[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 124 (Monday, August 3, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S6236]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  50TH ANNIVERSARY OF OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY HATFIELD MARINE SCIENCE 
                                 CENTER

 Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I am a firm believer in the power of 
higher education. It is our Nation's responsibility to honor the 
institutions that consistently provide America's youth with the skills 
necessary to make our country a better place. I am thrilled to 
recognize the achievements of Oregon State University's Hatfield Marine 
Science Center, on its 50th anniversary as a center for marine studies.
  Over the last half-century, thanks in large part to early 
collaboration with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric 
Administration, the Hatfield Center has served students from community 
college to post-doctoral candidates. In addition to providing 
educational opportunities, the Hatfield Center works closely with the 
Environmental Protection Agency to research the most pressing 
environmental issues of our generation. As climate change and 
sustainability increasingly impact our Nation's agriculture and energy 
policies, Oregonians can take comfort in knowing that OSU's Marine 
Science Center has the technology and partnerships necessary to 
spearhead State, national and global initiatives.
  It always amazes me how quickly novel ideas transform into success 
stories. Since its establishment in 1965, the Hatfield Marine Science 
Center has worked extensively with the colleges of Oregon State 
University and various State and Federal agencies to produce seawater 
systems, experimental wet labs, and other programs that have attracted 
some of the Nation's top scientific minds. It gives me great pleasure 
to say that the Hatfield Marine Science Center is home to the Coastal 
Oregon Marine Experiment Station--a program recognized internationally 
for its innovative approach to the study of marine mammals.
  I am particularly excited to witness the results of OSU's world-class 
Marine Studies Initiative. In addition to the construction of a top-
notch research and teaching facility, the Marine Studies Initiative 
will offer students the opportunity to see how marine studies 
intersects with the other elements of a liberal arts education. 
Thousands of young adults, as well as experienced professionals, will 
gain a greater appreciation for the role of business, government, and 
big data in the world of marine studies. The addition of an 
undergraduate degree program in marine studies, projected to attract 
500 students in-residence to Newport by 2025, will yield tremendous 
partnerships in the years ahead. The Federal Area Redevelopment 
Administration must be incredibly proud of the intellectual profit that 
its $960,000 investment has produced.
  The future of our planet depends upon unique and innovative 
approaches to the environmental challenges of our era. Higher education 
is an integral part of the solution. But more specifically, 
interdisciplinary programs that promote awareness of agricultural, 
energy, and oceanic issues, and that simultaneously connect the 
environment to the liberal arts, are a key to building the training 
necessary to solve imminent problems. I could not be prouder of what 
OSU's Hatfield Marine Science Center means for our State, our Nation, 
and for the world.

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