{"id":3674,"date":"2022-09-19T08:27:14","date_gmt":"2022-09-19T12:27:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/oeci\/?page_id=3674"},"modified":"2026-08-03T12:54:43","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T16:54:43","slug":"bridge-to-ocean-exploration-program","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/oeci\/education-and-outreach\/bridge-to-ocean-exploration-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Bridge to Ocean Exploration Experiential Learning Program"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A core mission of the OECI is to inspire the next generation of ocean explorers and foster awareness of Blue Economy career pathways. The Bridge to Ocean Exploration (B2OE) Program<\/em><\/strong>, based out of the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography, is an experiential learning program key to advancing this mission, offering paid, part-time opportunities in ocean science, data science, and science communication to interested and eligible students.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Autonomous vehicles, such as the surface vehicle, Drix, shown on the left, are key to advancing the OECI’s ocean exploration initiatives (photo credit: OET). B2OE students can connect with scientists remotely in Mission Control at the Inner Space Center (center), and visit OECI partner sites, like the engineering\/maintenance bay for the human occupied submersible, Alvin, at WHOI (photo credit: ISC). <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

During a pilot program in the 2021-2022 academic year, the OECI collaborated with the New England Institute of Technology to create an initial cohort of B2OE students that worked on projects in machine learning, cloud-based data systems, media asset management, and multimedia production. In the Fall of 2022, the OECI began its collaboration with the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI), recruiting students to participate in the part-time, paid, experiential learning program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out this article<\/a> highlighting previous B2OE student experiences!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In May 2026, the OECI completed its fourth year of collaboration with CCRI. Cohort 5 project pathways included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n