Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service (VIMAS)

Logo for the Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service VIMAS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

 

Welcome to the Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service!

As an extension to the University of Puerto Rico's Sea Grant College Program, the Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service (VIMAS) works to promote the education and awareness of our natural resources in the Caribbean. Operating within the University of the Virgin Island's (UVI) Center for Marine and Environmental Studies (CMES), our team is able to leverage partnerships and collaborations with researchers at UVI and the local Virgin Islands government to accomplish our goals. From annual beach cleanups, marine science summer programs for youth, or the recycling of glass beverage bottles, we use innovative outreach and research tools to tackle locally relevant issues within our Virgin Islands workforce and economy. 
Howard Forbes Jr. - Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service Director
Thank you for visiting us today! Be sure to check out our on-going activities below to see how you can get involved in our many environmental-focused programs and initiatives.
Howard Forbes Jr. - Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service Director

REGISTER FOR OUR UPCOMING OCEAN EXPLORERS SUMMER PROGRAMS

Junior Ocean Explorers Summer Program Logo
St. Thomas
  • Open to youth in Grades 3 - 6
  • Session 1: June 3 - 14, 2024
  • Session 2: June 17 - 21, 2024
  • Click HERE for more details.
Youth Ocean Explorers Summer Program Logo
St. Thomas and St. Croix
  • Open to youth in Grades 7 - 12
  • July 8 - August 2, 2024
  • Click HERE for more details.

                                                                  

MARINE SCIENCE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH IN THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS 

Learn more about our programs and outreach initiatives below. 

VIMAS PROGRAMS

 
  • Junior Ocean Explorers (Grades 3-6): A two week marine science summer program that teaches youth the fundamentals of swimming, snorkeling, and Caribbean plant and animal identification. 
  • Youth Ocean Explorers (Grades 7-12): A four week marine science summer program that refines students' swimming and snorkeling skills while teaching them about ecology, highlighting STEM career pathways, providing  scuba diving training / certification and much more. 
  • Coastweeks: Beach cleanup opportunities where we document and remove coastal trash. Students can earn community service hours for their involvement in these efforts. 
  • USVI Glass Recovery Program: This pilot program recycles glass beverage bottles by pulverizing them back into sand which can be used for a multitude of applications such as filling sandbags.
  • Mangrove Restoration Project: Through this effort, we grow and plant red mangroves to help restore areas that once had mangroves.
  • Water Heroes Program: This 3-day module uses hands on lessons to teach students about water conservation, water quality testing, and water filtration.  
  • Environmental Learning Outside the Classroom: Our team of environmental educators can host engaging field trips for school groups to teach them about our vital  ecosystems, both on land and underwater.   

CONTACT US!

Our team is happy to assist you!

 

Phone  Email Social Media 
340-693-1672 howard.forbes@uvi.edu
jendahye.antoine@uvi.edu

Facebook 

Instagram 

YouTube