The MOP Student Symposium is held each spring semester at one of the MOP campuses. The Symposium provides a professional, scientific venue for MOP students to give oral or poster presentations of their Skill Projects, and gives students the opportunity to meet other MOP students, learn about research projects from other MOP campuses, and practice their presentation skills.

MOP students may receive one of the following awards at the Symposium:

• Best Internship Paper
• Best Research Paper
• Best Poster
• John P. Craven Award – awarded for the most inspired and inspirational presentation by a MOP “Child of the Sea”
• PACON International, Hawaiʻi Chapter, MOP Symposium Award – awarded for best paper integrating marine science and technology with a Pacific focus

Also awarded at the Symposium is the Anna Toy Ng Memorial MOP Scholarship. The scholarship is presented to a MOP student who exhibits excellence in marine scholarship, ocean stewardship, and contributions to MOP.