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University of Rhode Island’s "Plastics: Land to Sea Summit"
OCTOBER 7, 2019 — On September 30, NOAA Marine Debris Program’s (MDP) Northeast regional coordinator, Demi Fox, along with Kara Lavender Law, research professor of oceanography at Sea Education Association, and Stewart Harris, director of marine and environmental stewardship for the Plastics Division at American Chemistry Council, joined a panel at the University of Rhode Island’s first ever Plastics: Land to Sea Summit.
The Plastics: Land to Sea Summit aimed to engage professors and partners in directing the University’s emerging research initiative to address plastics. As members of the panel, the three speakers provided NOAA, academia, and industry perspectives, respectively, on questions regarding the collaboration necessary to advance science and action concerning plastics.
In the coming months, the university will assemble an action plan, in which all summit participants will participate. MDP regularly partners with universities through grant-funded research projects and Regional Action Plans. Universities have the resources to help us understand the data gaps in marine debris impacts. They also have a direct audience with the students who will become the next generation tasked with finding solutions. MDP is proud to be a part of the University of Rhode Island’s new initiative and looks forward to the work to come.
For additional information, please contact Demi.Fox@noaa.gov.