advocate"

As a proudly women-led organisation, International Day of Women and Girls in Science is especially important to us 👩🏿‍🔬🌊

Today, we’re spotlighting two phenomenal women in STEM who have been our role models in championing and — 𝗗𝗿. 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗻 and 𝗗𝗿. 𝗔𝗺𝘆 𝗕𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿.

Read more about their pioneering work and tell us about a woman in that you admire.

We’d also like to celebrate and thank all the amazing women in marine science who have supported us over the past four years — you are at the heart of this mission, and your care and commitment continue to shape our work 💙

Let's continue to ocean engagement and participation together! ✊🏼🤟🏾


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ID 1: Title slide with a light and dark blue water colour background. The Thalassophile Project logo is in the top left corner — it is a light blue shell icon resembling a fish on a white background. To its right is the date 11 February.

Text reads: "International day of women and girls in science. Meet two of our greatest inspirations in STEM." There is then a white arrow icon in the bottom right corner pointing to the next slide.

Two female scientists are in the bottom of the page. The one on the left is Dr Amy Bower — a white woman with shoulder-length dark hair. She is wearing a small chain necklace and a white top that has a black arrow shape round the neckline.

The lady on the right is Dr Caroline Solomon. She is also a white woman with shoulder-length, curly, dark hair and is wearing a sleeveless black top with a white sun pattern.

ID 2: The background is the same light and dark blue water colour image from slide 1.

There is an image of a woman called Dr Caroline Solomon pictured on the bottom right side of the slide. She is a white woman with shoulder-length, curly, dark hair, wearing a sleeveless black top with a sun pattern.

Text reads: "Aquatic ecologist Dr. Caroline Solomon is a professor of Biology and Director of the School of Science, Technology, Accessibility, Mathematics, and Public Health at Gallaudet University.

She is the first female president of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, where her teaching focuses on bringing d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing stufents into STEM".

ID 3: The background is the same for this slide, a light and dark blue water colour image.

A photo of Dr Amy Bower is on the bottom right side of the slide. She is a white woman with shoulder-length dark hair. She is wearing a small silver chain necklace and a white top that has a black arrow shape round the neckline. Text reads: "A physical oceanographer at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Dr. Amy Bower is known for her research on ocean circulation and her advocacy for improved accessibility tools and equal access to information for blind scientists.

As the founder of OceanInsight, Dr. Bower enables blind students of all ages to fully engage in science and follow her research through audio postcards from her expeditions, creating meaningful opportunities for access and participation."

In the bottom of the page is the link to the OceanInsight webpage: https://share.google/zoEuAIRzXCBg1Smcq

ID 4: The same light and dark blue water colour background. Text is a quote from Dr Amy Bower which reads: "If they don't ever meet a blind scientist, they're never going to think that they can be one."

🌊 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲? 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 — 𝘄𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼 𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂!

We've had many new faces join us recently, so we thought it was time for a reintroduction! And what better way to do that than by sharing the comprehensive poster our founder, , presented at the conference in London last week.

We have also uploaded a PDF version of the poster with alt text at the following link: https://tr.ee/8-L71YS2Xm

Thalassophile Project works at the intersection of social and environmental justice, with the goal of restoring society's relationship with the Ocean by making and accessible for people who are d/Deaf and/or blind. This mission is reflected in the poster, which walks you through the resources developed as part of the Thalassophile Project Partnership — bringing together adult education and social justice NGO Interchange.eu and accessibility experts from Istituto dei Sordi di Torino.

This collaboration led to the development of our 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸, 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘀, 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 and 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗯, all of which you can find on our website https://www.thalassophileproject.org/.

What started as a dream and personal mission to bring more people from underrepresented groups into marine conservation has evolved into a leading platform championing and 🐚✨️

We look forward to continuing this work, breaking even more barriers to participation and bringing more people on board because "the Ocean is diverse, therefore its champions should be, too" — words by the amazing Dr .

🌊 Explore our resources, share them widely, and engage with us — together we can build a more inclusive future for marine science, ocean literacy and conservation.

UN Ocean Decade | Ocean Literacy Unesco IOC
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Image Description 1: A full view of the Thalassophile Project poster in blue, yellow, and orange. The poster outlines accessible marine science initiatives, including educational videos with sign language, a resource hub, factsheets, and a common accessibility framework, with images and QR codes throughout.

Image Description 2: Rada Pandeva, a white woman in her 20s with long curly brown hair, stands beside a large conference poster titled “Thalassophile Project: Universally Accessible Marine Science & Ocean Literacy", featuring bright colours, diagrams, photos, and QR codes in an indoor conference setting.

Image Description 3: A printed conference abstract titled “Thalassophile Project: Universally Accessible Marine Science & Ocean Literacy”, authored by Rada Pandeva, describing the project’s aims, accessibility focus, and partnerships, with Coastal Futures 2026 branding.

Image Description 4: Close-up of a conference name badge reading “Rada Pandeva – Thalassophile Project” and “Coastal Futures 2026,” displayed on a textured mustard-coloured surface.

🌊 Come along to the next edition of the 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗮 Series!

👉🏼 Join us for an interactive workshop exploring inclusion, accessibility, and our shared connection to the Ocean.

👉🏽 Learn ocean-themed British Sign Language ( ) signs and take part in a conversation about breaking barriers in and for d/Deaf communities.

👉🏾 Led by Rada Pandeva, founder of the Thalassophile Project, and Rebecca Hegedűs, MSc Marine Vertebrate Ecology & Conservation student, this session will highlight the challenges faced by people with disabilities in ocean science and share practical ways to make learning spaces more inclusive and welcoming.

👉🏿 No prior BSL knowledge needed — just curiosity and a willingness to learn together.

ℹ️ Open to all University of Exeter and Falmouth University students and staff. Please register using your .ac.uk or .ac.uk email via the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sensing-the-sea-series-ocean-themed-bsl-workshop-tickets-1974948327612

We can’t wait to sea you there! 🌊

University of Exeter Cornwall | ExeterMarine