UPC has conferred an honorary doctoral degree on the oceanographer Sylvia A. Earle
The rector Daniel Crespo and Sylvia A. Earle, during the ceremony to confer the honorary doctoral degree
The ceremony to confer an honorary doctoral degree on marine biologist and oceanographer Sylvia A. Earle has taken place in Vilanova i la Geltrú on 28 October. Researcher Michel André, the director of the University’s Laboratory of Applied Bioacoustics (LAB), has conducted the ceremony, which has been broadcasted live on the UPC’s YouTube channel.
Oct 28, 2022
On 28 October, the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC) has hold a ceremony at the Teatre Principal, in Vilanova i la Geltrú, to confer an honorary doctoral degree on American marine biologist Sylvia A. Earle, in recognition of her lifelong commitment to exploring the seabed and studying ocean conservation.
“No ocean, no life. No blue, no green. No ocean, no us,” warns the oceanographer and researcher in the face of human devastation of the oceans. Earle received the Princess of Asturias Award for Concord in 2018 and is an outstanding international figure in science. In 2009 she founded the non-profit organisation Mission Blue to establish an international coalition that would set up a global network of hope spots, marine protected areas that bring hope for a more sustainable future for the planet.
“No water, no life. No blue, no green. No ocean, no us”
Oceanographer, researcher, manager and professor, in 2018 Earle received the Princess of Asturias Award and in 2009 she founded the non-profit organisation Mission Blue to establish an international coalition that would set up a global network of hope spots, marine protected areas that bring hope for a more sustainable future for the planet.
She has produced numerous documentaries for the National Geographic Society, which made her explorer-in-residence in 1998. That same year Time magazine named her Hero of the Planet. Her research focuses on marine ecosystems, especially exploration, conservation and new technologies to access the deep sea and other remote environments to carry out scientific activities such as mapping, photographing, exploring and diagnosing the state of the sea and thus protect the declining biodiversity.
This task is shared by several research groups and laboratories at the Vilanova i la Geltrú School of Engineering (EPSEVG), which promoted the award to Earle in recognition of her unmatched work to protect the oceans. The proposal was approved by the UPC’s Governing Council on 24 May after concluding that the oceanographer’s philosophy and activities are aligned with the University’s core values.
One of these values is fighting for sustainability and ocean health preservation to protect the health of people and the planet. This award is thus an appeal to raise public awareness of this necessary and urgent fight.
The proposal to confer an honorary doctoral degree on Sylvia A. Earle was promoted by several administrations, organisations and (UPC and non-UPC) university research centres and groups.
Professor Michel André, the director of the Laboratory of Applied Bioacoustics (LAB), has conducted the ceremony and has delivered the oration in praise of Earle. The event has been attended by the rector of the University, Daniel Crespo.
It has been broadcasted live on YouTube.
Biography
Born in New Jersey (US) in 1935, Sylvia A. Earle is a graduate of Florida State University, with a master’s degree and a doctoral degree from Duke University and 32 honorary degrees.
She has authored more than 225 scientific, technical and dissemination publications, including 14 books. She has lectured in more than 100 countries and appeared in hundreds of radio, television and film productions.
In the field of oceanography, she was the chief scientist of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and is the chair of the Advisory Council of the Harte Research Institute and of the Advisory Council for the Ocean in Google Earth.
Apart from her scientific activity, Earle has played a prominent role as an explorer and activist for the protection of the oceans, which has earned her international recognition in the scientific world but also in the media. She has been called Her Deepness by The New Yorker and the New York Times, Living Legend by the US Library of Congress and Hero of the Planet by Time magazine.
In 2009 she won a TED Prize and used the financial support to create the Mission Blue/Sylvia Earle Alliance foundation, which aims to inspire action to explore and protect the ocean. Mission Blue is uniting a global coalition to support a worldwide network of marine protected areas that backs the 30x30 movement, which aims to protect 30% of seawaters by 2030. From this foundation, Earle leads an intense global awareness campaign through documentaries, social media and other media. The Mission Blue alliance has managed to bring together more than 200 partners, from large corporations to individual scientific teams.
In addition to being the president and founder of Mission Blue, as an activist she is also the founder of Deep Ocean Exploration and Research, Inc. (DOER) and Ocean Elders, through which she also promotes actions for protecting the oceans in different environments.
As an explorer, she has worked for the National Geographic Society, with which she currently collaborates. She has led more than 100 expeditions and logged more than 7,500 hours underwater, including leading the first team of female aquanauts during the Tektite project in 1970. She has led the NGS Sustainable Seas Expeditions and has been the subject of several documentaries, including the 2014 Emmy Award-winning Netflix documentary Mission Blue. She is also a Rolex Testimonee.
