Protecting the Blue Planet

Explore the New England Aquarium, where action, advocacy, conservation and education come together at Boston's most visited cultural institution.

https://www.neaq.org/

https://www.meetboston.com/podcast/

Transcript

Vikki Spruill’s Career Path

Speaker 1 0:05

Founded four centuries ago, Boston has simply never settled. Conversations here determine the future, so let's discover what's next. Join us as we seek out the real Boston, past and present, through stories and perspectives that capture a city always in motion. I'm Martha Sheridan, CEO of Meet Boston, and this is Boston Found. I'm Martha Sheridan, your host, and today we are thrilled to welcome my friend Vikki Spruill, who's the president and the CEO of the New England Aquarium, one of Boston's most prominent cultural institutions, of course, and I believe the highest visited cultural institution in the Commonwealth. And I'm sure a lot of that has to do with you. We're excited to have you here today. Thank you for being here. Thank you, Martha.

Speaker 0:58

I'm so delighted to be here.

Speaker 1 1:00

So we like to start each of our podcasts with some information about you. I'm not going to read your bio. I want to hear, in your own words, what's your journey been like? How did you evolve and arrive at where you are today at the aquarium?

Speaker 1:15

I'll start by saying that if anyone had asked me 10 years ago what I would be doing today, this is not what I would think I would do. Not on the bingo card. I had a science teacher in high school who was a bit of a mentor, and I told him I wanted to be a marine biologist. He said there was no place for women in science. Oh boy. And, you know, I listened to him, I trusted him, and I pursued a future and a very successful career in communications. Then the stars aligned, and I was offered to run a major ocean conservation organization because they wanted help translating complicated science and policy to people. Right in your early. So I thought, wow, how often does that happen? I've led major ocean conservation organizations. I led the biggest philanthropy association. And it's only in looking backwards sometimes that you see how all of the dots are connected.

Speaker 1 2:25

For sure. How long have you been in Boston now?

Speaker 2:27

I have been in Boston almost eight years. Eight years. Okay. Fantastic. But I hear I'm still new.

Why Ocean Health Matters Now

Speaker 1 2:33

Well, I'm seven, so yeah. Yeah, you have me beat by a year, and I still can't call myself a Bostonian. But that's okay. We love this city. So between this and your past careers for the last three decades, you've really been focused on foundation work, philanthropy, conservation, and particularly ocean conservation, as you mentioned. What drives your passion behind that, besides where you grew up?

Speaker 2:56

Well, the ocean is more important than it has ever been. And, you know, we are, we really should be called planet ocean, not planet Earth. Most of the biodiversity on the planet is in the ocean. It takes up way more space, as we've seen by recent trips to Mars. I mean, to the moon, around the moon with Artemis. And it's just beaming with life, teeming with life, and it is what drives our climate. And you cannot be in Boston and not think about climate change and climate resilience. We're such a water-specific business as the aquarium, but Boston is so reliant on our waterfront.

Speaker 1 3:38

And you're located in a very vulnerable area, ironically, right?

Speaker 3:42

Almost ground zero. And so when I came here, I thought, you know, we had not really used our platform to talk about the impacts of climate change. And we are living it every single day with continued high uh king tides and uh flooding on a regular basis. And so I am very proud that we have sort of been at the forefront of helping frame that conversation for people.

Designing Visitor Wonder And Action

Speaker 1 4:07

You've certainly made your mark there, and I think the city should appreciate all that you've done there. So, as we mentioned, um the aquarium welcomes more visitors than any other cultural institution in Massachusetts. So I'm just curious to know about the visitor experience and how do you balance creating a fun atmosphere and a compelling atmosphere with making sure that you get across your message message of education and conservation as very important components of what you do.

Speaker 4:36

Well, we definitely want to inspire and create awe and wonder in all of our visitors. And I believe we do that, but that's only part of the equation. Getting people in the door is one thing, but having them learn more and understand how they can take action in their personal lives, whether it's voting or choosing sustainable seafood or using less plastic, all of those things are the things we want them to be doing after they leave our institution. And so I think we have struck that balance. I think more people, particularly in our area and in New England, but specifically in Boston, you know, we understand the impacts of climate change and we understand the importance of conservation in protecting seafood, in all the other things, our beaches, our tourism overall. And so I think they love the awe and wonder we provide, but they also love the action we take. That's great.

