The one-hour broadcast, supported by the Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI), will bring audiences face-to-face with the world underwater, offering an unprecedented opportunity to see marine science in action.

Designed for people of all ages and backgrounds, the event is particularly suited to school audiences and classrooms.

Seagrass expert Associate Professor Mike Van Keulen, from Murdoch University, said seagrass ecosystems are both vital and often overlooked.

“Seagrass meadows are probably the world’s most important, yet least known, coastal ecosystem. They provide shelter for a huge range of marine life, protect our coastlines from erosion and play a major role in offsetting the amount of carbon humans pump into the atmosphere,” Associate Professor Van Keulen said.

WAMSI is hosting a special viewing event for schools at the Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre (IOMRC), The University of Western Australia, where students will be invited to come together and watch the livestream on the big screen.

The event gives students the chance to observe marine research in a way that is typically inaccessible, offering a front row view beneath the waves. By learning how scientists work directly in the field, students can develop a closer connection to Western Australia’s marine environments and a clearer understanding of the tools, skills and observations that underpin modern marine science.

Science communicator and marine scientist Kurt Krispyn, also from Murdoch University, will host the underwater broadcast. He said giving students this level of access is part of what makes the event so meaningful.

“When students see real science happening beneath the surface, they gain understanding, but they also gain inspiration. Whether they go on to support their local environment or pursue science themselves, experiences like this can spark ideas that shape future decisions,” he said.

A live underwater podcast has never before been attempted, and the team hopes the new format will help broaden public understanding of seagrass ecosystems and the work of marine scientists.

Mr Krispyn, founder of the science communication platform Paramount Importance, will be joined underwater by Associate Professor Van Keulen. The pair will speak directly from the seafloor using full-face communication masks. A 4K underwater camera operated by a third diver will capture the entire discussion live.

Kurt said the decision to broadcast underwater was also shaped by the growing need for authenticity in science communication.

“In an age where AI blurs the line between what’s real and what’s not, authenticity matters more than ever. A live underwater podcast shows science as it actually happens. There’s no script, no CGI, just the real world and the researchers working in it,” he said.

It is taking place on Friday 27 February | 10:00am – 11:00am AWST

Schools and community members can join the event online or attend the WAMSI viewing session at the IOMRC at UWA from 10.00am. For more information or to register your interest, contact info@wamsi.org.au

Livestream available on YouTube and Facebook.

Find out more about environmental and conservation sciences at Murdoch University.

This article was authored by WAMSI and is reproduced with permission