Florida A&M University (FAMU) President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., has been named to two national panels that address key environmental issues in the oceans, coastal areas, Great Lakes and Gulf Coast.
President Robinson was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council to become a member of the Gulf Research Program’s (GRP) Division Committee.
The GRP is a more than $500 million program stemming from the BP oil spill settlement managed by the National Academy of Sciences to develop innovative solutions to energy and associated human and ecological issues in the Gulf of Mexico. The 15-member Gulf Research Program Division Committee provides intellectual and strategic leadership to the Gulf Research Program and its staff.
Members are charged with implementing the Gulf Research Program’s strategic vision and helping the program fulfill its mission and long-term goals. They play critical roles in identifying opportunities that will advance program initiatives, conceptualizing and designing program activities, assisting with program outreach, and evaluating program impact.
“The BP oil spill reminded us of the vulnerability of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystems and the people and communities that depend upon them,” Robinson. “It’s a privilege to be asked to play a role in helping to create a viable future for the region we call home.”
In January, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce invited Robinson to serve a four-year term as a Sea Grant Advisory Board member.
Established by Congress in 1976, the National Sea Grant Advisory Board is the National Sea Grant College Program’s Federal Advisory Committee (FAC). The Board advises the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Sea Grant College Program on strategies to address the nation’s highest priorities in terms of the understanding, assessment, development, management utilization and conservation of ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources.
This important Board serves to ensure that the National Sea Grant Network, which represents about 300 universities and research institutions, continues to work toward a better understanding, development, and conservation of the nation’s ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources.
“The health of our Great Lakes, oceans, coastal and marine ecosystems and the people served by them is critical to the sustainability of the American way of life,” Robinson said. “I am honored to be invited to participate in this important work.”
