Sharing Science

Gabby Barbarite McHenry, Ph.D., director of outreach and engagement at Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, was recently elected president of the Florida Marine Science Educators Association (FMSEA).

FMSEA is a nonprofit organization established in 1968 and is devoted to improving the public’s awareness of aquatic ecosystems. The organization is comprised of nearly 500 members from across Florida, including K-12 teachers, informal educators, college professors and scientists. As president, McHenry oversees the governance of the organization, coordinating with board members and representatives from its seven regions across Florida to promote its mission and education initiatives. The president role is a volunteer position elected annually by the FMSEA membership.

“FMSEA is an amazing platform for bringing environmental educators together, and it’s an incredible connection for FAU Harbor Branch," McHenry said. “As leaders in marine science and education, we’re able to connect with professionals around the state who are actively training the next generation of scientists and ocean stewards."

McHenry began her journey with FAU Harbor Branch as an undergraduate student. She completed the Semester by the Sea program and worked as a summer undergraduate intern. She went on to complete her doctoral work at the Institute, which focused on documenting the occurrence of pathogenic Vibrio bacteria in Florida waters and understanding how humans may become infected while fishing, swimming or eating seafood. During this time, she realized her passion for educating the public about scientific discovery.

“I’m motivated by the quote: ‘Science isn’t finished until it’s shared,’" McHenry said. “It’s so important to share the work that we’re doing with our community, and I’ve always felt fulfilled doing so. Science communication has been a main focus of my career and has really set me on the path that I’m on today."

Shortly after completing her doctorate, McHenry was hired as director of outreach and engagement for the Institute. She said she believed she could bring a unique perspective to the role, because of her personal experience as a student, a researcher and a teaching assistant.

“I had worked in so many different research labs over the years – from plankton to harmful algal blooms to microbiology to sharks," she said. “It’s a great opportunity to now be in a role teaching the community about all of those things."

Since taking the position in 2016, she has built a robust outreach portfolio, including a renovated Ocean Discovery Visitors Center, tram tours, science-based eco-boat tours, citizen science projects, after school programs, field trips and even a life-sized inflatable humpback whale exhibit. McHenry said she is excited to share her experience with the FMSEA network, which can help elevate the organization as well as create a broader reach for sharing the important work happening at FAU Harbor Branch.

McHenry is in her second year of a three-year executive-level commitment to FMSEA, which includes one year as president-elect, one year as president and one year as immediate past president. Each position requires different responsibilities. Notably, the immediate past president is charged with planning the organization’s annual conference, which means the host location likely will be FAU Harbor Branch in 2026. In the meantime, McHenry said her goals as FMSEA president are to increase awareness and membership and to pursue new fundraising opportunities to support the organization’s annual grant and scholarship programs for teachers and other marine science educators.

Through her work every day at FAU Harbor Branch and now as a leader at FMSEA, McHenry said her focus is always to spread awareness about the importance of the ocean.

“The ocean and marine science play such a large role in our daily lives, especially here in Florida," she said. “From our economy to the oxygen we breathe to the food we eat – it’s all connected."

To learn more about public tours, outreach and education at FAU Harbor Branch, visit jsxfjn.com/hboi/discover. For more about FMSEA, visit fmsea.org.