Participating Institutions     Institute of Geography, Baku, Azerbaijan is a leading research institute in Azerbaijan in feilds of geophysics, oceanography, climatology. Fundamental research includes the following directions: investigation of land waters interaction with the environment, including the study of reservoirs impact on the environment, regularities of the formation of the regime and resources of inland seas and river mouth areas under the conditions of human impact; estimation of the impact of changes in the hydrological regime on ecosystems of inland water bodies and ground biocenoses. The Institute participated in the elaboration and realization of many national and international programmes concerning oceanological and ecological problems in Azerbaijan.

Main area of activity: 1) Hydrology of the Caspian Sea, 2)Meteorology of the Caspian Sea 3)Problem fluctuation level of the Caspian Sea, 4)Geomorphology and dynamics coastal zone of the Caspian Sea Ecological condition and situation of the Caspian Sea

Main scientific achievements: 1. Statistical and spectral characteristics of the hydrophysical field and hydrological parameters was Investigated in the open part of the Caspian Sea. 2. The main liability distribution of contaminants was established in the Caspian Sea, the model of distribition oil pullution is developed under different hydrometeorological conditions, with take account of bottom relief and configuration of coast line. 3. The characteristics of surface waves are Investigated in other Caspian Sea, the nonstationary model of interaction atmospheric and sea is development. 4. The reason fluctuation of level of the Caspian Sea was investigated, influencing the different factors on the sea level fluctuations is determined, the long-time forecasting of a sea level as a first approximation is designed. 5. The complex hydrometeorological atlas of the Caspian Sea is drawn up. 6. Spatially and temporary distribution of contaminants in the Caspian Sea is studied. 7. For different sea levels dynamics and geomorphology of a near-shore area of the Caspian Sea is investigated. 8. The social and economic damage marked Azerbaijan from last rise of a level of the Caspian Sea is determined. 9.Ecological conditions of the Caspian Sea is studied in connection with pollution by various toxic ingredients, first of all oil hydrocarbons, harmfully exerting influence on formation of fields of drifting substances. The lists and maps of the sources of pollution concerned to the Caspian Sea have been compiled. At the same time map-schemes of the mast polluted areas were compiled. The resulted of researches found then elucidation in reports and articles. 9. Study of structure and formation of the coast of the Caspian sea. Besides the investigation of the forms of structure of coastal zone our section determined coast forming factors, their interrelations and role each of them in development of coast zone. Middle and large scale maps were compiled. The areas of coasts, where take place undesired processes, were revealed. Such as; obrasion and driftness of coast zone. Recommendations on controlling of there processes are given. (our Web-site) http://www.ab.az/en/geography/

Institute of Zoology, Baku, Azerbaijan The Department of Water Animals of the Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Sciences has been carrying out research on ecology of the Caspian Sea since 1912, covering the following topics:

-Studies on sturgeons, salmons and other fishes of the Caspian Sea. For the first time our scientists worked out the method for artificial breeding of young sturgeons, salmons and Cyprinidae (bream, vobla, shemai, zherekh) in the plant condition. There are functionate 5 sturgeon breeding, 2 salmon breeding and 4 cyprinidae-breeding farms in Azerbaijan.

-During 50 years we have been studying hydrochemical regime, phytoplankton, zooplankton, zoobenthos and ichthyofauna of the Caspian in relation to sea level fluctuation and industrial pollution.

- Our scientists also studied bacterial population, systematical structure and biology of infusorians, amphipods and Atlantic -Mediterranean invaders, and also primary production and destruction of the phytoplankton.

-Important researches were carried out on study of effect of oil and oil products and nuclides on fodder organisms and fishes of the Caspian Sea.

-Yearly ecological monitoring in the region of the marine oil deposits, where foreign companies carry out drilling works.

Total number of the scientists studying ecology of the Caspian is 45 persons.
The following books were published in Russian:


1. Biology of the modern Caspian. Baku, 1983, 155p.

2. Animal world of the Caspian Sea. Baku, 1987, 156p.

3. Caspian Sea. Sankt-Petersburg, 1987, 152p.

4. Ecology of the Caspian Sea. Baku.1994, 238 p.

5. Ecological conception of the Caspian Sea. Baku, 1997, 95p.

6. Oil and Biological resources of the Caspian Sea. Baku, 2001, 326p.

Institute of Numerical Mathematics (INM) of the Russian Academy of Sciences is a leading research institute of Russia. Fundamental problem of construction of efficient methods for solving problems in mathematical physics, mapping them into the architecture of modern computers, and designing new methods of numerical mathematics are the main directions in the Institute.

