USM Celebrates Renewal of NOAA Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute
Tue, 10/08/2024 - 02:43pm | By: Gabriela Shinskie
OECI Intern, Zoe Brown during a visit to USM’s Research Vessel Point Sur. Ms. Brown was part of the 2024 OECI intern cohort and spent the 9 weeks at USM’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory researching life histories of fish.
Photo by Tavia Marinovich
The Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute (OECI) has been renewed for five more years by NOAA Ocean Exploration. The University of Southern Mississippi will continue collaboration with the other members of the OECI, including the University of Rhode Island, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the University of New Hampshire, and the Ocean Exploration Trust.
Training the next generation of ocean explorers, while innovating on new technologies to explore the oceans are the core activities of the OECI, and part of what sets The University of Southern Mississippi as a leader in research. The dynamic collaboration with the NOAA OECI will continue the successful partnership for five more years, answering the call for a greater blue economy workforce.
Dr. Kelly Lucas, Vice President of Research, is thrilled about the continued partnership and benefit the OECI has given many students, especially through USM’s OECI Ocean Explorers Program.
“The renewal of this award is an opportunity for USM to continue to grow and contribute to ocean discovery and lead the development of new blue technologies to understand our oceans for the benefit of Mississippi and the Nation,” said Lucas. “This award continues USM’s ability to provide world-class opportunities for students in Mississippi to explore the ocean.”
The Ocean Explorers Program, funded by the OECI, provides an inclusive environment for future ocean explorers and scientists by welcoming students from minority-serving institutions, including Tuskegee University and Jackson State University. During summer internships, the partnerships create a space for collaboration, research, and innovation in ocean science.
Dr. Leila Hamdan, Associate Vice President for Research and OECI co-PI, praises the partnership for giving students the opportunities of a lifetime.
“Our participation in the OECI the last five years has put students on ships, in the lab, and working side by side with international experts in ocean science and engineering,” said Hamdan. “Experiences like these have an indelible impact on our student’s lives. They create paths towards long, rewarding careers in ocean exploration and enable our students to be part of the future of science.”
Established in 2019, the OECI brings together various institutions from across the nation to conduct research and maximize new technologies for ocean exploration. In its first five years, the OECI has made advances in ocean exploration by mapping over half a million square kilometers of seafloor, conducting over 200 uncrewed systems deployments, and collecting 3,000 hours of seafloor video imagery. The OECI prepares students interested in the blue economy workforce, thus benefiting local and national economies.
Click here to learn more about the renewal, and the OECI partner institutions.