2026 TOS Fellow

Lisa Rom

For her profound and lasting impact on ocean science education and mentoring programs and practices across the United States and her unwavering commitment to broadening participation in the ocean sciences

The Oceanography Society (TOS) is pleased to announce that Lisa Rom has been selected as a Fellow of The Oceanography Society. Ms. Rom will be recognized at The Oceanography Society Honors Breakfast, February 24, 2026, during the Ocean Sciences Meeting in Glasgow, Scotland.

Established in 2004, the TOS Fellows Program honors members whose careers exemplify scientific excellence, strategic development of the field, and a deep commitment to educating and mentoring the next generation of ocean scientists. Lisa Rom’s long career at the National Science Foundation (NSF) aligns squarely with these goals, with national-scale impacts that have reshaped ocean science education, broadened participation in the ocean sciences, and strengthened connections between research and society.

A cornerstone of Rom’s legacy is the Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE) network supported by the NSF Division of Ocean Sciences. Under her guidance, COSEE grew into a nationally recognized, sustainable network that connected ocean scientists with educators across K–12, higher education, and informal learning environments. More than two decades later, the partnerships and capacity built through COSEE continue to support ocean science communication, education, and outreach, with impacts across the community.

Rom also fundamentally strengthened NSF’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program in ocean sciences, transforming it into one of the agency’s most inclusive and effective pathways into the field. Through intentional leadership and data-driven reform, participation by women, community college students, and students from underrepresented backgrounds increased dramatically. As Ellen Kappel emphasized in her nominating letter, “By encouraging PIs to think about which students would benefit the most from the opportunity to participate, Lisa changed their mindset,” leading to sustained gains in diversity and access. These programs have demonstrably supported students’ entry into graduate education and ocean-related careers.

Beyond program design, Rom is widely recognized for her hands-on mentorship and advocacy. She advised and encouraged hundreds of early-career professionals, graduate students, and undergraduates on applications to NSF development, fellowship, and summer programs, respectively, and was widely known to create welcoming professional spaces for students at major scientific meetings. David Fields, Senior Researcher at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, described her impact as “significant, sustained, structural, and deeply human,” noting her rare commitment to undergraduate engagement, early-career scientists, and inclusive community building.

“Lisa Rom’s contributions have fundamentally shaped the way ocean science is taught, communicated, and experienced,” wrote Janice McDonnell, Associate Dean of Research Impact at Rutgers University. “Her legacy is evident in the programs she has built, the people she has mentored, and the communities she has empowered.”

Through visionary leadership, extraordinary service, and an unwavering commitment to mentoring and inclusion, Lisa Rom exemplifies the highest ideals of The Oceanography Society. Her selection as a TOS Fellow honors a career that has advanced oceanography not only as a scientific enterprise but as a diverse, collaborative, and publicly engaged community.