Arkansas teacher joins ocean expedition as communication fellow
Fayetteville High’s Matthew Holden will join a 21-day Ocean Exploration Trust expedition this summer, focusing on underwater ecosystems and historic shipwrecks.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Matthew Holden, a biology teacher at Fayetteville High School, is set to embark on a 21-day expedition with the Ocean Exploration Trust this summer, sailing from the Solomon Islands to the Marshall Islands.
Holden, who has taught at Fayetteville High for seven years, will join the expedition on the Exploration Vessel Nautilus as a science communication fellow.
“I’ll be gone from basically mid-July to mid-August,” Holden said.
The journey will focus on studying underwater volcano ecosystems and searching for sunken ships from historical battles.
The Ocean Exploration Trust, founded by Dr. Robert Ballard—the explorer who discovered the Titanic — aims to share new ocean science discoveries with global audiences. Holden’s role will center on education outreach.
“My part will be more of that kind of education outreach. I’ll be sharing all the new discoveries that we find with classrooms here in Fayetteville, and then also classrooms all around the globe,” he said.
This isn’t Holden’s first adventure. With a master’s in conservation biology, he has participated in several fellowships, including a National Geographic trip to Antarctica, a shark biology study in the Bahamas, and a microplastics research project with Earthwatch.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to receive a few of those over the years,” he said.
Holden’s expeditions have shaped his teaching philosophy. He emphasizes hands-on learning to engage his students.
“I try to make my class as engaging as hands-on as possible. We do a lot of labs, lots of projects, and group work, and then we also try to get out in the community and do field trips and trail cleanups,” he said.
His travels have also taught him the importance of interdisciplinary learning.
“We’re able to kind of learn from each other and develop kind of this cross-curricula type lessons and interdisciplinary lessons, which is amazing,” Holden said, reflecting on collaborating with educators from fields like history and art during his fellowships.
Back in Arkansas, Holden aims to inspire his students with these global experiences. Many of his students have never seen the ocean, making his stories and lessons particularly impactful.
“I want my students to understand that we’re never too old to learn something new. We’re never too old to try something new and learn from mistakes and take risks,” he said.
Holden will spend a few days in the Marshall Islands after the expedition, connecting with the local culture — a meaningful opportunity given the large Marshallese population in Northwest Arkansas. He hopes to share these experiences with his students, fostering a sense of global citizenship.
The expedition will be broadcast live, allowing classrooms worldwide to follow along. Holden encourages those interested to visit Nautilus Live for updates. He’ll also share his journey on Instagram at Mr. Holden Explores.