Since its founding 60 years ago, GSO’s communications, marine education and engagement programs have grown to reach a wide variety of audiences, including marine scientists, students, education professionals, policymakers, business leaders and the public in Rhode Island and around the globe.
In Rhode Island, (the Coastal Resources Center) focused on coastal resilience, marine spatial planning and the blue economy.
The Coastal Resources Center (CRC), which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2021, worked directly with local and international fishing communities. In Rhode Island, it focused on coastal resilience, marine spatial planning and the blue economy. Specific efforts included community shoreline monitoring, offshore wind energy, workforce development for aquaculture and fisheries, and aquaculture siting in Narragansett Bay. While CRC’s USAID Sustainable Fisheries Management Project in Ghana wrapped up after seven successful years, the scope of the USAID Fish Right project in the Philippines expanded, and a major new project on coastal fisheries of Pacific Islands was awarded. CRC and partners conducted dozens of virtual events to advance critical local and global conversations and led planning for the URI Honors Colloquium, “Sustaining Our Shores.”
The Inner Space Center (ISC) connected a global audience to ocean science through numerous live broadcasts and provided professional development for teachers, policymakers and other marine stakeholders. The center released a documentary, “Frozen Obsession,” about the changing Arctic and ISC’s 18-day, 2,000-mile Northwest Passage Project expedition. The film was viewed by tens of thousands, both through online screening events and through PBS.org. ISC also helped plan education activities for the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, and hosted thousands of participants from over 45 countries during its 2020–2021 webinar series.
GSO Public Engagement, formerly the Office of Marine Programs, continued to deliver ocean science content through its Ocean Classroom (Live!) series of online conversations, produced in partnership with ISC. The team also kicked off an online Student-Alum Networking Series to connect current GSO students with alumni, and co-hosted a 200-submission-strong, K-12 student art competition and exhibit, “Ocean View,” at the URI Providence Campus.
The Coastal Institute delivered virtual lectures on legacy and emerging contaminants in watersheds, estuaries and coastal waters in conjunction with principal investigator Rainer Lohmann’s NIEHS-funded Superfund Research Program.
GSO also informed its audiences with 41ºN, published by the Coastal Institute and Rhode Island Sea Grant, and the alumni magazine, Aboard GSO.