This year is the 33rd annual DC Environmental Film Festival! We’re bringing you a curated list of aquatic film options throughout the festival. As members of the WAN community, use discount code DCECOORG for 25% off paid programs. Explore the full DC Environmental Film Festival schedule here.

Closing Night: Out of Plain Sight

From Pulitzer Prize-finalist Rosanna Xia and Academy Award®-winning L.A. Times Studios, OUT OF PLAIN SIGHT is a cinematic exposé of an environmental disaster lurking just off the coast of Southern California.

Not far from Catalina Island, aboard one of the most-advanced research ships in the world, David Valentine discovered a corroded barrel on the seafloor that gave him chills. The full environmental horror sharpens into greater clarity once he calls Los Angeles Times journalist Rosanna Xia, who pieces together a shocking revelation: In the years after World War II, as many as half a million barrels of toxic waste had been quietly dumped into the ocean – and the consequences continue to haunt the world today.

This year is the 33rd annual DC Environmental Film Festival! We’re bringing you a curated list of aquatic film options throughout the festival. As members of the WAN community, use discount code DCECOORG for 25% off paid programs. Explore the full DC Environmental Film Festival schedule here.

Shorts: Protecting Local Waterways

The flowing waters of the Potomac and the Anacostia Rivers touch the lives of millions of people. At the confluence of these key waterways stands Washington, DC. In these two locally produced films, Potomac Protector and Reviving the Forgotten River, a complicated environmental history is investigated, and current restoration efforts are discussed from an action-oriented perspective.

Program will feature a conversation with filmmakers and experts.

This year is the 33rd annual DC Environmental Film Festival! We’re bringing you a curated list of aquatic film options throughout the festival. As members of the WAN community, use discount code DCECOORG for 25% off paid programs. Explore the full DC Environmental Film Festival schedule here.

Pristine Seas: Filmmaking for Impact

Join the filmmaking team from National Geographic Pristine Seas, who are helping to protect the ocean’s vital places.

They’ll discuss their approach to storytelling for impact, using real world examples and stunning footage, from conception to protection. Pristine Seas' scientific researchers and filmmakers have contributed to the establishment of 29 of the largest marine protected areas in the world, covering more than 6.8 million square kilometers of ocean.

Q&A will include Scott Ressler (Executive Producer), Alex Verville (Senior Producer), Steve Spence (Producer), and Brian Newell (Senior Editor).

This year is the 33rd annual DC Environmental Film Festival! We’re bringing you a curated list of aquatic film options throughout the festival. As members of the WAN community, use discount code DCECOORG for 25% off paid programs. Explore the full DC Environmental Film Festival schedule here.

An Evening with Wendy Benchley

A Special Presentation by Wendy Benchley Reflecting on Ocean Conservation and the 50th Anniversary of Jaws

From uproarious stories of the early days of Jaws and filming on Martha’s Vineyard with a young, unknown director named Steven Spielberg, to working behind the scenes with multiple organizations and policy makers to help create more marine protected areas across the globe and stopping the practice of illegal fishing and shark finning, Wendy brings the ocean and the urgent need to protect it to life for audiences in a uniquely entertaining and engaging way.

This year is the 33rd annual DC Environmental Film Festival! We’re bringing you a curated list of aquatic film options throughout the festival. As members of the WAN community, use discount code DCECOORG for 25% off paid programs. Explore the full DC Environmental Film Festival schedule here.

Upstream, Downriver: Uniting For Water Justice

Takes viewers into the heart of the battle for water justice. Powerful stories with frontline community activists are interwoven with historical context about landmark regulations that significantly reduced water pollution in the U.S. but failed to serve disadvantaged communities that are hardest hit by today’s climate crisis. 

Thinking about the stock market can be overwhelming and anxiety-inducing. The best way to break this down is to start talking about it! This Investing 101 seminar will cover three basic principles of investing: planning, timing, and rebalancing. Join Alexis Roth, a Sr. Client Relationship Specialist at Charles Schwab to explore how you can start to demystify the market and take ownership of your financial future.

Register here

This year is the 33rd annual DC Environmental Film Festival! We’re bringing you a curated list of aquatic film options throughout the festival. As members of the WAN community, use discount code DCECOORG for 25% off paid programs. Explore the full DC Environmental Film Festival schedule here.

Fatal Watch

FATAL WATCH is a feature-length documentary exploring the mysterious disappearances of four marine observers, and what their fate reveals about the true cost of industrial over-fishing.

Part murder mystery and part ocean odyssey, FATAL WATCH features the work of a diverse group of international investigators working around the world to expose the true level of criminality at sea. The documentary team traveled from Fiji to Panama, Ghana to the Marshall Islands, Spain and the US to illustrate how tuna has become a prized commodity while human lives are sacrificed and evidence of environmental damage mounts. The film dives deep to expose how fish gets from the sea to our plate, and what we need to do to protect those who protect us on the ocean. Combining exclusive footage and critical access to key investigations, FATAL WATCH captures the powerful stories of marine observers who are literally dying to tell the truth.

