Mission
Aquarius
Scientists accelerate marine research with world’s only undersea research lab
T
he oceans are one of the greatest mysteries on Earth. A human body is simply not designed to live and work underwater. It is a challenge faced by every scientist who has ever sought answers to what lies beneath the surface of our oceans. There was a time when underwater research habitats populated key regions of the oceans, particularly along coral reefs. But decades of budget cuts and shifting priorities saw these science facilities plucked from the water one at a time. Today, only Aquarius remains. Off the coast of Key Largo, Fla. and 60 feet below the ocean’s surface along Conch Reef resides the FIU Aquarius Reef Base, the centerpiece of the College of Arts, Science & Education’s Medina Aquarius Program. Coral reefs have the highest biological diversity of any ecosystem on the planet, but they are struggling to adapt to disturbances caused by people and climate change. In partnership with the Coral Restoration Foundation, FIU researchers recently established the world’s deepest coral nursery, a feat made possible by Aquarius. The team is trying to determine if corals from deep waters, which largely appear to be healthy, can be used to help repopulate imperiled shallow water reefs. Other research teams use Aquarius as a base of operations to study predators and their prey, ocean acidification, coral disease and other mysteries and problems of the marine world. The science teams hail from FIU and institutions all across the world. The research conducted at Aquarius is being done at a critical time. Throughout the years, Aquarius has hosted 130 missions resulting in more than 800 scientific research papers. Last year, Aquarius hosted members from the U.S. Navy, NASA and FIU for five training and research missions. The Teaching Under the Sea Program welcomed Roy Bartnick, a fifth grade teacher from Oklahoma as an aquanaut in FIU’s research mission studying the impacts of sharks on coral reefs. Bartnick worked as a science translation specialist and conducted virtual field trips. Throughout 2016, Aquarius engaged nearly 2,400 schoolchildren across the world with live programming via video conferencing. Research from Aquarius has helped shape some of today’s conservation policies for oceans. But the work at Aquarius must continue because threats to our oceans continue. We are at a critical time in history to understand, restore and protect the world’s marine environments. FIU is dedicated to maintaining the operations and research capabilities of the world’s only underwater research laboratory.
FIU’s Marine Education and Research Initiative provides higher education, scientific research, K-12 educational outreach and community engagement programming. At its heart is the Medina Aquarius Program where scientists are pushing the capabilities of what can be achieved underwater and putting students at the forefront of marine research, while inspiring the next generation of scientists and explorers. To learn how you can support these efforts, contact givetocase@fiu.edu | 305-348-4349.