Before Dr. Eugenie Clark earned world renown as the founding “Shark Lady” of Mote Marine Laboratory, she studied fishes in the

Dr. Eugenie Clark works with Dr. Avi Baranes on Eilat Beach during her past research in the Red Sea. Now Dr. Clark is planning a return trip to the Red Sea with Mote President and CEO Dr. Michael P. Crosby to celebrate Clark’s 92nd birthday. Mote is offering the public a chance to book a spot on this special trip.

Red Sea — where vibrant coral reefs entice divers from around the world and where Mote science is unfolding in exciting new ways today.

Now Dr. Clark is returning to the Red Sea to celebrate her 92nd birthday, and you can join her. Spots on this unique trip are being claimed fast. RSVP by Friday, Feb. 28 to ensure your spot.

  • From April 29-May 6, travel to Israel and Jordan to dive reefs with more than 2,500 species of marine life, discover stunning landscapes and local culture at some of Earth’s most historic places and learn from Mote leaders and their international colleagues about how they are working together today to advance marine science. (Trip details below)

“This journey will be one of a kind,” said Mote’s President and CEO, Dr. Michael P. Crosby, who will escort trip participants and share his personal history and Mote’s ongoing projects in the region. “Israel, Jordan and the Red Sea are not only some of the most significant places in human history — they are a modern hub of marine research, conservation and science-based diplomacy, and they are places near and dear both to me and to Dr. Clark.”

Dr. Crosby has worked closely with top Israeli and Jordanian researchers since 1994. He led Israeli and Jordanian partners in the Red Sea Marine Peace Park Cooperative Research, Monitoring and Management Program — an effort to protect coral reefs that support thousands of species in the Gulf of Aqaba. He is also a former chairman of the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation Board of Governors and has served on the Board since he was appointed by the U.S. State Department in 2002.

 


n 2011, Mote expanded its international efforts with the formal creation of the Mote-Israel Cooperative Marine Research Program. This program is designed to support research initiatives that benefit the environments of both nations, fund travel between the U.S. and Israel for researchers and support postdoctoral research scientists. The Program is also a key component of the Center for International Marine Science Diplomacy, which is being proposed by Mote. As an independent, nonprofit organization, Mote is uniquely poised to create this Center as a catalyst for improving international relations through cooperative marine science action plans that address core environmental issues that cut across political boundaries.

This journey will allow participants to join Mote in becoming a conduit for international collaborations that will serve as a new model for ocean conservation worldwide.

For more information about the trip, and for a detailed itinerary, please contact Becky Wilson at 941-388-4441, ext. 348, or bwilson@mote.org.

Trip Details:

  • Dates: April 29-May 6, 2014
    • To ensure your spot, RSVP by Friday, Feb. 28.
  • Cost per person: $5,295 per person covers deluxe accommodations, meals and gratuities from April 29-May 5, land-based travel and excursions and other related expenses. Cost is based on double occupancy and an expected group of 20 participants. Single occupancy will require a $1,200 supplement. Cost per person will vary if there are fewer than 20 participants. International airfare must be arranged separately by the guest and is estimated at $5,000 for business class.
  • For a detailed itinerary and information on how to book your trip, contact: Becky Wilson at 941-388-4441, ext. 348, or bwilson@mote.org
  • Highlights:
    • Visit Jordan and Israel on the coast of the Gulf of Aqaba and learn about the history of Dr. Clark’s and Dr. Crosby’s research in this region, along with Mote’s latest efforts in research and marine science diplomacy.
    • Dive or snorkel (optional) in the Gulf of Aqaba with Drs. Crosby and Clark. Snorkeling trips include the Japanese Gardens, one of the most beautiful coral reefs on Earth.
    • Tour the Inter-University Institute for Marine Sciences (IUI) in Eilat, Israel — including facilities where Mote scientists have partnered with local scientists to advance research on ocean acidification, a global threat to coral reefs. Tour the University of Jordan Marine Science Station in Aqaba.
      • Special news: During the trip, Mote and IUI leaders will sign a memorandum of understanding to seek new support for scientific faculty, postdoctoral and graduate students to travel between Israel and Mote. The MOU is also designed to support new research initiatives in ocean acidification, ecology of coral reefs, sharks and butterflyfish, marine biomedicine and many other key subjects shared by these two world-class organizations.
    • Tour of the historical and archeological city of Petra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where a vast city was carved into the sheer rock face more than 2,000 years ago.
    • Cultural engagements including a Bedouin experience, sunset dinner at Wadi Rum, Jordan’s largest desert, and a visit with the collective community at Yotvata Kibbutz.
    • Celebrate with Dr. Clark during a special dinner for her 92nd birthday.