In the framework of applied problems, INM carries out the investigations aimed to construction of mathematical models of general circulation of atmosphere and ocean, models in environmental protection, immune response of the man, and applications of fundamental results in numerical mathematics to construction of efficient numerical algorithms. Synthesis of mathematical and physical investigations appears to be the main feature of the organization of research work in the Institute.

INM is a base institution for the chair of Moscow Institute for Physics and Technology (State University) � chair of mathematical modelling of physical processes.

The Institute�s staff has 27 Doctors of Science, including 5 full members and 1 corresponding member of Russian Academy of Sciences, and 30 PhDs. Administrative staff is 11 persons. Additional information about the INM can be taken from the institutes web-page: www.inm.ras.ru

Institute of Water Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences is a leading Russian scientific center in the area of scientific support for water resources management, control and protection, assessing water objects environmental condition, natural water quality control, estimating the effect of water medium on the environment and the population�s health. The basic research methods are: mathematical modeling of natural processes, developing simulation and optimization models, carrying out laboratory and field research works.

The main problems facing the Institute are the investigation of regularities of formation of land waters regime and quality, complex evaluation of water resources and development of scientific substantiation for their rational use, management and protection.

Fundamental research includes the following directions: development of the theory of water resources formation, land water quality and regime, including the investigation of processes of land hydrological cycle and its modeling; determination of regularities of the regime of surface, ground and soil waters and their interaction; estimation of the impact of climate changes and human activity on water balance elements and water resources; study of regularities in water quality formation

Theoretical and experimental studies of processes, occurring within water bodies and their impact on aquatic ecosystems, envisaging theoretical and experimental studies of hydrophysical, hydrodynamical, hydrochemical, hydrobiological and other processes in the aquatic medium; interaction between freshwater and seawater; seawater intrusion in coastal areas and dynamics of freshwater lenses in arid zones; methods of forecasting processes, occurring within water bodies and their impact on ecological conditions. Protection of land waters and complex effective use of water resources. This direction implies development of scientific basis of land water protection against exhaustion and pollution, methods and mathematical models of water resource systems development and operation; improvement of theory and methods of control and management of land waters resouuurces and regime.

The Institute participated in the elaboration and realization of many Federal programmes concerning water problems in Russia. These programmes are:

1.�Ecological safety of Russia�, part �Clean waters of Russia�.

2.�Improvement of economic situation in the Volga River basin, restoration of ecosystems and prevention of their degradation�(�Revival of the Volga River�).

3.�Solution of social, economic and ecological problems due to the rise of the Caspian Sea.

4.�Protection of the Black Sea and Azov Sea coasts against dangerous natural phenomena�.

5.�Rational use of water resources and raising the reliability of providing Moscow with water up to 2010�.

There are 40 professors and 112 doctors on the Institute staff. The Institute has several research stations in different regions of Russia and permanently arranges expeditions to explore various water problems. Director of the Institute is Viktor I. Danilov-Danilian, professor.

P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SIO) is a leading oceanographic research institute in Russia. P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (formerly of the USSR Academy of Sciences) was established on January 31, 1946, by a resolution of the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences on the basis of the Laboratory of Oceanology set up in 1941. The resolution of the Presidium defined the Institute's main functions as research into theoretical problems of oceanology, complex investigation of physical, chemical, biological and geological processes in the seas and oceans as an interrelated entirety. Together with P.P. Shirshov, the Institute's first Director, the well-known scientists like L.A. Zenkevich, V.G. Bogorov, S.V. Bruyevich, A.D. Dobrovolsky, P.L. Bezrukov, I.D. Papanin, V.B. Shtockman and others, most of them young enthusiastic researchers, took an active part in the formation of the Institute of Oceanology. In 1949, the Institute obtained its first research vessel "Vityaz" (displacement: 5710 tons) re-equipped specifically for ocean studies which became, in essence, a floating research institute. Practically all scientific activity of the Institute during the ensuing decades was based on the unique data collected by 236 expeditions of the now legendary "Vityaz". Starting with comprehensive investigations in the Far-Eastern seas, the "Vityaz" soon came out into the Pacific and the Indian oceans and completed her glorious expeditions in the Atlantic Ocean. Now the ship is at her eterna. mooring at the port of Kaliningrad as part of the World Ocean Museum. Year by year the Institute's research fleet kept growing to incorporate new large-capacity vessels "Akademik Kurchatov", "Dmitry Mendeleev", "Akademik Mstislav Keldysh", "Professor Shtockman", "Rift" and then a new "Vityaz" and the acoustic vessels "Akademik Sergei Vavilov" and "Akademik loffe" fitted up with modern research equipment, as well as small-capacity vessels. The Institute owns 5 manned underwater research vehicles - two "MIR" submersibles capable of diving to a depth of 6 km, two "PISCES" submersibles (to a depth of 2 km) and an "Argus" vehicle (to a depth of 600 m). The Institute's marine expeditions, the basis of its scientific activity, have covered almost the whole World Ocean area from the Arctic regions to Antarctica, all the oceans and most of the sea basins of the Earth. Studies in them have involved all the main fields of ocean science and have resulted in many outstanding discoveries. At the present time the Institute of Oceanology is a large scientific centre with 800 research associates and over-all staff of more than 2,000 members (crews of research vessels included). The Institute is capable of conducting theoretical and experimental research into a variety of processes and phenomena in the World Ocean. In addition to the major research centre in Moscow, the Institute has two departments - the Atlantic in Kaliningrad and the Southern near Gelendjik on the Black Sea coast, as well as a branch in St.-Petersburg. Working in close contact with the Moscow centre they carry out independent studies and serve as bases for research vessels.

