Some 75 top scholars from 44 countries will be in St. Pete next week to discuss climate change and the impacts to oceans.
The group of Fulbright Scholars will be in town from November 5-9 for the visiting scholar enrichment seminar sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
They will be joining environmental leaders at the inaugural Blue Ocean Film Festival and Conservation Summit taking place throughout downtown St. Pete that same week.
In addition to attending various climate change seminars focusing on climate change and ocean research, the delegation of scholars who are currently teaching and conducting research across the U.S. will also visit Port Tampa Bay to learn how the maritime transportation hub manages environmental issues in Florida’s largest natural estuary.
The group will also join other Fulbright alumni and volunteers to plant 8,000 Sea Oats at Fort DeSoto. Sea Oats capture sand to build dunes which act as a barrier for storms. Of course no trip to Fort DeSoto is complete without a cookout. They’ll do that too.
The group is also touring the Cousteau Center for Marine Studies at the Cantebury School of Florida as well as viewing some of the 160 film features during the Blue Ocean Film Festival. They will hear talks from some local marine science pros including Dr. Steven Murawski, Dr. David Hollander and Dr. Jacqueline Dixon. All are with the University of South Florida’s Center for Marine Sciences.
Eckerd College will host the group for a symposium on ocean advocacy.
The Fulbright program is an international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. to promote mutual understanding between Americans and scholars in other countries. It’s been awarding grants since its establishment in 1946 and has so far provided more than 360,000 scholars with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research abroad. The program currently offers 8,000 grants annually and operates in more than 155 countries.
