Extension Specialist Elected Treasurer of National Marine Educators Group

Jackie Takacs, a watershed restoration specialist with the Maryland Sea Grant Extension Program, has been elected treasurer of the National Marine Educators Association (NMEA).

Takacs, who serves Southern Maryland, will serve on the board of NMEA, which works to advance the public’s understanding and protection of freshwater and marine ecosystems. Its approximately 1,100 members are classroom teachers, informal educators, university professors, scientists, and others from around the United States and other countries. The association, formed in 1976, holds an annual conference and supports 17 regional chapters that pursue a variety of educational and conservation programs.

Jackie Takacs

NMEA has supported the development of Ocean Literacy Principles, an educational framework and network about oceans for learners of all ages. The association has also worked to integrate ocean science concepts into state and national educational standards for primary and secondary schools. NMEA publishes a quarterly, peer-reviewed publication, Current: The Journal of Marine Education. The association operates out of Maryland Sea Grant's main office in College Park, Maryland.

Takacs and her fellow regional watershed restoration specialists at Maryland Sea Grant and the University of Maryland Extension provide a range of technical advice and support to help individuals and communities around the state improve stormwater management and water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.