The Institute has four main divisions: Physical oceanography, Marine biology, Marine geology and geophysics, and Sea technology. During the first years after the Institute had been set up its physical oceanographers focused their attention on experimental and theoretical studies of the systems of ocean currents and water mass mixing processes. Traditional physical oceanology engaged in the studies of ocean temperature, salinity, density, currents etc. was enriched by other fields of research, such as acoustics and optics of the ocean, sea turbulence, large-scale circulation, fine structure of oceanic waters, the interaction between the ocean and the atmosphere, sea waves, geophysical hydro-dynamics, satellite oceanography and so on. Studies of physical processes in the World Ocean made it possible to discover many new, formerly unknown scientific facts (for example, the Tareev Sub-surface Current) and phenomena (synoptic eddies), to explain a number of formerly unclear anomalies (in particular, El-Nino), to develop new theoretical concepts as a contribution to the world's science, as well as to collect unique hydrological databases. Complex measurements with the aid of an array of long-term moored stations ("Polygon-78") organized for the first time in the world's practice and the measurements at the Polygon stations ("Polygon-70", "POLYMODE", "Mesopolygon", "Megapolygon") revealed the existence in the ocean of synoptic-scale eddies which later were proved to be the most important element in the general circulation of the World Ocean. Important results were obtained in the studies of the intrathermocline eddies, including the Mediterranean origin eddies. Notable progress was made in the studies of fine structure of the ocean hydrophysical fields. The major parameters of the fine structure were determined, mechanisms responsible for its generation and transformation and its role in heat and salt transport in the ocean were investigated. Much was achieved in the studies of sea turbulence and matter diffusion in the ocean. Models were constructed of matter transport, intermittent turbulence, the near-bottom turbulent layer and turbulent tail off seamounts. The experiments with fluorescent dyes made it possible to formulate laws of admixture diffusion in the ocean. The Institute's oceanographers have made an essential contribution to the study of waves. Mechanisms responsible for the formation of the spatial spectrum of the surface waves and the behavior of waves, including internal ones, in variable and non-homogeneous currents were studied. The optics of the ocean embraces studies of the laws governing the distribution of light radiation in the water medium, the development of remote optical methods for exploring the ocean. In the ocean acoustics, new regularities were revealed in sound propagation in the ocean water and experiments on acoustic tomography were undertaken. Noise fields in the ocean were studied and the processes of sound propagation, scattering and attenuation were found to depend on the hydrophysical parameters of water and bottom relief. Satellite oceanography has been progressing at the Institute. In particular, satellite data of the visible and infrared bands were found to be interrelated with biological productivity of the ocean. Additional information about the SIO can be taken from the institute web-page: www.sio.rssi.ru.

SIO team under the leadership of Prof. A.G. Kostianoy is a representative team of known specialists in the field of coastal physical oceanography, in the processing and analysis of oceanographic and satellite data for studies of mesoscale structure and dynamics of the Atlantic, Indian and Arctic Oceans, Nordic, Mediterranean, Black, Caspian and Aral Seas; of physical processes in the near-surface layer of the ocean (sea); of shelf (ice-edge) � deep basin water exchange; of marine ecosystems variations. During last ten years the group was involved in the study of the Black, Aral and Caspian Seas performed in the frame of a number of national and international programs and gathered experience in the analysis of long series of satellite data and imagery. The team has a longstanding fruitful cooperation with Liege University (Bilateral Agreements between Belgium and Russia), with partners from France, Italy, Germany, USA, Turkey and Ukraine (MHI) under international programs (ISF, NSF, INTAS, INCO-Copernicus, NATO).