This year is the 33rd annual DC Environmental Film Festival! We’re bringing you a curated list of aquatic film options throughout the festival. As members of the WAN community, use discount code DCECOORG for 25% off paid programs. Explore the full DC Environmental Film Festival schedule here.

Drowned Land

In the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, the Kiamichi River is a bastion of eco-diversity. A Texas corporation seeks to dam and build a hydroelectric plant on the small river. For a group of locals, theirs is a generations-long struggle with resource extraction and displacement that began with the Trail of Tears. The story follows the river as its main character as the director also explores the effects of her Choctaw grandfather’s work for the Army Corps of Engineers - damming rivers throughout tribal land in Oklahoma. Interwoven are the stories of the river’s advocates—residents, Choctaw culture-keepers and scientists—who have come together to protect the river.

This year is the 33rd annual DC Environmental Film Festival! We’re bringing you a curated list of aquatic film options throughout the festival. As members of the WAN community, use discount code DCECOORG for 25% off paid programs. Explore the full DC Environmental Film Festival schedule here.

Chesapeake Rhythms + A Passion for Oysters

This film chronicles the essential rhythms of Chesapeake Bay: wind, tides, migrations of tundra swans, Monarch butterflies, shorebirds and eels.

These ancient migrations, annual rituals repeated repeated for millennia, weave a tapestry that enriches our lives and oblige Chesapeake dwellers to maintain our hugely important way station in this vaster scheme of comings and goings. The film will convey the beauties and mysteries of the fundamental, elemental Chesapeake.

The Waterfront Alliance, is offering their Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines training free to federal employees impacted by the change in administration. Spend an hour with Tom Klein, Waterfront Planning and Design Advisor for an overview of the program and have your questions answered.

If your work engages with waterfronts - such as coastal resilience, waterfront design, resilience planning, ports, offshore wind, marine biology, transportation and infrastructure, this course is for you!

This session is virtual and is open to all. Please share with your colleagues who might be interested.

Register here

This year is the 33rd annual DC Environmental Film Festival! We’re bringing you a curated list of aquatic film options throughout the festival. As members of the WAN community, use discount code DCECOORG for 25% off paid programs. Explore the full DC Environmental Film Festival schedule here. 

Chesapeake Rhythms + A Passion for Oysters March 22nd 1:30PM | NYU Washington, DC

Drowned Land March 23rd 7:00PM | GALA Theatre

Fatal Watch March 24th 7:00PM | The Miracle Theater

Upstream, Downriver: Uniting For Water Justice March 25th 7:00PM | American University - Center for Environmental Filmmaking

An Evening with Wendy Benchley March 26th 6:00PM | Reservoir Center

Pristine Seas: Filmmaking for Impact March 27th 7:00PM | The Burke Theatre at US Navy Memorial

Shorts: Protecting Local Waterways March 28th 1:00PM | Reservoir Center

Closing Night: Out of Plain Sight March 29th 7:00PM | The Burke Theatre at US Navy Memorial

Join Executive Board member Michelle Levano for a virtual LinkedIn workshop. Come with questions - this is your time to focus on your online outreach and networking though LinkedIn!

Register here

Join the Women’s Aquatic Network for a Knauss Fellow welcome and happy hour! Grab some snacks and network with aquatic professionals in the DMV area. All are welcome!

Join Reservoir Center Partners, Friends of Reservoir and other professionals working in Water for a Happy Hour at Calico to reconnect and re-energize.

Light bites will be served between 5:30 and 6:30.

Please RSVP by February 4th

Celebrate the start of the year with a WAN community happy hour. Swing by The Crown and Crow for networking and good conversation. All are welcome!

Join us for an interactive workshop on the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), the contribution plan for U.S. civil service employees and uniformed service members. We'll discuss strategies for making the most of this retirement savings tool, including contribution options, fund choices, and withdrawal strategies to align your plan with your financial goals.

Register here

Women's Aquatic Network Executive Board Member Rachel Medley will give a candid tutorial on how to navigate USAjobs application process; tips and tricks to getting your foot in the federal door; what federal hiring managers are looking for and how best to interpret and evaluate your skills for a federal workplace. This event is for WAN Members only.

Register for the event here!

Please join the Women’s Aquatic Network and the National Academy of Sciences Ocean Studies Board for a reception after our AGU town hall event “Science Is Everywhere: Explore Aquatic and Marine Career Options with the Women’s Aquatic Network and Our Partners.” Panel attendees will receive a free drink ticket.

The happy hour is open to all, you do not need to be a registered AGU attendee.

The Women’s Aquatic Network is at the American Geophysical Union meeting (AGU)!

