MIT Sea Grant Marine Industry Collegium

Objectives:The MIT Sea Grant Program has recognized through a series of Collegium workshops the unique measurement needs presented by the marine environment. Workshops and symposia have focused on state of the art sensors and measurement techniques for physical, chemical, and biological parameters in ocean waters, often from the viewpoint of autonomous remote platforms (e.g. the AUV). Accuracy, temporal and spatial resolution, energy efficiency, and corrosion resistance and anti-fouling qualities continue to represent the criteria for evaluating existing and emerging instrumentation techniques.Methodology:Strong co-sponsorship allows the Collegium to attract recognized leaders in their respective fields of research. This has expanded the choice of speakers from not only US institutions but international institutions as well. The Collegium continues to rely heavily upon industry to give presentations at these workshops and symposiums. This contributes to a more well rounded program that explores both the theoretical and the practical aspects of a given topic. Industries’ active involvement, via presentations, also ensures that their needs are communicated to academic researchers and thereby ensures that academic research is not conducted in a vacuum.The increased number and diversification of attendees as well as the growth in non-member participation is attributable to an increase in co-sponsorship, the success in attracting more significant speakers, the choice of topics, and an effort to more widely publicize these events and open them up to non-members.Future Collegium event topics will continue to meet the current informational need of its members, exploring the potential opportunities for collaboration between academia and industry, and ultimately contributing to the advancement of marine science and engineering. Future events will also concentrate on identifying specific needs within various markets , which Collegium members may be able to capitalize upon. Where possible, the Collegium will work with other Sea Grant programs in the development of workshops and symposiums.No single approach is ideal for planning and putting on Collegium events to meet the many and often widely diverse needs of its members. Therefore, the Collegium will continue to develop new and innovative methods to ensure that the Collegium remains true to its goal of maximizing the process of knowledge transfer throughout the marine industrial community.Rationale:The benefits of fresh and effective promotional material will be of benefit in two areas: the obvious positive impact on how the Collegium is presenting to an expanding constituency will serve to improve the quality of its membership as well as provide for fresh ideas for the MIT Sea Grant Program in total; a second benefit from the generation of new promotional material is the more efficient use of limited staff managing the Collegium. Timely reports prepared by the Collegium will provide a vehicle to promote the strategic direction and tactical plan of NOAA, the National Sea Grant College Program and research funded directly by our Sea Grant Program. It will also serve as an important tool for both our commercial partners as well as the public sector membership to recruit uniquely prepared talent.