Caspian Sea Operational Centre of the International Ocean Institute (IOI) is one of the 16 operational centers of the International Ocean Institute, established and supported by the United Nations Deevlopment Program (UNDP). IOI-Caspian Sea is based at the Astrakhan State Technical University (ASTU), Astrakhan, Russia. The mission of IOI is to promote education, training and research to enhance the peaceful and sustainable use of ocean and coastal spaces and their resources, their management and regulation as well as the protection and conservation of the marine environment, guided by the principle of the Common Heritage of Mankind. The goals of the IOI are to: (i) enhance the ability of developing countries to develop and manage their own resources sustainably for their own benefit, to establish self-reliant development, and help with education and eradication of poverty from community to national level; (ii) enhance abilities for self-reliant development at community level, taking into account the diversity in developing as well as developed countries, including control and protection of natural resources for future generations; the eradication of poverty in coastal areas; and mitigation of and adaptation to natural hazards; (iii) enhance participation of people, in particular women, in development projects which take into account environmental issues; (iv) establish sustainable mechanisms able to tackle inter-related social, environmental and economic issues in an integrated fashion.

Implementation of the IOI programmes is being achieved through the network of IOI Operational Centres. These are established through a formal agreement with the institution hosting the centre. This is normally a university. The network is global and covers a wide spectrum of ocean affairs.

The approach by which the IOI gradually achieves its goals includes: (i) strengthening of institutions through capacity building, sharing and dissemination of information, and generating incentives and contact between local and national authorities; (ii) establishing partnerships and networks with the IOI Operational Centres, other NGOs, donors between authorities and communities; (iii) increasing awareness and understanding of the sensitivity and the importance of the Coastal Zone and the Marine environment for sustainable development, through demonstrations, training, provision of educational material and information to local NGOs, schools and authorities; (iii) encouraging self-reliant development of sustainable livelihoods by means of aquaculture, farming, value-added processing of resources, protection of water resources and application of traditional and new technology; (iii) emphasising decentralised decision making to local authorities and communities, and implementation of agreements, regulations, and development projects with the involvement of the private sector; (iv) increasing the abilities at local and national level to transfer and apply scientific (social and natural sciences) knowledge and information, from generators to users, through hands-on training, case studies, and demonstration sites; and providing incentives through linkages to other sites, and to international agreements and commitments.

The IOI�s activities include: (i) training projects, information dissemination, conferences, research and publications; training of decision-makers and professionals, mainly from Developing Countries, through short and long duration interdiscplinary courses in ocean and coastal management; (ii) development work among coastal communities with the objective of improving their livelihoods while restoring and preserving coastal ecology, risk assessment of coastal management; (iii) information dissemination to NGOs and coastal communities through the global IOI networks and the IOI Websites; publications, e.g., of Across the Ocean Newsletter; (iv) organization of the annual Pacem in maribus (Peace in the Oceans) Conference and other seminars and workshops; (v) research on a variety of ocean-related areas such as international and regional agreements and policies on oceans and the coastal zone; on regional and sub-regional co-operation and on scientific and technological approaches to sustainable management of living and nonliving marine resources; (vi) education and awareness-creation about ocean resources, marine and coastal environments, and the need to care for them; development of a global network of universities to provide through distance-learning master degree on ocean governance; (vii) technology evaluation, transfer, and evaluation of the effects thereof. The IOI provides different services which include advice, consultancy, evaluation and assessment and information exchange regarding ocean and coastal environments. More information about IOI, its activities and services can be found on the IOI website: http://www.ioinst.org.

The Caspian Fisheries Research Institute (KaspNIRKH) was established in 1988 on the base of the Caspian Fisheries Research Institute and Central Research Institute of Sturgeons. However KaspNIRKH has the right the consider 1897 as the date of its establishment- the year of the organization of the Ichthyological Laboratory - forefather of the institute. The address of the institute is the following: 1, Savushkin str., 414056, Astrakhan, Russian Federation.

KaspNIRKH is a federal state unitary enterprise. As the juridical person has its own independent balance, settlement account the other accounts in banks, round stamp with its name, mark, blanks, firm-name, trade mark.

