Why Partner with SSI
The Sustainable Seas Institute operates at a productive intersection: a credentialed scientific team, an active research vessel working in the Eastern Caribbean, and a pipeline of undergraduate researchers from UNC Charlotte. We bring the infrastructure and the science. Partners bring resources, networks, and mission alignment that extend what we can accomplish together.
SSI's research addresses problems that matter beyond the laboratory. PFAS contamination in Caribbean waters, microplastics accumulation across the Lesser Antilles, reef biodiversity under climate stress, and island community water quality are not abstract concerns. They affect fisheries, tourism economies, public health, and the long-term viability of Caribbean ecosystems. Partnership with SSI connects your organization to that work in a tangible, credible way.
What makes SSI a productive partner
Active Field Presence
R/V Dawn operates in the Eastern Caribbean on a regular expedition schedule. We collect samples, deploy sensors, and generate data in the field. Partners engage with science that is happening now, not proposals for science that might happen.
Peer Reviewed
SSI has published peer-reviewed PFAS research from Caribbean waters. Our findings stand up to scientific scrutiny. That credibility transfers to our partners, whether they are funders, institutions, or government agencies.
Students
Through a partnership with UNC Charlotte, SSI embeds researchers in projects and expeditions. Partners who support SSI support the next generation of ocean scientists, which carries value for corporate programs and education-focused foundations.
Partnership Opportunities
SSI welcomes partnerships across four categories. These are not rigid tiers. Most of our strongest relationships combine elements from more than one category, shaped by mutual interest and capacity.
Research Partnerships
Research partners contribute to SSI's active science through co-investigation, equipment sharing, data access, or technical expertise. We are particularly interested in research partnerships with academic institutions, government agencies, and organizations with Caribbean regional presence.
What research partners bring:
- Co-investigator participation in SSI expeditions aboard R/V Dawn
- Access to laboratory facilities that complement SSI's field sampling capability
- Data sharing from complementary monitoring programs
- Student exchange and joint supervision arrangements
- Technical expertise in areas such as satellite AIS, toxicology, or ecological modeling
What research partners receive:
- Co-authorship on publications arising from shared work
- Access to SSI field data and sample archives
- Participation in SSI expedition planning and mission design
- Acknowledgment on all publications, reports, and SSI communications
Funding Partnerships
Funding partners support SSI's research portfolio and operations through grants, sponsorships, or project-specific gifts. SSI has an established 18-project research portfolio spanning PFAS contamination, microplastics, biodiversity, ocean technology, and education. Funding partners can support the full portfolio or direct resources toward specific projects aligned with their program priorities.
SSI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All gifts are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. We work with foundation program officers to align our proposals with published funding priorities and welcome early conversations before formal submissions.
Current research areas seeking funding partners:
- Caribbean PFAS distribution and source mapping
- Eastern Caribbean surface microplastics density survey
- Low-cost ocean sensor buoy network development
- Caribbean island community water quality citizen science
- Undergraduate research expedition immersion program
Education Partnerships
Education partners collaborate with SSI to extend our science into classrooms, communities, and public audiences. We currently partner with UNC Charlotte for undergraduate research integration and are actively building additional academic partnerships. We welcome relationships with K-12 institutions, community colleges, Caribbean regional universities, and science communication organizations.
Education partnership models include:
- Joint curriculum development linking ocean science to STEM education
- Student expedition sponsorship placing students aboard R/V Dawn
- Co-production of public science communication and educational media
- Guest lecture and workshop programs for partner institutions
- Citizen science program co-development for Caribbean island communities
Community and Government Partnerships
SSI's science depends on relationships with the communities whose waters we work in. We partner with Caribbean island governments, environmental agencies, fishing associations, and community organizations to ensure our research is relevant, our access is welcomed, and our findings reach the people who can act on them.
We are particularly interested in building formal partnerships with:
- Eastern Caribbean island environmental ministries and water authorities
- Fisheries associations and marine protected area management bodies
- Regional science organizations including CERMES and CIMH
- Caribbean municipal governments pursuing water quality monitoring programs
Current Partners
SSI's founding research partnership is with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where Chief Scientist Dr. Roger Tipton holds a professorship in the Mechanical Engineering Department. UNC Charlotte undergraduate researchers participate in SSI ocean contamination modeling projects using MITgcm and present findings at academic symposia. This model of integrating undergraduate talent into active field research is central to how SSI operates and how it scales.
Interested in joining our partner network?
SSI is actively building its partner base. An early conversation costs nothing and often reveals alignment that neither party had anticipated. We welcome inquiries from organizations at any stage of interest.