“Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is the world’s leading independent non-profit organization dedicated to ocean research, exploration, and education.”[ http://www.whoi.edu/who-we-are/]

 

Hello to you! In this blog I’d like to talk about world renowned Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, located in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, not far from the island of Martha’s Vineyard.

Woods Hole is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to ocean research, exploration and education. The scientists at Woods Hole use cutting-edge technology to advance knowledge of the oceans and uncover its impact on our planet, lives and economy.

Woods Hole was founded in 1930. And it has a diverse range of subjects related to ocean and earth science, along with marine policy. Its main areas of research include; the coastal ocean, ocean life, ocean exploration, and climate change.

Woods Hole operates six research departments, four interdisciplinary institutes and over 40 labs! Here is the division breakdown for you…

Research Departments

1. Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering – this department studies ocean processes from the surf area down to abyss levels.
2. Biology – the biology department studies marine organisms, along with their spatial distributions and the complex interactions.
3. Geology and Geophysics – this department researches the oceans and their roles during past climate change. In particular, research revolves around the structure and tectonics of ocean basins and the composition of our Earth’s mantle.
4. Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry – this Woods Hole department performs chemical analyses in both the field and lab to observe the dynamics of ocean processes in hopes of better understanding just how our global ocean operates.
5. Marine Policy – the Marine Policy department conducts social scientific research, which brings together economics, policy analysis, and law of basic research in the ocean sciences.
6. Physical Oceanography – this department researches both the physics and geography of our global ocean.

Looking at academics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc., through its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education [NEASC]. It offers Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in its partnership with MIT. Additionally, postdoctoral, undergraduate, summer, and guest student programs are also available.

The ships owned by Woods Hole include the Global Class research vessel Atlantis, Ocean Class research vessel Neil Armstrong, and coastal vessel Tioga.

The funding of Woods Hole consists of government grants and contracts, along with private donations. Its annual operating budget is $215 million. Woods Hole employs approximately 950 people. These include more than 500 scientists, engineers, ship’s crew, and technicians.

If you see any sick or injured manatees, please call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at: 1-888-404-FWCC. They are the folks who are responsible for rescuing us in Florida.

Here’s the Save the Manatee Club link to learn more about us manatees …

www.savethemanatee.org

Here’s a cool link for you to learn more about how we’re rescued and brought into rehabilitation …

www.wildtracks.org

~ Kobee Manatee