PROJECT OBJECTIVES: THE ATLANTIC MARINE ENERGY CENTER (AMEC) WILL ENGAGE IN ACTIVITIES TO ACCELERATE THE TRANSITION OF MARINE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES TO MARKET. ACTIVITIES PROPOSED UNDER THIS APPLICATION FALL INTO FIVE CATEGORIES: 1. MARINE ENERGY SHORT COURSE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION 2. STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION 3. R&D TO SUPPORT ADVANCEMENT OF THE MARINE ENERGY INDUSTRY 4. IMPROVEMENTS TO INFRASTRUCTURE OR TEST FACILITIES 5. COMMUNITY BENEFITS PLAN TECHNICAL SCOPE SUMMARY: FOR MARINE ENERGY SHORT COURSE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION, AMEC, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE OTHER NATIONAL MARINE ENERGY CENTERS, IS PROPOSING TO DESIGN, IMPLEMENT AND ARCHIVE A SERIES OF MARINE ENERGY SHORT COURSES. THESE WILL INCLUDE GENERAL, FOUNDATIONAL COURSES THAT INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO CONCEPTS OF MARINE ENERGY, AND MORE IN-DEPTH COURSES ON SPECIFIC MARINE ENERGY TOPICS OR ADVANCED TECHNICAL COURSES. THE MARINE ENERGY SHORT COURSES WILL FOLLOW A GENERAL TIMELINE OF: PROGRAM DESIGN AND PLANNING IN YEAR 1, IMPLEMENTATION OF MARINE ENERGY SHORT COURSES IN YEARS 2-4, AND ARCHIVING AND CONTINUATION PANNING IN YEAR 5. STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION WILL BE A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT THROUGH CONSULTATIONS WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS, PROJECT PARTNERS AND GUIDANCE FROM THE WPTO. WE WILL HOLD A STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP AND A SERIES OF CONSULTATION WORKSHOPS LED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND ASSISTED BY A STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT FACILITATOR, CULMINATING IN A STRATEGIC VISION REPORT, INCLUDING STRATEGY MAPS. FOR R&D TO SUPPORT ADVANCEMENT OF THE ME INDUSTRY, WE GROUPED THE PROPOSED RESEARCH INTO THEMES: DIGITAL TWINNING FOR TIDAL ENERGY CONVERSION, DIGITAL TWINNING FOR WAVE ENERGY CONVERSION, MARINE ENERGY STRUCTURES AND MOORINGS, MARINE ENERGY SYSTEMS, AND SOCIAL SCIENCES AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT. FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO INFRASTRUCTURE OR TEST FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT, FABRICATED EQUIPMENT, INSTRUMENTATION, AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS ARE PROPOSED THAT EITHER DIRECTLY ENABLE THE MARINE ENERGY R&D PROJECTS OR ENHANCE GENERAL CAPABILITIES TO CONDUCT RELEVANT MARINE ENERGY RESEARCH. OUR COMMUNITY BENEFITS PLAN DESCRIBES IN DETAIL HOW THE PROPOSED R&D ALIGNS AND PROMOTES DOE GOALS OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND ACCESSIBILITY, ENERGY EQUITY AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND PROVIDES SMART MILESTONES AND DELIVERABLES.