When Rice University alumnus and former swimmer Bruckner Chase ’90 first dove into open-water swimming, he couldn’t have imagined it would one day bring him back to campus — not as an athlete but as the driving force behind a national ocean safety campaign now poised to reach millions.
Chase, a longtime advocate for marine conservation and a professional ocean athlete, partnered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Smithsonian Institution to create NOAA Ocean Today’s Blue IQ, a groundbreaking video series that teaches the public how to safely enjoy the beach and understand the power of the ocean. The initiative marks NOAA’s first campaign to approach coastal safety through a social science lens, making complex topics like currents and surf conditions relatable and actionable for everyone.
But for Chase, Blue IQ is more than a public awareness effort. It’s a personal mission rooted in experience — and Rice was always meant to be part of the story.
“Rice was the perfect mix — dynamic student-athletes, an urban setting near the coast and a community that could help communicate coastal safety to people who’ve never seen the ocean before,” Chase said.
After reengaging with Rice Athletics in recent years through the SOAR mentoring program and Flight Plan workshops, Chase knew where he wanted to film part of the campaign: on the Rice campus with Rice student-athletes leading the way. Eight student-athletes participated through name, image and likeness partnerships with Chase hiring former football player Conor Hunt as an intern to help manage the production.
“What Rice Athletics is doing — not just to develop performance on the field but to empower athletes beyond competition — really inspires me,” Chase said. “The student-athletes added depth, authenticity and integrity to this project beyond anything I expected.”
For Hunt, who grew up in Hawaii and interned on the campaign before graduating, the project was a meaningful blend of his heritage, education and career goals.
“Growing up in Hawaii, the land — the ‘āina — is very important. If it provides for us, we provide back,” Hunt said. “This campaign helps show how your athletic training can translate into ocean safety awareness, and that could save lives.”
Now working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Hawaii, Hunt said the opportunity to intern with NOAA gave him skills and experience that will shape his future path.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better first step into the workforce. Having NOAA on the resume is huge for me,” he said. “I was basically the assistant director — holding mics, changing lenses, scheduling shoots. It was a lot of work but so rewarding.”
Rice women’s basketball player Shelby Hayes also appeared in the campaign and said it changed her perspective on water safety.
“Just because you’re an athlete doesn’t mean you can survive extreme conditions in the water,” Hayes said. “We’re saving lives with this video. It’s just a really cool experience to be involved in.”
Chase, who was rescued from drowning twice before the age of 10, has spent the last 15 years working with NOAA and Surf Life Saving agencies around the world, from American Samoa to New Jersey. His unique career — spanning elite swimming, conservation work and public outreach — was shaped in part by his time at Rice.
“I had a very nontraditional path — no adviser would have drawn this up,” he said. “But Rice gave me room to explore pieces of who I would eventually become.”
To learn more about the NOAA Ocean Today Blue IQ Series, visit https://oceantoday.noaa.gov/blueiq/ or listen to the NOAA Ocean Podcast.