A Tribute to the Ocean’s Keystone Species:

Announcing the Winners of the 2025 Science Without Borders® Challenge

ANNAPOLIS, MD — The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 Science Without Borders® Challenge, an international student art contest that promotes ocean conservation. This year’s theme, Marine Keystone Species, invited students to create artwork highlighting species that play a critical role in maintaining the structure and health of ocean ecosystems.

Open to primary and secondary school students 11–19 years old, the competition received an overwhelming response this year. Over 1,300 young artists from 75 countries submitted artwork—each piece a unique interpretation of a marine keystone species, from sea otters and mangroves to corals and sharks. These species may not always be the most numerous or well-known, but they have an outsized impact on their environment. Their presence helps maintain biodiversity, balance food webs, and support ecosystem resilience. If a keystone species is removed, the entire ecosystem could shift dramatically or collapse. Through their art, students explored these complex ecological relationships and made a compelling case for ocean conservation.

Artwork in the competition was judged in two categories based on age. The winning entries are not only beautiful pieces of artwork—they are a tribute to the animals that keep our ocean ecosystems in balance.

“Winning the Science Without Borders Challenge® means a lot to me,” said Hyungjun. “It feels incredibly rewarding to have my artwork recognized on an international level, especially when it’s about a topic I care deeply about—the environment. I wanted my artwork to show how every species has a role and how protecting even one can save many.”

“I hope this piece raises awareness about our damaged ocean and what could happen if we continue to harm it,” said Gia. “This is our planet, and we can make a change, starting with our warming ocean.”

Each of the winners will receive scholarships of up to $500 from the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation to celebrate their achievements and help them pursue their interests in art and ocean conservation.

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Now in its 13th year, the Science Without Borders® Challenge continues to engage students in important ocean science and conservation topics through art. The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation created the competition to educate students around the world about the need to preserve our oceans and inspire the next generation of ocean advocates.

“The goal of this contest has always been to educate students about the ocean through art,” said Amy Heemsoth, Chief Operating Officer and Director of Education at the Foundation. “This year’s theme helped them understand how essential certain species are to the health of marine ecosystems. Their artwork serves as a powerful reminder of our responsibility to protect our oceans for future generations.”

The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation extends its heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and participants of the 2025 Science Without Borders® Challenge, and thanks them for using their creativity and passion to inspire positive change for our oceans.

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For more information:
Visit: www.LOF.org

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Gallery

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About the Organizations:

About the Science Without Borders® Challenge:
The Science Without Borders® Challenge is an international student art contest run by the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation to engage students in marine conservation through art. The annual competition welcomes entries from all primary and secondary school students 11–19 years old. Scholarships of up to $500 are awarded to the winning entries. Students and teachers interested in next year’s competition can learn more and apply at:
www.livingoceansfoundation.org/SWBchallenge

About the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation:
The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation is a nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the health of the world’s oceans. Through science, outreach, and education, the Foundation works to conserve coral reefs and other tropical marine ecosystems, enhance ocean literacy, and inspire conservation action. Learn more at www.livingoceansfoundation.org

 

Hydrothermal Vents Found in the Icy Depths of the Remote South Sandwich Islands 

An Ocean Census Flagship expedition and GoSouth team of scientists found suspected new species, discovered one of the island chain’s shallowest hydrothermal vents, and explored the deepest trench in the Southern Ocean. 

Palo Alto, CA, USA — An international team of scientists on a recent 35-day deep-sea expedition to one of the most remote island chains in the world observed thriving polar ecosystems, discovered new hydrothermal vents, coral gardens, and many suspected new species. The Ocean Census Flagship expedition aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel Falkor (too) explored the South Sandwich Islands, including one of the coldest and most isolated submarine trenches on the planet, and also found evidence of explosive volcanism. This was the same expedition that filmed the first confirmed sighting of a juvenile colossal squid.

The expedition was part of the Nippon Foundation–Nekton Ocean Census program, the world’s largest initiative to accelerate the discovery of ocean life. The Ocean Census scientists led the species discovery efforts, uncovering a wide range of potentially new marine life — including corals, sponges, snails, sea urchins, benthic ctenophores, and sea stars. The exact number of new species will be announced later this year following an Ocean Census workshop, where taxonomic experts will formally assess and catalog the findings. The GoSouth team — a collaboration between the University of Plymouth (UK), GEOMAR (Germany), and the British Antarctic Survey (UK) — investigated the effects of geohazards, including tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquakes.

“This expedition has given us a glimpse into one of the most remote and biologically rich parts of our ocean. This is exactly why the Ocean Census exists — to accelerate our understanding of ocean life before it’s too late,” said Dr. Michelle Taylor, head of science and expedition principal investigator at the Ocean Census, and senior lecturer at the University of Essex. “The 35 days at sea were an exciting rollercoaster of scientific discovery; the implications of which will be felt for many years to come as discoveries filter into management action.”

