Aboard GSO, Spring 2024
Recently, I sent a request to the GSO faculty asking for their help in creating a list of the most important discoveries made at the school since its founding.
“A very difficult task,” read the first email response that I received. Which was of course followed by a long list of groundbreaking discoveries.
It’s true, I was a little wary that I might miss an important finding or advancement from GSO’s past, because our history is rich with examples of science and research that have altered and furthered our understanding of this blue planet. But reflecting on and sharing the incredible history and accomplishments of this school is something that always energizes me, particularly because the institution has, since its inception, had a keen eye on the future.
I’m happy to share this latest issue of Aboard GSO because it provides a sampling of all the things that make GSO such a special and influential school, from its exceptional history through its forward-looking vision.
A story on the needs of the future ocean workforce shows how the URI Bay Campus is adapting its academic programs to equip future explorers and stewards for the demands of the burgeoning blue economy. The lobster population in southern New England has experienced a recent boom and bust cycle, and GSO researchers featured in this issue explain how warming ocean temperatures make Narragansett Bay a difficult place for the crustaceans to survive. You’ll also read about the strong connection between GSO and maritime academies, which train students for maritime professions such as merchant marine officers or, in the case of numerous R/V Endeavor crew, research vessel operations. This issue serves as an introduction to new faculty and influential alumni, including one whohas expanded the frontiers of oceanography in the People’s Republic of China, and several others who had a significant hand in the development and recent launch of NASA’s PACE satellite, an incredible new tool to help us monitor ocean health and better understand how the atmosphere and ocean exchange carbon dioxide. As you’ll read in the article, the PACE project holds a special place in my heart.
To the ever-expanding GSO community, thank you for your unwavering support. Together, we continue to propel this extraordinary institution forward.
Best wishes,
—Dean Paula Bontempi, Ph.D. ’01