G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation International Challenger Mission

UVI has been a partner with Rutgers University in the G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation International Challenger Mission since 2019.  These international glider missions in the Eastern Caribbean support Ocean Observing as a way to develop international science and research ties and build regional capacity.  In 2019 – 2021, glider missions were carried out in the northeast Caribbean supporting hurricane studies and climate dynamics.  In 2022-23, in partnership with the French Office of Biodiversity and the AGOS Marine Sanctuary in Martinique, gliders are collecting ocean data and passive acoustic data of marine mammal sounds.  In 2025, we will launch a mission from the USVI to collect data on a north-south trans-Caribbean section from Dominican Republic to Curacao.