RESEARCH AT MOTE MARINE LABORATORY
International Marine Science Diplomacy INTERNATIONAL ROOTS Mote Marine Laboratory’s scientific research has a long standing history of international reach and impact. In the late 1950’s Mote co-founder Dr. Genie Clark received a prestigious collaborative grant to bring the shark research methods she developed at Mote to the Middle East. Since Dr. Clark made that first trip to the Red Sea, Mote has experienced tremendous growth both locally and internationally. Today, 19 of Mote’s scientists are working on 136 projects that take them all over the world in pursuit of science-based marine conservation programs. Mote also has in place a dozen formal partnership agreements with collaborating organizations, that allow us to bring key stakeholders together on the international stage.
A GLOBAL VISION — MOTE INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR MARINE SCIENCE DIPLOMACY The core of Mote’s 2020 Vision & Strategic Plan is to significantly expand the institution’s world-class marine science research and deliver responsible public service to local, regional, national and
WORLDWIDE RESEARCH Mote scientists currently conduct research on each of the world’s seven continents.
international communities. As an internationally recognized and trusted leader in marine science, Mote is able to bring key stakeholders together for the purpose of developing innovative solutions to the most pressing environmental issues, while also easing tensions on the international world stage through cooperative marine science programs. To this end, Mote seeks to employ marine science partnerships as a vehicle for doing much more than just “good science,” by establishing an International Center for Marine Science Diplomacy. As an independent organization, Mote is uniquely positioned to serve as a catalyst for improving international relations through cooperative marine science action while providing nations with competing interests a forum in which to build international partnerships, improve trans-boundary relationships and facilitate goodwill between peoples of differing cultures.
Gretchen Lovewell, MS
Carlos Yanes-Roca, Ph.D.
Ken Leber, Ph.D.
Manager, Stranding Investigations Program
Postdoctoral Scientist
Associate Vice President for Research, Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture
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Alaska l l Canada l
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Nick Whitney, Ph.D. Manager, Behavioral Ecology and Physiology Program
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l Tunisia l Morocco l l l l l l l Mexico Bahamas l l l
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l l l Cuba l Dominican Republic l l Costa Rica
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Puerto Rico l Virgin Islands l Guadeloupe l
Panama l l Colombia l
Brazil l l l
Erinn Muller, Ph.D. Staff Scientist
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Argentina l
Nicole Rhody, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Scientist
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Dave Vaughan, Ph.D.
Kevan Main, Ph.D.
Randy Wells, Ph.D.
Manager, Coral Reef Restoration Program
Manager, Marine and Freshwater Aquaculture Research Program
Manager, Sarasota Dolphin Research Program
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Dana Wetzel, Ph.D.
Bob Hueter, Ph.D.
John Reynolds, Ph.D.
Manager, Environmental Laboratory of Forensics
Associate Vice President for Research, Directorate of Marine Biology and Conservation
Director, International Consortium for Marine Conservation
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Genie Clark, Ph.D. Director Emerita
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Jordan l l l l Israel l l l l Egypt l
Oman l Saudi Arabia l l United Arab Emirates l l l
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Vietnam l l
Emily Hall, Ph.D. Manager, Ocean Acidification Program
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Mozambique l
Australia l
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Vince Lovko, Ph.D.
Ernie Estevez, Ph.D.
Michael P. Crosby, Ph.D.
Manager, Phytoplankton Ecology Program
Senior Scientist Emeritus
President & CEO
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The Mote International Center for Marine Science Diplomacy will be a conduit for international research partnerships, sharing best practices for sciencebased marine conservation and sustainable-use and establishing positive working relationships between the next generation of scientists around the world. The following international marine science partnerships serve as examples of the groundbreaking models that Mote seeks to expand upon.
THE RED SEA MARINE PEACE PARK COOPERATIVE RESEARCH, MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (RSMPP) The RSMPP was a joint undertaking between the government of Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan that fostered trans-boundary cooperation leading to greater conservation and sustainable use of the outstanding coral reef ecosystems. Mote CEO, Dr. Michael Crosby, was instrumental in brokering the 1995 agreement between the two nations and served as director of this novel multi-year transboundary program.
TRI-NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP The U.S., Mexico and Cuba share the Gulf of Mexico and the challenges of marine conservation and sustainable use of these shared resources. It is the goal of the tri-national partnership to conduct joint research and monitoring of key species and threats to the gulf ’s biodiversity and critical habitats, and to develop an integrated science -based management system. Mote scientists have built relationships with marine researchers in Mexico and Cuba that have served as a foundation for multi-national policy that promotes conservation and sustainable use of our shared gulf resources.
the Gulf of Aqaba Research Consortium (GoARC), a program that would enhance the capacity of countries bordering the Gulf of Aqaba (Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia) to conduct marine science and support partnership efforts promoting sustainable use and conservation of marine resources. Mote currently has partnership agreements with Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, and is working on establishing a similar formal partnership agreement with Egypt. GoARC would be implemented through trans-boundary partnerships of the Gulf of Aqaba nations, facilitated through Mote.
UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITY Mote Marine Laboratory is one of the only marine research facilities around the world focusing on international marine science diplomacy. The success of Mote’s International Center for Marine Science Diplomacy will create a paradigm shift—forever altering the way marine science is conducted around the world. In order to ensure the success of the International Center for Marine Science Diplomacy, Mote must secure the funding needed to support scientists’ salaries and travel costs. This funding will allow Mote scientists to establish and execute international cooperative partnerships with some of the most prestigious marine research institutions around the world—thus elevating marine conservation and strengthening international relations.
THE GULF OF AQABA RESEARCH CONSORTIUM (GOARC) Looking to the future, Mote has proposed an exciting new marine science partnership in the Middle East that would see our partners in the region establish
MOTE MARINE LABORATORY
In 1949, Mote Founding Director EUGENIE CLARK, PH.D. spent time collecting specimens for the American Museum of Natural History from Fais Island in the Pacific Ocean. Here, she enjoys a conversation outside the island chieftan’s abai.
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