Welcome to Siren’s Cove, the official blog of the WAVE Coalition. This is where passion meets with purpose and where science, conservation, and a little bit of chaos collide. Like a Siren’s Cove, Moon Pool, or Mermaid Lagoon, here we will gather to learn more information, talk tea, and lift our fellow pod-members up! Expect some serious talk about saving the planet, sprinkled with ocean puns and the occasional existential crisis about climate change. We are very worried. BUT that’s a good thing, it means we care, and we should all care about our planet. It’s our only home!

We got the name: Siren’s Cove, as a nod to one of our board members, who is, quite literally, a real mermaid. Yep, that’s right, I legitimate mermaid. We figured, who better to headline a blog about environmental stewardship than someone who’s spent more time underwater than anyone else?

This blog is a space for storytelling from our team, our partners, and you! We would love to get our readers involved and would love for you to come write your story! You got a hot take? Come tell the world through Siren’s Cove. Or if you can’t write, like me, the founder of WAVE, you can send us your ideas and we can write your ideas (You’ll just have to put up with our crappy writing).

So... What is The WAVE Coalition Anyway?

The WAVE Coalition was born in 2025 from a shared frustration: why is it so hard for smart, passionate people to break into environmental and STEM careers? And why are so many landlocked communities left out of conversations about oceans, conservation, and climate?

We founded WAVE to tackle those questions and flip the script.

Our name, WAVE, stands for:

Wildlife and Habitats
Action and Advocacy
Vision and Innovation
Education and Empowerment

This acronym isn’t just a clever branding choice (I mean it totally is), but it’s the core of everything we do.

Why WAVE Exists (and Why the System is... Broken)

Let’s get real for a second: STEM education is broken. Students spend 4–8 years getting degrees, racking up debt, only to find out their “entry-level” job requires 3–5 years of experience. It’s like being told you need to finish a marathon before you're allowed to start training.

According to a 2021 National Science Board report, nearly 25% of recent STEM graduates in the U.S. reported difficulty finding relevant work without prior experience. It's a major pipeline problem that keeps talented people out of fields that desperately need them.

That’s where WAVE comes in. Through hands-on programs, mentorship, and immersive experiences, we give students what employers don’t: real-world exposure to science, conservation, and nonprofit work.

And here’s another twist: growing up in the Midwest, most of our board members never learned how their daily choices affected the ocean. But in reality, they totally do. For example, fertilizers used on farms in Minnesota can eventually make their way down the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico, contributing to one of the world’s largest marine dead zones (NOAA, 2023). Out of sight ≠ out of impact.

Our workshops and school programs aim to bridge this knowledge gap by showing students how interconnected everything really is, no matter where you live.

We’re Not Like Other Nonprofits

At WAVE, we do things our way. That means providing workshops, mentorship, internships, and programs that are accessible, flexible, and empowering. We focus on experience-first learning because we believe students shouldn’t have to choose between a diploma and a real shot at a career.

Meet Our Founders: The Heart of WAVE

Our leadership team is proof that when you mix passion with weird career paths and a lot of caffeine, great things happen.

Liz Kaltenhauser – The Fish Whisperer

Liz has a Master’s Degree in Marine Conservation Management and an unmatched passion for the ocean. With a background in teaching, aquaculture, and animal care, Liz is a conservation powerhouse. She spends her time scuba diving, writing children’s books about science, when she has time she swims, and running WAVE with fins-on leadership.

Grace – The Animal Advocate

Grace has devoted her career to animal welfare, working in both zookeeping and veterinary medicine. Her goal with WAVE is to expand her impact, from individual animals to entire ecosystems, by improving their quality of life through both education and protection. Did we mention she’s a mermaid?

Owen – The Next Gen Conservationist

Owen is currently studying fisheries, wildlife, and conservation biology at the University of Minnesota. With a background in scuba diving and a decade in circus acrobatics, Owen brings creative energy and a student perspective to WAVE’s programs and outreach.

We hope you stick around. Read the blog, share your thoughts, become a mermaid (if you want, we support your journey). Siren’s Cove is just getting started, and we’re so glad you’re here for the ride.

Now, let’s go make some waves. 🌊

References

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2016). Barriers and Opportunities for 2-Year and 4-Year STEM Degrees: Systemic Change to Support Students' Diverse Pathways. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/21739
STEMconnector. (2018). Work-based Learning and the Future of Work. Retrieved from https://www.stemconnector.com
NOAA Office of Education. (2022). Ocean Literacy Principles. Retrieved from https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/literacy.html
Pew Research Center. (2017). The State of American Jobs. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2016/10/06/the-state-of-american-jobs/
ACT. (2021). STEM Education in the U.S. Retrieved from https://www.act.org/content/act/en/research/reports/act-research-series/stem-education-in-the-us.html

Welcome to Siren’s Cove: Meet The WAVE Coalition