The University of Connecticut’s Northeast Underwater Research, Technology and Education Center (NURTEC) officially closed on December 31, 2017 after supporting exploration, research and education across the global ocean and large lakes of the world for 34 years. The Center was established by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Undersea Research Program (NURP) to support research projects with occupied submersibles, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and advanced wet diving technologies. In May 2013, NURTEC became a UConn Service Center providing remotely operated vehicle (ROV) services, oceanographic sampling gear, technical and at-sea support to a wide range of customers. The University will continue to provide some of these ROV services in the future.
Over its 3+ decades the Center compiled a remarkable record of scientific accomplishment, technological advancement, and operational safety along with developing unique education and outreach programs. Using the scientific results generated by this work, the Center also influenced ocean policy and management. A brief summary of the Center recognizes that it was guided both by the mandates and mission of NOAA, focused on conservation and sustainable use of ocean and large lake resources and by a spirit of innovation and exploration.
The summary of NURTEC's accomplishments can be found here.
