URI Hosts Marine Technology Society’s TechSurge International Conference
Marc Parlange, President of the University of Rhode Island (URI), extended a warm welcome to participants at the Marine Technology Society’s TechSurge international conference held at URI’s Narragansett Bay Campus.
The event signifies a notable push towards advancing ocean technology and cultivating a skilled workforce, as highlighted by Parlange.
“We are witnessing substantial investments at URI, especially on the Bay Campus, aimed at enhancing ocean technology and developing a capable workforce,” stated Parlange.
“This gathering is a clear indication that our collaborative initiatives are yielding results, and we are progressing as planned.”
This year’s conference spotlighted critical topics such as fisheries management and benthic monitoring essential for offshore development.
Attendees engaged in a variety of activities, including lectures, workshops, networking opportunities, and a dedicated “Tech Cafe” designed to facilitate connections between industry professionals and students.
Guided tours of the Narragansett Bay Campus showcased innovative ocean technology laboratories and startup enterprises collaborating with URI.
Steven D’Hondt, Interim Dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography, reminded participants of URI and Rhode Island Sea Grant’s pivotal role in spearheading the scientific efforts that led to the establishment of the Block Island Wind Farm, America’s inaugural offshore wind facility.
In partnership with the Marine Technology Society, Rhode Island Sea Grant brought the conference to URI as part of the 20th Ronald C. Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium.
The conference featured engaging panel discussions with experts, including Christopher Roman, URI professor of ocean engineering; William Misa, fisheries ecologist at TetraTech; Cameron Thompson, pelagic ecologist at Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems; URI alumnus Nicholas Chaloux from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; and URI alumna Emily Shumchenia, ocean data scientist for the Northeast Regional Ocean Council. (Image credit: URI)
The Marine Technology Society encompasses a New England chapter aimed at industry professionals and researchers, as well as a student chapter at URI for those aspiring to cultivate skills and forge connections in marine technology and ocean engineering.
Tracey Dalton, Director of Rhode Island Sea Grant and a professor in URI’s Department of Marine Affairs, emphasized, Our Sea Grant programs are dedicated to ensuring that rigorous scientific research informs coastal communities and states in making decisions related to marine resources that impact our daily lives.
As technological advancements in ocean studies enhance accessibility to resources such as food and jobs in marine environments, this conference served as an ideal platform for this year’s Baird Symposium.
Rhode Island Sea Grant is one of 34 participants in the National Sea Grant College Program, which aims to promote environmental stewardship, sustainable economic growth, and responsible management of coastal and marine resources.
Source link: Oceannews.com.
