Press Kit

About the Vermilion Sea Institute

The Vermilion Sea Institute (VSI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering sustainable and enriching relationships between human societies and the ecosystems that support them. Located at the historic Vermilion Sea Field Station in Bahía de los Ángeles, Mexico, VSI provides an immersive and inspirational setting for field courses and scientific research.

Recognizing that environmental relationships are complex and multi-dimensional, VSI’s programs address ecological, cultural, economic, and sociopolitical aspects of conservation. The field station, situated at the intersection of three phytogeographic regions and adjacent to sixteen midriff islands, has a long record of safety and ecological sustainability, making it an ideal location for impactful educational and research experiences.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Vermilion Sea Institute is to foster sustainable and enriching relationships between human societies and the ecosystems that support them. Because we recognize that these relationships are complex and multi-dimensional, VSI supports and implements programs that address not only ecological, but also cultural, economic, and sociopolitical aspects of environmental issues.

Key Programs & Offerings

• Field Courses & Immersive Experiences: VSI offers location-based, immersive field courses for a wide range of groups, from grade school to graduate programs and retreats. By providing a natural laboratory for hands-on learning, VSI ensures participants gain the most impactful educational experiences.
• Field Research Base: The Vermilion Sea Field Station has served as the base for many foundational studies, providing dedicated space for research equipment, flexible scheduling, and accommodations for scientists. It offers an exceptional environment for conducting studies in marine and terrestrial ecosystems.

Key Leadership

• Meghann McDonald (she/her), Executive Director
  Meghann McDonald is a marine ecologist, educator, and conservation leader dedicated to connecting people with the natural world. She has led place-based field science courses in Mexico, Australia, and the Caribbean, integrating hands-on research with immersive learning. An avid scientific diver and SCUBA instructor, she has spent countless hours studying marine ecosystems and mentoring students in field research.
• Heidi Malizia (she/her), Director of Programs
  Heidi’s career is broken into two parts: she is an accomplished marine biologist specializing in cetacean research for part of the year, while the other part, she serves as the Director of Programs at the Vermilion Sea Institute (VSI). With extensive experience conducting research from various platforms—land, air, and sea—Heidi has dedicated herself to advancing marine conservation and community science. In her role with VSI, Heidi brings together her expertise in marine biology, her creative side, and her commitment to fostering environmental awareness. She orchestrates programs that intertwine marine conservation and community engagement, blending scientific expertise with organizational leadership.

We love links to our…

• Homepage: https://vermilionseainstitute.org/
• Field Experiences: https://vermilionseainstitute.org/impact/fieldexperiences/
• Memberships: https://vermilionseainstitute.org/memberships/

Social Media:

• VSI’s Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/vermilionseainstitute.org
• VSI’s Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/vermilionseainstitute
  
• VSI’s Twitter | https://twitter.com/BajaVSI
• VSI’s YouTube Channel | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOykS-f0GjcIsdVzC-z83fw
  

Visual Assets

The Vermilion Sea Institute’s official logos are available for use in both stacked and horizontal formats, with transparent backgrounds (_clear_). When selecting a logo, please choose the largest file size that fits your desired space to ensure the highest quality.

• Stacked Logos (VSI_stk…): These are best for applications where a square or standalone logo is needed, such as on a website’s footer, a presentation slide, or as an icon.
• Horizontal Logos (VSI_horz…): These logos are designed for narrow, wide spaces like website headers, email signatures, or banners.
• Square Logo (VSI_square…): This specific logo is optimized for square spaces like social media profile pictures or app icons.

Aventureros’s  horizontal logo is also available in the same folder.

Media Assets Download

Media & Public Inquiries

Heidi Malizia | Director of Programs

Email: [email protected]