Speaker 1 5:38

What's the average length of stay for a visitor? I'm just curious.

Speaker 5:41

We're not a huge institution, you know, so people can make their way through in under an hour, which is also great for Boston because we have so many wonderful other cultural institutions. And this is a city where you can visit two or three institutions, cultural institutions, art museums within, you know, one afternoon. Which is great.

Animal Care And Viral Moments

Speaker 1 6:00

And you can bundle all those together and you have a very diverse, unique, but also rich inspirational experience. So um, I do want to talk about a couple of specific programs that I know you're working on right now, such as your animal enrichment programs, your corals and ancestral fishes exhibits. And then, of course, you've done a lot uh to enhance the wayfinding at the museum. So at the aquarium. We are technically a museum. A museum. Can we talk a little bit about that?

Speaker 6:27

Yeah, so you know, we have a live collection, which people don't always understand. When we acquire animals and we put them in our aquarium, we have them there for their lives. And so, unlike an art museum, we can't, you know, sort of switch the paintings around on a regular basis. So we're constantly looking for ways that we can refresh our exhibits, create new and different experiences for people. Two things that have gotten a lot of attention recently that we're very proud of is our geriatric penguin island. So because it's a retirement home for penguins. And because we have penguins that are in their 30s and 40s, who would not live that old in the wild. They'd maybe be 10 or 12. We created a special part of our penguin exhibit to care for those older penguins. And, you know, we're talking about viral media and New York Times articles, which was so exciting for all of us. The other is you may have seen reggae, one of our seals in the front of the aquarium. We have that area for people to enjoy without having to buy a ticket. And we do enrichment for all of our animals. But reggae had a fantastic learning experience with a rubber duck that you may have also seen. And, you know, we try really hard to take care of our animals from a from an animal welfare standpoint. And we believe that that's important because most people around here will never see an Indo-Pacific reef like we have.

Speaker 1 8:01

So, what's a what's a visitor favorite? What what exhibit is one that always draws awe from people in front of you?

Speaker 8:09

Well, who doesn't love a penguin? I would have to say the penguins are always at the top of the list, but our octopus is also very popular. Our fur seals, our seals. I mean, and of course, there's Myrtle the turtle, who has lived with us for 50 years.

Speaker 1 8:26

She's kind of Myrtle's at the top of the tank. She swims all through. Okay, because I remember seeing her when I was there recently at the top of the tank.

Speaker 8:34

Yeah, she might have been feeding time where she loves eating Brussels sprouts.

Speaker 1 8:38

Okay, better than me.

Speaker 8:40

Yeah, she's the grand dame, and I call her my boss because she has she has uh captured the hearts and minds of so many generations of Bostonians.

Speaker 1 8:54

So let's talk a little bit about the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life and how the aquarium uses marine science. You know, you mentioned that that's obviously a passion of yours. On the website, it says in big bold letters, transforming science into action. So you did allude to this just a little bit and how you educate your visitors, but give me a little bit more specific information on what that really means. I'll dive a little deeper, pun intended. Perfect.

Speaker 9:22

Um so most people don't understand or know that we actually have a major science research institution as part of the New England Aquarium, and it's called our Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life. We have 30 marine scientists studying challenges out in the real ocean, and we learn about some of those challenges by studying the animals we have in our care. So we do things like work with the shipping industry to make sure that speed rules or shipping lanes are in place and don't impact great animals like the North Atlantic right whale. Or we work with the seafood industry to make sure that, you know, sustainable choices are being made by restaurants. We work with the seaweed industry, who is, you know, trying to figure out ways to produce more uh seaweed, but in an environmentally safe way. And we've put a finer point on that work in something we call the Balance Blue Lab, which is intentionally working with industry because we believe science and profitable environmental conservation and corporate profit can be co-hand in hand.

Speaker 1 10:36

That's great. A little bit more. I'm I'm fascinated with particularly with the seafood industry and somewhat the shipping industry. So, what does your work with them involve? We we had Wolf's fish on about a year ago, and it was just fascinating to understand, you know, what their practices are. So, do you help inform that kind of a business? Or, you know, how do you reach out to those industries so that they can be better stewards of our ocean?