FSUE �KaspNIRKH� has branch establishment- �Dagestan department of the Caspian fisheries research institute�.
The main tasks of KaspNIRKH are the following:

� complex study of the biological resources of the Caspian Sea and fresh-water water bodies of the basin, development of the recommendations on their mastering, conservation and rational use; improvement of the gears, methods and ways of catch, improvement of the technology of the raw materials processing from the hydrobionts;

� development of the annual and perspective forecasts of the possible catch of the commercial objects and nonfish objects and production of the trade product;

� assessment of the present state and possible changes of the hydrologo-hydrochemical regime of the Caspian Sea and rivers entering it and also the food supply of the basin;

� assessment of the state of the ecological situation under the anthropogenic impact on the ecosystem of the Caspian Sea. Development of the actions directed to the sea environment protection;

� development of the water use rate and drainage system for the fisheries enterprise and biological bases of the fish protection at the water inlets. Test of new fish protected equipments;

� creation and introduction of the intensive technologies and methods of the juveniles rearing and commercial fish of sturgeons and ordinary fish breeding based on the rational use of the water, land, raw, fuel-energy, material and labour resources, increase of the product quality;

� elaborating of the theoretical bases, methods of the management of the production processes in the water bodies of the farms of the pasture aquaculture;

� elaborating of the methodical and legal bases of the preservation of biodiversity using the methods of the cryopreserving of the genetic materials;

� economic securing of the development of the fisheries in the Volga-Caspian basin under the market economy;

� production and delivery to the enterprise of the planting and brood stock materials the samples of new technics, compoundings of the mixed fodder, preparation for the treatment of disease etc.

Applied fisheries investigations have the long-term monitoring nature. They got special nature over the recent 30 years . The complex nature of the conducted investigations allows to analyze comprehensively the changes of the biological productivity in the water body under the impact of the natural factors and human activities for the estimation of the commercial bioresources state and development of the forecast of their rational use.

Marine Hydrophysical Institute (MHI) of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine was originated in 1948 in Moscow based on the Black Sea Hydrophysical Station and Marine Hydrophysical Laboratory of the Geophysical Institute and belonged to the Academy of Sciences of USSR. MHI was delivered to the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in August 1961 and was replaced to Sevastopol in 1963. MHl Institute is the research institute with broad international activity. Physical oceanography of Tropical Atlantic in frame of international programs EQUALANT, GARP and development of oceanographic equipment were main subjects of the institute in 60-ies and beginning of 70-ies. Late 70-ies MHI took part in Soviet-French program SOVFRANCE investigating small-scale processes in North-Western Mediterranean and international program POLYMODE concentrated on investigation of mesoscale variability of the Ocean.

Beginning from the mid of 70-ies MHI is responsible for the program of the first Soviet oceanographic satellite �Kosmos-1151� which was launched in 1981. Processing of the remote sensing data of IR, visible band and microwave passive sampling of the ocean is one of the major activity of MHI. Till the beginning of 90-ies MHI was leading institute in Former Soviet Union in satellite oceanography presenting Academy of Sciences of USSR in joint with NASA Earth Science Working Group. In 1994-1998 MHI took part in NASA peer review projects �SeaWiFS� and �SIMBIOS�. In 1995-1997 carried out study of upwelling and its influence on the Black Sea ecosystem jointly with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in frame of the NASA grant.

Last decade MHI concentrated efforts on the multidisciplinary study of the Black Sea basin. The main aim of investigations is connected with the development of the Black Sea Observing System where remote sensing is considered as the key element.

Investigations are carried out in frame of NATO programs �Science for Stability� and �Science for Peace�, programs of �Scientific and Technology Center in Ukraine� sponsored by USA, EC and Canada, EC programs �INTAS� and �INCO-COPERNICUS�, USA grants of �International Science Foundation� and Civilian Research and Development Foundation. After the launch of ENVISAT MHI will collaborate with ULCO in field of comparative study of the Black Sea and North Sea ecosystems (ENVISAT AO-ID 734).

International collaboration supplements national Ukrainian projects of National Ukrainian Academy of Sciences �Satellite Oceanology�, National Space Agency of Ukraine �Zonduvanie� and Ministry on Education and Science of Ukraine �Global Observing System for the Black Sea�.

The Institute of Marine Sciences, Middle East Technical University (IMS) was established in 1975 with the dual objectives of conducting oceanographic research and providing graduate level education in marine sciences. The Institute is a part of the Middle East Technical University, which has become a major centre of education in the region since its establishment in 1956. The Institute has four main divisions:

-Physical Oceanography,

- Chemical Oceanography,

- Marine Biology and Fisheries,

- Marine Geology and Geophysics.

