Schmidt Ocean Institute to Boost Public Understanding of the Ocean Through Expanded Partnership with NOAA

Caption: ROV SuBastian aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel Falkor at Sunset in the Marianas Trench Marine Protected Area. (Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute)

Schmidt Ocean Institute announced today that it will formalize and expand its longstanding partnership with NOAA’s Office of Exploration and Research to explore, characterize and map the deep ocean and boost public understanding of the global ocean. The newly signed memorandum of agreement with NOAA could expand the United States’ ability to explore, map the seafloor and publicly share the discoveries.

“This partnership has the potential to support not only national objectives, but also global ocean initiatives as well, including the Nippon Foundation GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project to map the entire seabed by 2030 and the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development,” said Schmidt Ocean Institute’s Executive Director Jyotika Virmani.


Caption: ROV SuBastian returning to R/V Falkor from a dive on the Rawaki seamount in the Phoenix Islands Protected Area. (Credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute)

Since 2013, SOI’s research vessel Falkor has supported more than 40 U.S. federal scientists on collaborative research expeditions around the globe and partnered with NOAA’s Office of Exploration and Research on expeditions to expand mapping and data collection for U.S. marine protected areas. This work included exploration and data collection in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, Marianas Trench Marine National Monument, Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, and the Phoenix Islands Protected Area. These projects have resulted in jointly created maps and outreach activities including public ship tours, education campaigns and live broadcasts from the seafloor.

“The ocean has been under attack for decades and we don’t want to miss our last opportunities to turn this around,” said Wendy Schmidt, co-founder of Schmidt Ocean Institute. “We need to work together—across philanthropy, government and academia—to advance scientific discovery and educate the public about our essential dependence on a healthy global ocean.”

“We are living through a technological revolution that has opened new opportunities to more comprehensively understand the largely unknown ocean,” said retired Navy Rear Adm. Tim Gallaudet, assistant secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and deputy NOAA administrator. “To take advantage of this, NOAA is building and strengthening partnerships such as the one with Schmidt Ocean Institute, which could help accelerate our mission to explore, characterize and map the United States Exclusive Economic Zone, promote marine protection, and unlock the potential of valuable resources to power the American Blue Economy.”

Schmidt Ocean Institute was established in 2009 as a philanthropically funded nonprofit by Eric and Wendy Schmidt to advance oceanographic research through the development of innovative technologies, open sharing of information and broad communication about ocean health.


Caption: NOAA's Office of Ocean Exploration and Research vessel Okeanos crew pose with Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel Falkor crew at a joint public ship tour event in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Credit: Image courtesy of NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Art Howard.)

The collaboration with NOAA could support the recent Presidential Memorandum on Ocean Mapping in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone and Shoreline and Near Shore of Alaska and the goals announced at the November 2019 White House Summit on Partnerships in Ocean Science and Technology.

About the Organizations
The Schmidt Ocean Institute was established in 2009 by Eric and Wendy Schmidt to advance oceanographic research through the development of innovative technologies, open sharing of information and broad communication about ocean health. For more information, visit www.schmidtocean.org.

The NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER) is the only federal organization dedicated to exploring the global ocean. OER works with partners to explore the ocean to make discoveries of scientific, economic, and cultural value; support innovations in exploration tools and capabilities; and encourage the next generation of ocean explorers, scientists, and engineers to pursue careers in ocean exploration and related fields. The office also actively works with partners to expand the national ocean exploration program. For more information, visit https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/.

Location: Menlo Park, CA, USA