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Virginia Wesleyan and Virginia Aquarium Announce Partnership with New Research Vessel

(Virginia Beach, VA) – Virginia Wesleyan College and the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center announced a unique partnership with the building of a new research vessel Friday, April 1 at a special ceremony in recognition of the American Zoo & Aquarium Association (AZA) “Wonders of Water” national awareness campaign. This collaboration will allow VWC students to be on the forefront of further research and conservation of Virginia’s waters and the marine animals that make it their home.

A rendering of the VWC and Virginia Aquarium scheduled to be built in the coming year.Officials from both organizations unveiled a rendering of a 42-foot research and education vessel that will be used by a variety of faculty and students in the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at VWC and the Virginia Aquarium Stranding Team. The vessel will enhance Aquarium operations and activities, including collections, stranding response, research, release of rehabilitated animals and educational programming.

At least seven VWC classes will use the research vessel for field trips including oceanography, marine biology, ecology, environmental chemistry, and environmental geology.  “What better classroom could you have than the Chesapeake Bay?” said VWC Assistant Professor Ocean and Atmospheric Science Elizabeth Malcolm, Ph.D. “Students will be collecting marine organisms, sediment and water samples themselves with research quality equipment giving them invaluable hands-on experience. We also plan to use the vessel to expand research opportunities available to students who work independently with a faculty mentor. And we hope to begin new scientific collaborations between the college and the Aquarium. By joining these research efforts, our students can help to solve real problems, contributing to our knowledge of the ocean environment.”

Aquarium Director of Research and Conservation Mark Swingle said, “We are excited about our partnership with VWC and it resulting in a research vessel that will allow us to collect animals and explore parts of Virginia waters that we never could before. More importantly, this vessel represents our continued dedication and commitment to studying the precious marine life that lives off our coast and how human impact effects everyone.”

The Chesapeake Classic Boat will be custom made by Glass Boat Works Inc. of Exmore, VA. The research vessel should take six months to build. Its cost of nearly $300,000 will be equally shared by the Virginia Aquarium Foundation and Virginia Wesleyan. Special features to support the needs of the research vessel include:

  • Expansive deck space, rear controls and dive support for aquatic animal collecting.
  • Tower, observation deck and full electronics will assist with marine mammal research.
  • Galley, v-berth and chart table will allow for short-term live aboard operations in coastal waters within a 500-mile range.

During the announcement ceremony, Virginia Beach Mayor The Honorable Meyera E. Oberndorf unveiled a bright orange life ring that will be used on the vessel. In a symbolic gesture the mayor, along with Virginia Aquarium Executive Director Lynn Clements, Virginia Aquarium Foundation President Donald H. Patterson, Jr., Virginia Wesleyan President Billy Greer, Ph.D., Mr. Swingle, Dr. Malcolm and invited guests, signed the life ring.

The Virginia Aquarium is an accredited member of the AZA. The AZA “Wonders of Water” campaign encourages families to learn about and conserve water. The program aims to help people understand that from the air we breathe to the food we eat, people and animals all depend on the ocean for survival. In its 2004 final report, the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy commended public aquariums for their important role in education the public about ocean issues. April is officially designated as Zoo and Aquarium Month.

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