WHOI Sea Grant Director Helps Bridge the Mass. Blue Economy to Cabo Verde

This October, WHOI Sr. Scientist Matt Charette was among more than a dozen scientists, business leaders, entrepreneurs, NGOs, and academics to participate in a recent U.S. State Department a Partnership Opportunity Delegation  visit to Cabo Verde. The visit sought to create and deepen partnerships between the island nation and the U.S. in marine and climate research, renewable energy, transportation and eco-tourism, and information technology.

During the visit to Cabo Verde, Charette explored opportunities for partnerships in oceanographic research and education while meeting with marine science researchers and the leaders of environmental organizations and touring loggerhead turtle research locations and alternative energy farms among other facilities.

As director of the WHOI Sea Grant program, Charette has worked to cultivate ties with Massachusetts’s Cabo Verdean population and the coastal ocean issues experienced in both locations.

“We can strengthen our connection with the Cabo Verdean community through cooperative oceanographic research in and around the archipelago and by developing opportunities for Cabo Verdean students and researchers to come to WHOI for training in various aspects of ocean science and engineering,” said Charette.