The Institute offers graduate level education leading to M.S. and Ph.D. degrees with options in the disciplines mentioned above. Applicants should have a B.S. degree in engineering or natural sciences, and must pass an entrance examination. Admissions take place during both the fall and spring terms. On-board training is considered a vital part of the program and active participation of students in research projects and cruises is expected. Students are generally supported by research assistantships. Since 1975, 96 students have graduated from the Institute, 74 with M.S., and the other 20 with Ph.D. degrees

The research carried out by the IMS encompasses a wide range of topics including field investigations and numerical modelling of ocean circulation, coastal ocean hydrodynamics, air-sea interactions, water mass formation and exchange between basins, dynamics of straits and their exchanges, air-sea interactions, regional atmospheric circulation modelling, long range transport of atmospheric elements and Sahara dust, ecosystem modelling, dynamics of nutrients plankton and fish populations, fish stock assessments, studies of species abundance and diversity, pollution transformations and transport, tracer materials, analyses of sub-bottom structures and geochemistry. The efficient use of remote sensing in oceanography and atmospheric sciences is a strong objective of the Institute. Major emphasis is given to long term, multi-national co-operative studies, providing basin-wide comprehensive data sets and analyses of processes in the surrounding basins. The national research activities of the IMS-METU are supported by the Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) and other local sources. International research activities are supported by collaborative research projects of the EC, NATO, NASA, IAEA. Support and technical assistance by UNESCO, UNDP, British Council has greatly facilitated capacity building and training activities of the Institute. The Institute has tried, since its beginning, to maintain sea-going equipment and laboratory instrumentation matching modern standards. The Institute operates a well-equipped research vessel, the R/V BILIM, in addition to smaller vessels. Additional Information: http://www.ims.metu.edu.tr

The Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, founded by F.G. Walton Smith, is the University of Miami's graduate school of marine and atmospheric science. Dr. Otis Brown is the Dean of the Rosenstiel School. Located on a 16-acre campus on Virginia Key in Miami, it is the only subtropical applied and basic marine and atmospheric research institute of its kind in the continental United States. The Rosenstiel School conducts a broad range of research on local, regional, national and global levels. More than 100 Ph.D. faculty members, 150 graduate students and a research support and administrative staff of 250 comprise the academic community. Close partnerships with NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory and the Southeast Fisheries Science Center, also located on Virginia Key, provide many mutually beneficial opportunities for collaboration.

Graduate degree programs leading to the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees are offered with majors in Marine Biology and Fisheries, Marine Geology and Geophysics, Meteorology and Physical Oceanography, Marine and Atmospheric Chemistry, and Applied Marine Physics. Interdisciplinary degree programs offer a Master of Arts in Marine Affairs. Six divisions host the academic program in disciplinary settings. The Rosentiel School and the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Miami jointly offer a Bachelor of Arts degree in marine affairs and Bachelor of Science degree in marine science (biology, chemistry, geology, marine science, physics and meteorology). RSMAS also plays a key role in UM's Environmental Science Program which was established to address wide-ranging global and regional environmental issues through interdisciplinary study.

Rosenstiel's research interests include satellite oceanography, with particular emphasis on remote sensing and satellite imagery, an experimental fish Hatchery, a leading global marine and atmospheric chemistry program, comprehensive oceanic and atmospheric numerical modeling activities, sedimentary geology and marine geophysics groups with considerable expertise in seismic methods, and an innovative ocean acoustics program. The school is one of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences sites for the Marine and Freshwater Biomedical Sciences Center. It also hosts a number of UM research centers, including the National Caribbean Coral Reef Research Center, the Center for Air Sea Interactions, the Center for Southern Tropical Advanced Remote Sensing, the Center for Sustainable Fisheries, the South Florida and Caribbean Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit, the Center for Marine and Environmental Analysis, etc. Rosenstiel scientists, per capita, are among the best funded scientists in the nation, receiving more than 27 million dollars a year in extramural research funding. These groups are only a part of the overall research enterprise at RSMAS. A more complete description of the various groups is available under the section research groups. Support Units. The academic and research functions of the School are supported by a number of School-wide support facilities. These units include the Business Office, Development and External Affairs, Facilities and Physical Plant, Library, Marine Department, Computing Facility, and the Shipboard Technicians Group. Additional information about the RSMAS can be taken from the institutes web-page: www.rsmas.miami.edu