RWU and Atlantic Shark Institute Partner on Shark Research and Internships
Collaborative research projects and internships to connect RWU students with ASI’s leading shark research initiatives
Roger Williams University (RWU), a leader in marine science, and the Atlantic Shark Institute (ASI), the region’s premier shark research organization, announce a partnership to collaborate on research projects and student internships focused on sharks in the Ocean State and the broader region.
The partnership combines ASI’s extensive shark research expertise with RWU’s renowned Marine Biology program to enhance academic programming, research initiatives, and hands-on learning opportunities, preparing graduates for successful careers as shark biologists and researchers.
“Through this partnership with the Atlantic Shark Institute, our students will gain invaluable practical experience by using cutting-edge research techniques to deepen our understanding of shark biology,” said David Taylor, Professor of Biology at RWU and fish ecologist, who will serve as faculty director of the RWU-ASI partnership. “This collaboration between Roger Williams University and the Atlantic Shark Institute will leverage the expertise of both institutions to strengthen shark research and conservation efforts in the Atlantic region, while preparing students to become leaders in this field.”
“Roger Williams University has been a leader in the marine biology field for a long time, the staff is top notch, and their students leave well prepared for careers in marine science. We couldn’t imagine a better undergraduate partner for the ASI and all of our supporters,” said Jon
Dodd, Executive Director of the ASI. “RWU offers a unique curriculum that includes theory, skill development, and practice as a key driver, making sure their students are well prepared for all aspects of their chosen careers, and we love that curriculum and preparedness.”
Through the RWU-ASI partnership, students can earn academic credit while engaging in collaborative shark research projects and internships with the Atlantic Shark Institute. The institutions will work together to develop new shark research initiatives and engage RWU faculty and students in ASI’s ongoing projects, such as analysis of BRUVs (Baited Remote Underwater Video System), the Acoustic Array detection system, and the coastal tagging study of shortfin mako, common thresher, blue sharks, and more. In addition, ASI’s shark datasets will be integrated into several RWU courses, including BIO 379: Shark Biology and Conservation and BIO 332: Fisheries Science.
ASI will begin hosting the first internships this summer through the new RWU Blue Fellows program, an initiative of the university’s newly developing Blue Solutions Institute.
This partnership coincides with the 50th anniversary of RWU’s prestigious Marine Biology program, which provides students with real-world research opportunities with faculty and internships at leading scientific institutions, starting in their first year. RWU’s Marine Biology program operates as a marine science station, with a marine biology wet lab utilizing flowing seawater from Mount Hope Bay, a saltwater learning platform, a shellfish hatchery, a research vessel, and the state’s only Aquatic Diagnostic Laboratory. Graduates hold careers in premier scientific institutions and organizations such as the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, the Smithsonian Institution, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and work on research, conservation, and aquaculture development of sharks, corals, tropical fish, marine mammals, and shellfish.
About RWU: Roger Williams University is a comprehensive university with a liberal arts core and professional programs, with campuses on the coast of Bristol and in the state capital of Providence, Rhode Island. Across eight schools of study, we provide real-world learning focused on social and environmental justice, small classes, and direct access to faculty and staff. Our students create powerful combinations of degrees, credentials, research and internship opportunities, study-abroad programs, and involvement in clubs, student organizations, and athletics. Our Northeast location facilitates a strategic network between New York and Boston for community-engaged research and career opportunities for our students and alumni. Graduating with a unique skill set and the passion to make an impact in their careers, our students become the changemakers and leaders our world needs next.
About ASI: The ASI is a federally registered 501(c)(3) with more than 50 volunteers, a prestigious Research Advisory Board and almost 20 volunteer research vessels. They are currently engaged in a number of shark research projects, maintain a sizable acoustic array in RI and NY waters and have co-authored a number of published research papers with several others in review. They currently focus on a variety of shark species including white, blue, shortfin mako, common thresher, porbeagle, sand tiger, spinner, black tip and others. You might have also noticed that they have more than 10,000 charity shark plates on the road here in RI that all help to support their work and mission. You can learn more at www.atlanticsharkinstitute.org.
