You're Invited: Renowned Oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle to Speak at Foxcroft

Dr. Sylvia Earle, a legendary oceanographer and ocean advocate who holds the record for the deepest walk on the sea floor, has been named the 2023 Alison Harrison Goodyear ’29 Fellow. Dr. Earle will speak to the community about her life experiences and advocacy on Thursday, March 23, at 7pm in the Engelhard Gymnasium of the Athletic/Student Center at Foxcroft.
This event is open to families and the local community. Admission is free, but seating is limited. RSVP by submitting this form or calling 540.687.4510. 

Dubbed the “First Hero for the Planet” by Time Magazine and a “Living Legend” by the Library of Congress, Dr. Earle is the President and Chairman of Mission Blue, an Explorer in Residence at the National Geographic Society, Founder of Deep Ocean Exploration and Research Inc. (DOER), Chair of the Advisory Council for the Harte Research Institute, and former Chief Scientist of NOAA.

She is the subject of the Emmy® Award Winning Netflix documentary Mission Blue and the recipient of more than 100 national and international honors and awards, including being named a 2014 UNEP Champion of the Earth, Glamour Magazine’s 2014 Woman of the Year, member of the Netherlands Order of the Golden Ark, and winner of the 2009 TED Prize, the Walter Cronkite Award, the 1996 Explorers Club Medal, the Royal Geographic Society 2011 Patron’s Medal, and the National Geographic 2013 Hubbard Medal.

The author of more than 225 publications and leader of more than 100 expeditions with over 7,500 hours underwater, Dr. Earle is a graduate of Florida State University with M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Duke University and 32 honorary degrees. Her research concerns the ecology and conservation of marine ecosystems and the development of technology for access to the deep sea.

Prior to her presentation, Dr. Earle will spend the day with Foxcroft students. In the morning, she will speak with the entire student body about her experiences as a woman in STEM. She will then visit with AP chemistry and AP biology students about her research in algae and/or diving experience and participate in a lunch discussion with students interested in ocean advocacy or marine biology.

The Alison Harrison Goodyear ’29 Fellowship program, offered through the generosity of the family and friends of Alison Harrison Goodyear, Foxcroft Class of 1929, brings distinguished speakers and provocative performers to Foxcroft to deliver a keynote address and conduct small group seminars with students. 

Fellowship recipients during the program’s 53-year history include such remarkable voices as Maya Angelou, James Baker III, Doris Kearns Goodwin, David McCullough, Sally Ride, Barbara Walters, tech entrepreneur Sheena Allen, National Geographic “Adventurer of the Year” Jennifer Pharr Davis, “Hello Fears” founder Michelle Poler, NPR’s Morning Edition host Rachel Martin, GenHERation founder Katlyn Grasso, The Social Institute founder Laura Tierney, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Dr. Marcia Chatelain, Former Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James, and Haitian-American director and global philanthropist Claudine Oriol.
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An all-girls boarding and day school in Northern Virginia, Foxcroft prepares young women in grades 9-12 for success in college and in life. Our outstanding academic program offers challenging courses, including Advanced Placement classes and an innovative STEM program. Our premiere equestrian program is nationally recognized, and our athletic teams have won conference and state championships. Experience the best in girls' boarding schools: visit Foxcroft.