Partners
Working Together for a Healthier Ocean
None of our work would be possible without the contributions of our partners. At the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation, collaboration is at the heart of everything we do. Guided by our philosophy of Science Without Borders®, we partner with governments, scientists, local communities, educators, and NGOs around the world to advance marine science and conservation. Together, we’re protecting coral reefs, restoring coastal ecosystems, and inspiring the next generation of ocean stewards.
Interested in collaborating? Contact us to explore how we can work together in support of a healthier, more resilient ocean.
University of Miami
The University of Miami has been a key scientific partner of the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation since the launch of the Global Reef Expedition. Together, we created the world’s largest collection of high-resolution coral reef habitat maps, providing an essential baseline for reef monitoring and management. Our ongoing collaboration includes developing a global coral reef health index and associated educational resources, and conducting cutting-edge research on reef resilience in the face of climate change. This partnership continues to advance the science needed to protect and restore coral reefs around the world.
Pacific Blue Foundation
The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation is partnering with Pacific Blue Foundation on a community-based conservation initiative in Beqa Lagoon, Fiji—the pilot site for our Science Without Borders®: Conserving the Tropics project. Together, we are implementing a locally driven coral reef monitoring program that empowers Fijian communities to manage and protect their marine resources. By combining traditional knowledge with modern tools like CoralNet, this partnership supports the conservation of vital ecosystems, including traditional fishing grounds and locally managed marine areas, while building local capacity to monitor reef health and implement effective conservation strategies.
Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory
The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation partnered with the University of the West Indies Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory to launch the Jamaica Awareness of Mangroves in Nature (J.A.M.I.N.) program in 2014. We continue to work together to implement this hands-on, project-based education program to teach high school students about the importance of mangrove ecosystems. The program began with two schools near Falmouth and expanded to include a second-year component focused on monitoring and stewardship. Over a decade later, Discovery Bay Marine Lab remains a key partner in delivering meaningful outdoor learning experiences that inspire mangrove conservation across Jamaica.
Friends of the Environment
FRIENDS of the Environment helps the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation deliver our Bahamas Awareness of Mangroves (B.A.M.) program to high school students on Abaco Island. Since 2015, this collaboration has brought hands-on mangrove education and restoration activities into Bahamian classrooms, helping students understand the vital role mangroves play in coastal ecosystems and local communities. FRIENDS provides critical on-the-ground support, including teacher training, field trips, and outreach to local schools. Together, we are equipping the next generation of Bahamians with the knowledge and tools to protect their natural heritage.
NASA's Ames Research Center
In 2021, the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA’s Ames Research Center, formally partnering to help create the first comprehensive and reliable global map of coral reefs. By sharing our ground-truthed coral reef habitat maps from the Global Reef Expedition, NASA is using this data to train its NeMO-Net neural network and map reefs around the world from space. This cutting-edge collaboration combines satellite imagery, high-performance computing, and coral reef science to generate precise maps that empower researchers and decision-makers to monitor reef change over time and take action to protect these vital ecosystems on a global scale.
Alligator Head Foundation
The Alligator Head Foundation helped expand our mangrove education and restoration program in Jamaica—the Jamaica Awareness of Mangroves in Nature (J.A.M.I.N.) program—by bringing it to students in Portland Parish. Since 2018, this partnership has helped us engage more schools, teachers, and students in hands-on mangrove science and conservation. With a shared commitment to educating the next generation and protecting Jamaica’s coastal ecosystems, Alligator Head Foundation is a valued partner in our efforts to inspire students and community members to conserve and restore their mangrove forests.
International Union for Conservation of Nature
The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation has been a proud member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 2006. We launched the Global Reef Expedition at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona and marked its conclusion at the Congress in Marseille in 2021. Today, the Foundation remains an active member, contributing to IUCN’s mission through service on the IUCN-US Communications Subcommittee, the Commission on Education and Communication (CEC), and as an editor for the IUCN member magazine Uniting for Nature. Through this partnership, we are part of a global network of conservation organizations working together to conserve nature and ensure its sustainable use.
