By: Jay Feldman

Dr. Tiara Moore has dedicated the entirety of her vibrant career to creating equity in marine science. With an impressive list of credentials and years of experience in the field, Dr. Moore knew she was uniquely positioned to draw attention to the contributions of Black scientists to the marine science sector. 

In 2020, Dr. Moore got the idea for BIMS Week after a tweet asking, “Hey, where’s the other Black marine scientists at?” went viral with replies and responses from other Black marine scientists to connect with her. During the era of pandemic-induced shutdowns, what started as a tweet and a hashtag soon grew into a significant online following. 

Three years later, in 2023, Dr. Moore founded Black in Marine Science (BIMS) to celebrate the contributions of Black marine scientists — both past and present. With the connections she made following her viral tweet, she also hoped that the first annual BIMS Week would help shed light on the pressing need to address climate change and ocean literacy within Black communities and connect Black marine scientists around the globe. 

Now in its second year, BIMS Week has evolved into a bustling, in-person, week-long event chock-full of learning, networking, and fun. 

“We have been blown out of the water when we discovered how many people were impacted by BIMS Week,” says Dr. Moore. “We created a community of Black marine scientists that was much needed during the isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. After the rewarding turnout of Black in Marine Science Week, we decided it was time to form a non-profit and continue with our goal of accentuating and amplifying Black voices.” 

This year, Dr. Moore and her team at BIMS hosted BIMS Week in sunny Paradise Point, San Diego, California, from December 1st through the 7th. “BIMS Week is an unforgettable experience that brings together professional development and joyful self-care in a secluded island haven nestled in the heart of vibrant San Diego,” Dr. Moore shared in a recent press release. 

Learning And Growing

Although BIMS Week’s core focus is to highlight and celebrate the contributions of Black marine scientists, it also strongly focuses on continuing education and sharing breakthroughs in marine science. Through brainstorming sessions, workshops, and presentations, BIMS Week gave Black marine science experts a chance to expand their knowledge base and share what they know with others in the field. The goal was for comprehensive learning to be balanced with dedicated self-care activities and a bit of relaxation. 

One of the most anticipated features of BIMS Week was the open sessions of the Environmental DNA (eDNA) Think Tank, an initiative that delves into the groundbreaking BIMS eDNA project. Leveraging advanced DNA analysis techniques, attendees learned how to identify species within specific marine ecosystems by examining DNA fragments in water and sediment samples. These sessions are meant to lead to break-out conversations covering topics as wide-ranging as gamifying science to creative ways of making eDNA findings more accessible to the general public. 

The Joyful Leader Series 

A welcomed addition to BIMS Week was the Joyful Leader Series, a unique series of workshops that helped marine science leaders “infuse joy” into their leadership styles. 

All too often, especially within the sciences, long hours and in-depth research can lead to burnout. As part of the self-care portion of BIMS Week, the Joyful Leader Series showed that there is an aspect of leadership that can cultivate positivity, resilience, and overall well-being. Workshops such as “Stronger Together: Curating and Sustaining Counterspaces for Black Women in STEM” and “From Trauma to Triumph” have been designed to empower leaders and show them a better way of reaching team members and leading them to success. 

Tidal Wave 

The Tidal Wave Class, one of BIMS’s core programs, was also a core feature of the second annual BIMS Week. Through this fellowship, Black marine scientists gained access to the conference and its wealth of opportunities to learn and connect at no cost to foster professional growth and expand the diverse scientific community.

Since the launch of BIMS Week, BIMS has received over 140 applicants for the Tidal Wave Class. Over $100,000 is invested in these bright scientists, and the program emphasizes diverse cohorts, with people from every stage of the marine science career participating. 

Registration And Attendance 

Registrants for BIMS Week received access to all workshops, BIMS X Talks, and keynote presentations. Food and refreshments were also available, and there was plenty of time to attend recreational events such as Reggae Rave, a comedy show, a fashion show, and the BIMS Ball. Event attendees could also relax in the Bliss Lounge and work out during Fitty Hour. 

Dr. Moore and her team of dedicated professionals are excited about the turnout at this year’s stacked week of learning opportunities and dedicated self-care. “BIMS Week 2024 was a time to learn from brilliant minds, laugh with new friends, and even find moments of peace amidst the excitement,” says Dr. Moore. 

In the four years since BIMS Week began, hundreds of Black marine scientists from all over the globe have been positively impacted. Dr. Moore hopes this influence will continue as they build BIMS Week each year to be bigger and better than the last.

Published by Zane L.