Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the University of the Virgin Islands extend Partnership

Woods Hole, Mass– Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) extending their working partnership in the exploration, study, and protection of the world’s oceans. Like WHOI, UVI conducts extensive research to support and monitor coral reef health, human impacts on USVI ecosystems, and climate predictions.

“We share common interests with the University of the Virgin Islands,” said Aran Mooney, a marine biologist at WHOI. “Improving our knowledge of the ecosystems in the Caribbean by partnering with our friends and colleagues in the region helps ensure we’re being as efficient as possible.”

MIT-WHOI Joint Program student Nadège Aoki (left) and WHOI biologist Aran Mooney placing cups of larvae at the reef site in the U.S. Virgin Islands. (Photo by Dan Mele, © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

WHOI and UVI have a long history of collaboration, including studying the impacts of coral chemical compounds, coral disease, reef restoration science, and the teaching and support of students in various ways. The MOU establishes areas of mutual interest where the two institutions will collaborate, including physical oceanography, ocean acoustics, robotics, microbial ecology, coral reefs and surrounding ecosystems, marine geology, marine chemistry, marine biology, atmospheric sciences, and ocean engineering. It also lays out that the two institutions will cooperate via the exchange of academic staff and students, research and academic activities, and the exchange of academic materials and other information.

“UVI's Center for Marine and Environmental Studies (CMES) is excited by the new opportunities outlined in the MOU renewal,” said Paul Jobsis, Director of the Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, University of the Virgin Islands. “ The shared resources of WHOI and CMES will allow us to tackle some of the most important ecological problems facing our marine environment. This partnership will provide more opportunities for students and researchers from both organizations.”

The scope and scale of threats facing coral reefs demand new ways of approaching the questions that need to be answered in order to ensure the future of reefs worldwide.

“The oceans are global and coral reefs are under threat” Mooney continued. “It’s important that we act in a collaborative manner, so that we can support the lives and livelihoods of those who rely on their rich ecosystems and valuable resources.”

For more information on WHOI’s Reef Solutions Initiative, visit:  https://reefsolutions.whoi.edu/

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About Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is a private, non-profit organization on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, dedicated to marine research, engineering, and higher education. Established in 1930, its primary mission is to understand the ocean and its interaction with the Earth as a whole, and to communicate an understanding of the ocean’s role in the changing global environment. WHOI’s pioneering discoveries stem from an ideal combination of science and engineering—one that has made it one of the most trusted and technically advanced leaders in basic and applied ocean research and exploration anywhere. WHOI is known for its multidisciplinary approach, superior ship operations, and unparalleled deep-sea robotics capabilities. We play a leading role in ocean observation and operate the most extensive suite of data-gathering platforms in the world. Top scientists, engineers, and students collaborate on more than 800 concurrent projects worldwide—both above and below the waves—pushing the boundaries of knowledge and possibility. For more information, please visit www.whoi.edu.

About the University of the Virgin Islands

The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) is a student-centered institution devoted to excellence, innovation, research and making an impact in the U.S. Virgin Islands and globally. Founded in 1962, UVI is a public, co-ed, land-grant HBCU (Historically Black College and University) in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI). Approximately 1,625 students are enrolled on the two campuses: the Albert A. Sheen Campus on St. Croix and the Orville E. Kean Campus on St. Thomas. The institution offers 99 undergraduate and graduate degree programs across its six colleges and schools.