Christine Hoekenga
Profile
Christine joined the NMNH Department of Education and Outreach in the Fall of 2009 after having served as a Museum Specialist in the Office of the Sant Chair for Marine Science. She holds a dual bachelor’s degree in media studies and environmental science from Willamette University and a master’s degree in science communication from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Christine has experience working as an environmental journalist, a freelance science writer, and a conservation organizer and advocate for nonprofits. Despite growing up in land-locked Nevada, Christine is also an avid SCUBA diver with experience conducting marine research in the field and the lab.
Collaborator Contributions
“Manta rays sometimes approach divers; an up-close encounter with such a huge, peaceful animal is unforgettable!” -- Nature's Best...
Kilauea Volcano, Kalapana, Hawaii, USA “In the upper left of this image I can visualize the profile of Pele, the fire goddess of Hawaiian folklore, as if she is whispering to the sea.” -- ...
Welcome Teachers! Thank you for visiting the Ocean Portal. We hope the “OP” will be a valuable tool for you and for your students—a place where you can find teaching resources and your students can find helpful, exciting...
Happy (early) Independence Day! For many of us in the United States, the 4th of July is a time to celebrate and reflect on our national heritage. In many ways, the U.S. grew up...
An albatross drowned after being accidentally caught on a longline near Brazil. Marine birds are among the species that can become bycatch. Watch a video about...
Happy International Mangrove Action Day!
This occasion is a small but vibrant tradition that has been observed annually on July 26th for nearly a decade in countries around the globe, including the U.S., India,...
Photographer David Liittschwager took a 12-inch metal frame to Moorea, French Polynesia, and four other disparate environments to see how much life he could find in one cubic foot. ...
This month, our friends at National Geographic are featuring Smithsonian's own bio-scavenger, ...
Jacques Cousteau once said, “When you dive, you begin to feel like an angel."
It’s true. When a diver dons a tank and slips into the water, the noisy clatter of the world disappears and the sensation of...
Happy New Year! We’ve officially hit mid-January, but there is still plenty of time to make those resolutions. If you’ve been putting it off or haven’t come up with a worthy resolution yet, why not resolve to do something...
“At night, spotted dolphins move offshore into the Gulf Stream’s deep waters in search of squid.” -- ...
“As I set up for a sunset shot—one last, solitary surfer exited the water and I quickly fired a few frames trying to capture the serenity of the moment.” -- ...