Sustainable Seafood And Shipping Partnerships

Speaker 11:02

A little bit of both. Our scientists have helped design and provide input into big international certification schemes so that one is the Marine Stewardship Council, which ensures that seafood are caught in a sustainable way. We work our longest partnership of over two decades is with Gorton Seafood in Gloucester.

Speaker 1 11:26

Of course.

Speaker 11:26

And we help them identify ways to source not only their fish, but also their aquacultured fish.

Ropeless Lobster Gear And Industry Uptake

Speaker 1 11:34

That's fantastic. So I guess uh just a little, I'm very curious about this. What so define for me, like what is an I I think I know the answer, you know, large nets, et cetera, but for our listeners, define what's an unsustainable practice in the fishing industry or in the shipping industry, and what's something that you're doing to shift that practice to make it um much more sustainable for all.

Speaker 12:00

One of the things that we're very excited about is the work we're doing with lobster fishers to talk about ropeless gear or on-demand gear, which is a technical solution so that you can avoid those vertical lines that are in the water, in which uh right whales and other turtles and animals get caught in those lines. And we are working directly with the fishing industry to educate them about these products and these uh we have a library of gear that we are working on. And and so it's all about you know being in partnership with. That's I think a really great local example. And you know, we love our lobster.

Speaker 1 12:40

Well, I'm obsessed with that.

Speaker 12:41

In fact, we're going to do we're going to do a pilot uh with a pop-up on our plaza in a few weeks where we'll be serving uh sustainably caught lobster rolls.

Speaker 1 12:52

Wow. Yeah.

Speaker 12:52

So come on by.

Speaker 1 12:53

Yeah, send me the date. Yeah. So, you know, just one last question on that. Because that that's such a um an old and traditional industry here in New England. And, you know, my husband and I like to travel up to Maine, and if they are still obviously using, you know, pots and and ropes. And so, how is the uptake been and the reaction from that industry to your suggestions?

Speaker 13:16

It's slow, yeah, but because it's a cultural way of life for so many, and we honor and respect that. But there are also early adopters and leaders in the industry who are working with us, and you know, I hope we can have more participate and get involved.

The Giant Ocean Tank’s Calm

Speaker 1 13:34

Well, I would also imagine that the buyers of the of the seafood, whether it's lobster or can influence that as well if they demand a certain absolutely and it's a higher it's a higher market price. Right, right, right. So it helps their bottom line. I love that. You we talked about what some of the the visitors' favorite animals are. I guess myrtle is yours. Anything else that really strikes a chord with you?

Speaker 13:58

Actually, the whole giant ocean tank is my favorite. Fantastic. Because the way it was designed, we have these little individual windows that punctuate the walkway up to the top. And you can tuck into any one of those windows and have your own little personal experience, and no two windows are alike. And so I love to walk up and see families with the kids' noses pushed up against the glass and you know, just the awe and wonder that that's inspiring in those kids. And then I often think if we could all get along as a society the way all of those animals in that tank do, wouldn't we be better off?

Speaker 1 14:34

I find that whole experience to be incredibly relaxing and stress-reducing, to be honest with you. Yeah, yeah. You know, when you're in there, you just you feel much more zen, in my opinion. I'm sure it has something to do with the water and this the movement of the fish. But for me, you know, if you need to de-stress, get yourself over to the aquarium for a couple of hours. It's really interesting.

Speaker 14:57

It's really interesting. And I think that post-COVID in particular, we're we hear that more from our visitors and we're seeing college students, and we're doing some events after dark, you know, for younger people to come and enjoy. And and they do. They love that peace and calm where you don't have to do much, but just stare. Well, there's a lot to look at. So it takes up some time.

Speaker 1 15:27

One thing that, you know, we're passionate about, as I know you are at the aquarium, is accessibility, equity, and inclusion. I'm just curious to know what are your practices in that regard? Where are you succeeding? Where do you want to go with that?

Speaker 15:44

We have continued to tow the line on our DEI plus efforts. Uh, you know, after all, you know, we have a lot of diversity of marine life in our in our building, but we have uh, you know, our DEI council uh access, inclusion, and resilience have been sort of the pillars of our message for not only people coming to the aquarium, but what they experience also inside the aquarium.

Speaker 1 16:13

And because it's an older facility, do you find that you need to retrofit somewhat on the accessibility side? And we know accessibility means so much more than physical now. Yeah. You've all obviously also got the sensory and belonging to the data should be there. Right. Right. But so that's a priority, I'm sure, as well.

