LOS ANGELES, Calif. (June 9, 2026) – AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles and four other LA waterfront partners today announced the launch of the Los Angeles Waterfront STEM Network (LAWSN), a coordinated science, technology, engineering and mathematics education and workforce ecosystem anchored along the LA waterfront.

The launch of the LAWSN connects five world-class partners – AltaSea, Battleship IOWA, the Los Angeles Maritime Institute (LAMI), Friends of Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, and Los Angeles Harbor College – into a single, seamless learning journey that links science, history, innovation, and workforce pathways.

“The LA Waterfront is one of the most powerful classrooms in California,” said Terry Tamminen, President and CEO of AltaSea. “By working together, we can give students hands-on experiences that open their eyes to the ocean, the Port, and the incredible career opportunities growing in the blue economy. LAWSN brings those experiences together in a way that gives young people a chance to see, touch, and understand the future they can help build.”

The LAWSN will touch a wide ecosystem – from both education to workforce development. The network is designed to deliver immersive STEM education, certificate programs, paid internships, apprenticeships, mentorships, educator training, and community engagement experiences across the LA Waterfront.

The blue economy offers high-quality, purpose-driven career opportunities across a variety of industries, including goods movement, blue technology, marine science, ocean conservation, national defense, tourism, and sustainable shipping.

“The Los Angeles Waterfront STEM Network shows what is possible when our educational, nonprofit, and maritime institutions come together around a shared mission,” said LA City Councilmember Tim McOsker. “Here in the One-Five, we have an incredible opportunity to turn our waterfront into a living classroom where students can explore marine science at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, experience innovation and ocean technology at AltaSea, learn our nation’s maritime history aboard the Battleship IOWA, and sail on a tall ship through the Los Angeles Maritime Institute. This network helps connect young people to hands-on learning, real career pathways, and the growing opportunities of the blue economy right here on the LA Waterfront.”

Each partner brings a robust portfolio of educational programming, including field trips, youth workshops, family days, sailing experiences, STEM labs, educator training, and maritime career exploration. Collectively, the organizations serve thousands of K-12 students annually, along with educators, families, and community groups across the Los Angeles region.

The network also includes a strong educator professional development component. LAWSN professional development workshops are designed to provide teacher training in marine science, ocean literacy, and applied STEM curricula aligned with Blue Economy workforce demand.

“LAWSN is actively building a connected pathway from early exposure to hands-on learning, teacher training, community college programs, internships, apprenticeships, and careers,” said San Pedro Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Elise Swanson. “That kind of connection is invaluable. It helps students imagine a future they may not have seen before, and it gives teachers, families, and employers a way to support them from that first spark of interest all the way to a career.”

Through collaborative fundraising, corporate partnerships, and shared programming, LAWSN will expand access to the LA Waterfront for students, families, and educators who might not otherwise experience it firsthand. The network will help more young people connect with the ocean, discover career pathways in the blue economy, and see the waterfront as a place where they can build their future.”

The initial framework for the LAWSN was conceived by AltaSea nearly a decade ago to unite educational, nonprofit, and industry partners around transforming the waterfront into a living classroom. Now in its 12^th year, AltaSea has continued to develop its 35-acre campus and grow opportunities in the emerging blue economy. AltaSea is now home to many innovative climate solutions focused on the ocean in a variety of industries, including aquaculture, carbon capture, renewable energy, and ocean exploration.

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About AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles

AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles, located on 35 acres at North America’s leading seaport by both container volume and cargo value, is an ocean technology campus that has become the hub for marine science, research, and education. AltaSea has 27 tenants exclusively focused on ocean innovation and research collaborations with numerous colleges and universities, including USC and UCLA – all finding solutions to climate change through the ocean. AltaSea is dedicated to accelerating scientific collaboration, advancing an emerging blue economy through business innovation and job creation, and inspiring the next generation, all for a more sustainable, just, and equitable world.