The University of Hawaii at Manoa’s School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology received a $50 million gift over seven years from Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, announced the University of Hawaii at Manoa on Wednesday.
Various research projects and programs within the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology that study changes in ocean conditions, seek solutions for supporting healthy ocean ecosystems, enhance coastal resilience from storms and sea-level rise, and respond to challenges to marine life will benefit through the gift.
“This transformative gift will enable our world-class experts to accelerate conservation research for the benefit of Hawaii and the world,” stated David Lassner, UH president. He said ocean ecosystems now face unprecedented threats from human populations and behaviors.
“The clock is ticking, and we must fast-track not only our understanding of marine ecosystems and the impacts of climate change, but the actions we must take to reverse the devastation underway. There is no place on Earth better than Hawaii to do this work, and no institution better able than UH.”
Hawaii has a diverse marine life that includes many threatened and endangered species. Rapid changes in the oceans due to accelerated climate change and ocean acidification are impacting marine ecosystems and the species who call it home.
The gift will fund research on these environmental impacts, as well as research on methods to more accurately forecast future ocean conditions.
“Hawaii has one of the richest marine ecosystems in the world — and having a deeper understanding of this ecosystem is the key to preserving and protecting it,” said Mark Zuckerberg and Dr. Priscilla Chan in a statement released by UH. “We’re honored to support the University of Hawaii’s conservation efforts, including their trailblazing research on coral reef restoration, the impact of climate change on coastal waters and other areas related to the health of our oceans.”
Interim SOEST Dean Chip Fletcher added that the gift will also improve support for local students to overcome obstacles to higher education. “Through internships, mentoring, community engagement efforts and graduate research fellowships we will grow our pool of scholars, policymakers and conservationists from underrepresented communities around our state.”
The School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology at UH Manoa is a world-class research and academic institution focusing on informing solutions to global challenges. The SOEST staff works to transform the way people live by enabling a healthy public, economy and planet. The gift from the Zuckerbergs will also help fund critical efforts to inform the public, policy makers and resource managers of ocean acidification and warming vulnerabilities.