The University of Rhode Island announced that The Devereux Ocean Foundation, Inc. has pledged $250,000 to create the Devereux Ocean Foundation Fund for the Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO).<\/p>\n
The Devereux Ocean Foundation fosters ocean research, education, and stewardship. Current supported projects focus on coral reefs, marine mammals, and ocean education. The gift includes support for Rhode Island K-12 science teachers to collaborate with GSO experts to develop new ocean science curriculum materials. This content will be supplemented with educational videos produced by GSO\u2019s Inner Space Center<\/a>, which has an impressive content library of ocean video footage with extraordinary educational potential that will be unlocked with Devereux\u2019s support. Ultimately, GSO will distribute these educational materials in K-12 schools statewide to help provide a baseline understanding of ocean science for all students in the Ocean State. A partnership with the Rhode Island Public Broadcasting System will enable national and international distribution.<\/p>\n \u201cThe support of The Devereux Ocean Foundation will help us to develop curricular material for K-12 teachers that can be used widely in ocean education,\u201d said Bruce Corliss, dean of GSO. \u201cThese resources will be used to inspire the next generation to address the world\u2019s most critical problems like rising sea levels, ocean acidification, and climate change.\u201d<\/p>\n Corliss will oversee the use of the dean\u2019s fund to support the school\u2019s strategic plan.<\/p>\n \u201cWe appreciate GSO\u2019s position as one of the world\u2019s premier oceanographic institutions and want to support the amazing work being accomplished by its faculty and students,\u201d said Mark Grosby, president of The Devereux Ocean Foundation. \u201cSolving critical ocean issues requires not only outstanding research, but world class public outreach and education.\u201d<\/p>\n This support follows a year of impressive investments in GSO. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced an award of $94 million to the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute, which is led by GSO. The East Coast Oceanographic Consortium (ECOC) established by URI and two other powerhouse research institutions, won a national competition to operate one of the National Science Foundation\u2019s new $125-million regional class research vessels\u2014one of only three such vessels in the nation. The residents of Rhode Island voted for a bond issue in November 2018 that provides $45 million for facility enhancements at URI\u2019s Narragansett Bay Campus.<\/p>\n Founded in 1961, GSO has built a reputation for excellence in deep water oceanographic research, coastal planning and management, sustainable fisheries, and monitoring the health of Narragansett Bay. With operations, researchers, faculty, and students worldwide, the Bay Campus education and outreach programs train the next generation of scientists and policymakers, while ensuring Rhode Island\u2019s K-12 teachers and students gain an appreciation for the importance of ocean science through a variety of hands-on programs.<\/p>\n