Mother Nature threw everything she had at the expedition, said Taylor, including a subsea earthquake, tropical storm force winds with hurricane-level gusts, eight-meter (26-foot) waves, and icebergs to navigate.

Located in the South Atlantic, the South Sandwich Islands are part of a rich mosaic of geologic features such as hadal zone trenches, underwater volcanoes, and spreading centers — features created by tectonic forces that have supported the evolution of species found nowhere else on the planet. It took eight days for the research vessel to travel to the islands from the port of Punta Arenas, Chile.

The GoSouth team, led by Co-Chief Scientist Dr. Jenny Gales, discovered two pockmarks in the mapping data of an underwater caldera — a bowl-shaped depression in the seafloor, left after a volcano erupts. Pockmarks can indicate hydrothermal activity. Using a “nested” approach, the team deployed Schmidt Ocean Institute’s remotely operated vehicle, SuBastian to map the pockmarks at a higher resolution and confirm the presence of vents.

The larger pockmark contained three hydrothermal vents, and the smaller contained one. Located at 700 meters depth (nearly 2300 feet), they are one of the shallowest hydrothermal vents to have been discovered near the South Sandwich Islands, and the only ones to be explored using a remotely operated vehicle. The tallest vent chimney was four meters (13 feet), making it about as tall as a basketball hoop. Each vent was covered with an array of life dependent on chemosynthesis, including sea snails and barnacles. Thriving coral gardens and large sponges were found in close proximity to the vents — an unusual observation, said Taylor.

“Discovering these hydrothermal vents was a magical moment, as they have never been seen here before,” said Gales, an associate professor in Ocean Exploration at the University of Plymouth (UK). “It’s an incredible discovery that provides valuable insights into the area’s tectonic activity. Making such a discovery is rare. It highlights the importance of ocean exploration and seafloor mapping.”

In addition to the vents, other notable observations during the expedition included:

• In the trench, scientists found snailfish eggs that had been laid on a black coral, as well as a potential new sea cucumber species;
• large pumice blocks, indicating that the South Sandwich Islands are capable of explosive volcanism; 
• a vibrant coral garden located west of Saunders Island at a depth of 120 meters (394 feet); 
• Capturing the first footage of Akarotaxis aff. gouldae, a species of dragonfish that was discovered two years ago.

“The challenging ocean and weather conditions and the isolated location of the South Sandwich Islands capture the imagination of the boldest explorers — often the closest humans to the vessel were on the International Space Station,” said Schmidt Ocean Institute’s Executive Director, Dr. Jyotika Virmani. “We are proud to have collaborated with Ocean Census in their mission to advance the discovery of marine life and GoSouth in their quest to better understand the geological nature of this dynamic corner of the world.” 

Image Credit: Jialing Cai / The Nippon Foundation – Nekton Ocean Census / Schmidt Ocean Institute

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About the Organizations:

Photo Credit: Tina Zhao, Great White Shark / Wildlife Forever.

White Bear Lake, MN (May 2, 2025) – Wildlife Forever is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2025 Guy Harvey Shark Award, a special award division within the Art of Conservation® Fish Art Contest sponsored by the Guy Harvey Foundation. This award celebrates outstanding student artwork that raises awareness about sharks and their conservation needs.

The 2025 Guy Harvey Shark Award winners are:

• K–3rd Grade: Wenhao Xia, MA – Atlantic Shark
• 4th–6th Grade: Ruiyi Fan, AZ – Hammerhead Shark
• 7th–9th Grade: Selene Li, NJ – Great White Shark
• 10th–12th Grade: Tina Zhao, WA – Great White Shark

For full resolution winning artworks, please visit: www.theartofconservation.org/shark-award-winners

“Guy Harvey has built his life on using artwork to show the beauty of the undersea world and convey messages of conservation. We are proud to support Wildlife Forever’s Fish Art Contest, which encourages students to be creative and express their appreciation for sharks and our oceans,” said Greg Jacoski, Executive Director, Research and Policy at the Guy Harvey Foundation.

To be eligible for the award, students submitted original artwork of any shark species along with a written piece relevant to their chosen species. Winners receive a signed print from world-renowned marine artist and conservationist Dr. Guy Harvey, valued at up to $200, along with additional recognition.

“At Wildlife Forever, we believe art has the power to connect people to conservation in a personal and lasting way. These students used their creativity to champion sharks and the vital role they play in our oceans, and we are honored to celebrate their incredible work,” said Veronica Mangio, Education and Marketing Manager at Wildlife Forever.

To view all winning entries from the 2024-25 Fish Art Contest, visit www.FishArt.org.

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