BOSTON – Senators John Kerry and Edward Kennedy today, along with Congressman Michael Capuano, announced that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology would receive $2,046,000 in federal funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The funding will awarded to the school’s Sea Grant College program, which supports research, education and outreach to address the critical problems arising from human uses of the sea. The research focus will be on developing the scientific and technological systems that can provide the marine community with ever-increasing accuracy. It will also focus on exploration, data-gathering and analysis.

“For decades, the Sea Grant program at M.I.T. has been on the cutting edge of critical issues impacting Massachusetts’ coastal waters. The innovative research and technology efforts between Sea Grant and M.I.T. have helped coastal states across the nation on everything from fisheries, aquaculture and ecosystems to our ever-changing coastline,” said John Kerry.

“M.I.T. continues to be a strong leader in the essential field of marine research and preservation,” said Senator Kennedy. “Protecting our coastline is vital for the future of our Commonwealth, and The Sea Grant Program deserves great credit for using the best in modern research and technology to this essential mission.”

“This funding will allow MIT’s Sea Grant program to conduct additional research concerning the impact of human activity on the world’s oceans. The Sea Grant program will deepen our understanding and support educational programs. I am confident it will help us better protect one of our most valuable natural resources,” stated Congressman Mike Capuano.

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