History

“A Unique Partnership….”

It all began on the deck of the research vessel, R/V Chain, on May 8, 1968 when Howard W. Johnson, President of MIT and Paul M. Fye, Director of WHOI, signed a simple Memorandum of Agreement approving “…the creation of a Joint Graduate Program in Oceanography for which there will be established appropriate graduate degrees to be conferred jointly by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.”

Today the MIT/WHOI Joint Program is considered one of the world’s most prestigious graduate degree programs in marine science, bringing together the resources of two great institutions: the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The more than 500 alumni and alumnae include many of the world’s scientific leaders in oceanography.

Beyond its primary educational function, the Program plays a vital role in the research conducted at the two partner institutions. Scientists and faculty involved in the Program recognize the need to prepare future research scholars and educators to advance our knowledge of the world’s oceans and to communicate these advances to the general public. “Communicating Ocean Sciences” for example, trains graduate students in active educational techniques that prepare them to teach high-level courses, while also giving them the tools to explain ocean science in a meaningful way to local fourth graders.

The guiding principle for this unique venture between a leading academic university and an independent oceanographic research and educational institution has been to provide the highest quality graduate education for each student. Currently Joint Program students are engaged in a broad range of research activities, such as investigating gases that influence the earth’s climate, measuring the carbon level of seawater, examining seafloor spreading of deep ocean ridges, the effect of stress on whales, and detecting harmful bacteria on beaches. Everyone is invited to get their feet wet on an introductory summer cruise which teaches students how to rig a sail, spot marine mammals, navigate in the open ocean, and deploy marine equipment.

2008 celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Joint Program's founding.