TH15K - Science Is Everywhere: Explore Aquatic and Marine Career Options with the Women’s Aquatic Network (WAN) and Our Partners

December 9 | 6-7pm ET | Liberty I-K (Marriott Marquis)

Science is everywhere in our society and not limited solely to academic pursuits. Many career trajectories can support and advance science for societal impact, policy decisions, and economic and technological growth. This town hall focuses on aquatic and marine science related careers, many of which are concentrated right here in the Nation’s Capital region. The town hall seeks to connect students and professionals to a variety of career opportunities across the ocean and aquatic community. This session is co-hosted by the Women’s Aquatic Network (WAN), a Capital region-based non-profit, that brings together professionals of all gender identities with an interest in marine, coastal, and aquatic affairs. WAN members and supporters are scientists, lawyers, policy-makers, natural resource managers, advocates, maritime transportation specialists, entrepreneurs, academics, lobbyists, and many other professions. This town hall will feature WAN members and sponsors as panelists to speak to the variety of career options open to those who have interests and expertise in aquatic careers.

Presenters:

• Sarah Cooley, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

• Nicole Horvath, Reservoir Center for Water Solutions

• Allison Miller, Schmidt Ocean Institute

• Susan Roberts, The National Academies

• Dana Rollison, U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Moderator:

• Rachel Medley, Women's Aquatic Network

Join us after the event for a reception 7-9pm at Morris American Bar! Panel attendees will receive a free drink ticket.

Learn more about the AGU Annual Meeting

Celebrate the end of the year with WAN! Join us for a festive evening as we honor our 2024 Wavemaker of the Year, Jacques Oliver. Whether you're a long-time member or new to the network, we look forward to seeing you and celebrating all that our members have accomplished.

Tickets include professional headshots, food, and one free drink ticket!

REGISTER HERE

Save $8 on a 2025 Membership by bundling your ticket!

Bundle: Students: $42 | Professionals: $52

Ticket Only: Members: $25 | Non-members: $45

Add-on: $10 WAN holiday ornament

(Memberships purchased after Nov 1st count towards the 2025 calendar year)

If you wish to attend but face financial hardship, please reach out to us contact@womensaquatic.org.

COMPASS and the Women's Aquatic Network are excited to offer this workshop to current WAN members! Please register by November 15.

In this workshop, you will be introduced to tools and strategies to help you communicate and distill what you know and why it matters to your audience. This workshop will involve hands-on practice, feedback, and interactive exercises, so please come prepared to actively participate.

If you have any thoughts, questions, or otherwise, please reach out to Heather Mannix at heather.mannix@compassscicomm.org.

Tickets are $5. Please register here.

Women's Aquatic Network Executive Board Member Rachel Medley will give a candid tutorial on how to navigate USAjobs application process; tips and tricks to getting your foot in the federal door; what federal hiring managers are looking for and how best to interpret and evaluate your skills for a federal workplace. This event is for WAN Members only.

Register for the event here!

Women's Aquatic Network Executive Board Member Rachel Medley will give a candid tutorial on how to navigate USAjobs application process; tips and tricks to getting your foot in the federal door; what federal hiring managers are looking for and how best to interpret and evaluate your skills for a federal workplace. This event is for WAN Members only.

Register for the event here!

Join us and the National Academy of Sciences Ocean Studies Board on Tuesday, October 1 for our annual Speed Mentoring event. This event provides an opportunity to connect across different professional levels within the DC aquatic community. Much like “speed dating,” speed mentoring allows individuals to meet one-on-one for a short period of time to gain advice and feedback for career growth and opportunities before moving to the next person in the queue. The event is opened to WAN members first and then open to the public. Mentors come from various backgrounds and career levels in the aquatic sector including government agencies, NGOs, and academia. 

Registration costs are $20 for WAN Members and $45 for non-members. The price of registration includes food and non-alcoholic drinks. Register here

If you are interested in serving as a WAN Mentor or sponsoring this event, please contact us at Contact@womensaquatic.org.

As the leaves turn golden and the air gets crisp, come warm up and join the Women’s Aquatic Network and the Society for Women in Marine Science at our fall happy hour and book swap! Bring a book, take a book, and enjoy the company of great people. No registration fee required, but let us know in this Google Form if you think you’ll stop by.

Looking to advance your career? Join us for a virtual session with career coach Chrissy Macken. We'll explore how to apply your strengths in a leadership context and factors outside the work environment that can help you confidently use your leadership skills and strengths.

Where: Google Meets (link to follow confirmation after sign up)

Pricing*: WAN Member: Free | Non-member: $15

Register here

*If you wish to attend but face financial hardship, please reach out to us contact@womensaquatic.org.

Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world. – Robert McKee

Join a community of professionals using their careers and their stories to solve the world’s biggest challenges. This is an opportunity to build community and share what drives you in your career to have a positive impact on the world.

This event continues Reservoir Center for Water Solutions’ Careers for Change series that empowers college students and rising professionals to harness their skills and energy to have a positive impact on the world around them. Everyone is welcome – college students, early-career professionals, and seasoned veterans alike.

Free food and refreshments. Doors open at 5:30 PM and the event begins at 6:30 PM.

See the speaker lineup and register here

Join us for a Potomac River cleanup event with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 25-12 (Arlington-Northern Virginia). We will meet at 11am at the Columbia Island Marina (George Washington Memorial Pkwy, Arlington, VA 22202). Please bring water and a snack and wear closed-toed shoes. All cleanup materials will be provided.

Let us know through this Google Form if you’re planning to join!