COSEE has sought to increase diversity within the ocean sciences through Network, Council, and Center activities. Diversity is part of the COSEE strategic business plan, the Diversity Working Group is one of several committees of the COSEE Network, and diversity has been a topic in COSEE Council and Network meetings.
In collaboration with the Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence California (COSEE CA), scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (Scripps) have worked with a group of three middle school science teachers to teach students how marine natural products research at Scripps connects and contributes to the clinical drug discovery process. The participating San Diego Unified School District 7th grade life science teachers routinely teach a unit on drug discovery to approximately 300 students each year, and enrich the instruction by providing students the opportunity to communicate face-to-face with marine scientists through an interactive videoconference.