Global ocean exploration nonprofit OceanX recently announced a historic partnership with Spelman College to offer students an in-depth experience with ocean exploration and marine science and operations. The partnership underlines OceanX’s efforts to increase diversity in STEM education and serves to bridge existing gaps in the marine sciences by equipping Spelman students and faculty with resources and opportunities across four core areas: OceanX’s Young Explorers program, employment opportunities, research and curriculum development, and partnership building.
"Our collaboration with OceanX’s Young Explorers has opened up once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for Spelman College students to combine scientific exploration of our oceans with cutting-edge media techniques to bring discoveries back to humanity for greater understanding," said Jerry Volcy, Ph.D., Co-Director of the Spelman Innovation Lab. "This formal partnership will ensure our students benefit from the experience – both on the ship and in our classrooms – for years to come."
Through its signature Young Explorers program, OceanX selects students to embark upon an educational journey aboard OceanXplorer, its one-of-a-kind scientific research, media production, and exploration vessel, during which they learn about the convergence of captivating media and ocean exploration, research and operations. The OceanX-Spelman partnership ensures that at least one Spelman student and, space permitting, one professor, will participate in Young Explorers in 2023.
The OceanX-Spelman partnership will extend beyond academia, creating employment opportunities at OceanX for Spelman students, along with an ongoing exploration of other opportunities for collaboration.
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