Speaker 16:32

We were built in 1969, opened in 1969. And so for anything that old, we are constantly in need of upgrades and facelifts and improvements to the visitor path. As you mentioned, we've just completed our whole wayfinding project that is given us a real fresh look.

Speaker 1 16:51

And that's within the facility.

Speaker 16:52

That's within the facility, all new signage, identifying areas of the aquarium so you can better identify meeting up with your friends. Yes, yes. Uh, we've had an upgrade to our cafe, our gift shop is completely virgin, plastic free. We were one of the first, if not the first, in the aquarium community nationally to do that. So um, we're very proud of leading the pack. Fantastic. We'll keep that up.

Innovation And Boston’s Waterfront Future

Speaker 1 17:20

That's so important. So, as we get through the 250th commemorations and approach the 400th anniversary of the great city of Boston, there's a lot of inflection points for the city, as you as you're well aware. We do think Boston continues to lead the way in innovation and so many other things, quite frankly. But what's next for the aquarium? So, how do you how do you does your story lean into that broader story of Boston's innovation and but also looking back to celebrate our history as well?

Speaker 17:52

So, on the science side, back to the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, we're doing really cool things like um flying drones from boats and we're doing aerial surveys to find out where the North Atlantic right whales are. We're using drones to capture the blow from the whales to find out about stress hormones. And so there's all kinds of innovation on the science side that we've been in part a part of. Even the ropeless gear, part of it was developed by our science team. Inside, you know, boy, are we in a great position. We are right there on the waterfront. So for things like Sail Boston, I think we've got the best spot in town. And even for the World Cup, you know, the big public viewing area is gonna be at City Hall Plaza. And so we are right on the path.

Speaker 1 18:43

Oh, yes.

Speaker 18:44

So again, the maritime history and the reliance on seafood and the ports and the ships and everything is so much a part of Boston's history, and we celebrate all of it right there on Central Wharf. That's terrific.

Aquarium Community And Turtle Rescue

Speaker 1 19:00

I like to ask our guests, you know, you live in Boston. I well, you live close to Boston. I've been to your beautiful home. Thank you. Um, but I was curious when you're not managing all of these incredibly important initiatives, what do you like to do in and around the city?

Speaker 19:16

I love to eat, I love to explore uh great restaurants. I love to go to the beach, not right in Boston. But I also love to visit our my colleagues at their various institutions. I love the children's museum. I guess we're always children at heart. I love the ICA, I love the public library, science museums, science museums, so many. And um, there's just such a richness here in the city. And frankly, I just like to walk around. Yes. The greenway is amazing. I mean, there are just so many wonderful things to experience, and it's all within walking range.

Speaker 1 19:56

So, just one last quick question. You you said you'd like to visit your um, you know, sister facilities. Do you work much with the Mystic Aquarium?

Speaker 20:05

We have, we absolutely have. And um, yes, and you know, the the world of uh aquarium leaders is rather small. We are accredited by something called the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, much like universities are accredited. And there are only 250 of more than 2,000 who get this very gold star accreditation. Mystic is one of them, and we belong to an association and we share stories and we even share animals with one another. You know, one of the things that we're proud of, again, on the innovation side, is 60% of the species in the giant ocean tank are animals that we have cultured, grown at our facility in Quincy, which is also our animal turtle hospital and animal hospital, where we are um rescuing cold stunned turtles on the Cape and then releasing them in the summer to go back to the ocean.

Speaker 1 21:06

So do other um aquariums ever borrow or adopt your species if you've got availability.

Speaker 21:13

We have different training programs. Um yeah, if we have uh, let's say a seal that might not be getting along with the ones that they're with, we can trade them out and uh find better homes for them and vice versa.

Where To Learn More And Subscribe

Speaker 1 21:26

That's fantastic. Wow. All right. You heard it here first. So well, it's always a pleasure to see you. Tell our listeners how they can find out more about the aquarium and your programs.org.

Speaker 21:39

Fantastic. Thank you.

Speaker 1 21:40

Thank you. Thanks, Vikki Spruill, for being with us today. Thank you, Martha. Looking to find more Boston stories? Go to meetboston.com and don't forget to share and subscribe to the Boston Found podcast.