The second cohort of Blue Charter Fellows have been selected to travel to ACU member universities and institutions across the Commonwealth to carry out research into marine plastic pollution.
Supporting multilateral academic mobility, the selected fellows will be undertaking a truly diverse array of research projects, including:
A full list of the successful fellows and their research projects will be published later in the year.
Fellows were selected following a rigorous selection process, overseen by a panel of experts from across the Commonwealth – highlighting the collaborative approach of this programme.
The ACU would like to thank the selection panel for their contributions:
Tor Harris, Head of CSR, Health & Agriculture, Waitrose & Partners, said: “The Blue Charter Fellowships are so valuable in identifying sustainable solutions for the future and we're delighted to support such an interesting range of projects to research and tackle plastic pollution."
Dr Joanna Newman, ACU Chief Executive and Secretary General, said: "We are so proud to have the opportunity to launch a second cohort of Blue Charter Fellows, a group of outstanding researchers from universities across the Commonwealth. The Blue Charter Fellowships support a vast range of vital research into marine plastics, an essential component of reversing the damage done to our oceans. The research demonstrates the critical role that higher education plays in contributing to a sustainable future. We look forward to showcasing the results that will make a difference in tackling one of the most pressing global issues of our time."
Last year’s Blue Charter Fellowships covered a diverse range of research topics and saw the development of new partnerships in the search for solutions to marine plastic pollution. For example:
More information
ACU Blue Charter Fellowships are funded through the Commonwealth Marine Plastics Research and Innovation Framework – this expansion to the programme is directly funded by the contribution Waitrose & Partners made to the framework.
This programme helps fulfil the aims of the Commonwealth Marine Plastics Research and Innovation Framework and supports the work of the Commonwealth Blue Charter, by harnessing the collective knowledge and expertise of ACU member universities and supporting world-class research and innovation into marine plastics pollution.
For all further enquiries, please email [email protected]