THE INTENT OF THIS PROJECT IS TO LEVERAGE THE EXISTING PROGRAMS AT THE PACIFIC MARINE ENERGY CENTER (PMEC) AND ACCELERATE THE TRANSITION OF MARINE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES TO MARKET THROUGH: 1) STRENGTHENING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, 2) DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC VISION AND OPERATING STRATEGY (IN COORDINATION WITH THE WATER POWER TECHNOLOGIES OFFICE (WPTO)), 3) CONDUCTING RESEARCH THAT WILL ADDRESS THE DEMONSTRATED NEEDS OF THE MARINE ENERGY INDUSTRY, AND 4) IMPROVING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL HAVE A MATERIAL IMPACT ON THE ABILITY OF THE MARINE ENERGY INDUSTRY TO CONDUCT HIGH QUALITY RESEARCH. COMPLETION OF THE TECHNICAL TASKS WILL ENABLE DOE TO ADVANCE MARINE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES TO MARKET THROUGH: - ESTABLISHING A COMPREHENSIVE MARINE ENERGY CURRICULUM IN COLLABORATION WITH ALL THE NMECS THAT STRENGTHENS KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE; BUILDING THE CURRENT AND FUTURE U.S. WORKFORCE NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE MARINE ENERGY INDUSTRY. - LEADING COLLABORATIONS ACROSS THE NMECS AND THE UNIVERSITY MARINE ENERGY RESEARCH COMMUNITY (UMERC) THROUGH CLARIFYING PMEC’S UNIQUE EXPERTISE WITHIN THE NMECS AND DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC VISION AND OPERATING STRATEGY. - RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT THAT SUPPORTS CURRENT AND FUTURE INDUSTRY NEEDS. - IMPROVING INFRASTRUCTURE TO MEET THE TESTING NEEDS OF MARINE ENERGY DEVELOPERS.