FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY (FAU) SUPPORT OPERATIONS AT THE NATIONAL MARINE ENERGY CENTERS (NMECS) IN AN EFFORT TO ACCELERATE THE TRANSITION OF MARINE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES TO MARKET. THESE CENTERS CAPITALIZE ON NEARBY MARINE ENERGY RESOURCES COMBINED WITH REGIONAL EXPERTISE TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO FACILITIES AND EXPERTS NEEDED BY TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPERS TO TEST AND ADVANCE MARINE ENERGY SYSTEMS. TO SUPPORT CONTINUED ACTIVITIES TO ADVANCE THE MARINE ENERGY INDUSTRY, THIS AWARD FUNDS FAU TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS AT THE SOUTHEAST NATIONAL MARINE RENEWABLE ENERGY CENTER (SNMREC). THIS PROJECT’S OBJECTIVE IS TO MAINTAIN AND ENHANCE SNMREC’S OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES. UNLIKE ISOLATED R&D PROJECTS WITH SPECIFIC OUTCOMES AND DELIVERABLES, AS NATIONAL CENTERS NMECS PROVIDE SUSTAINED LEADERSHIP IN A VARIETY OF TECHNICAL, SOCIAL, AND SCIENTIFIC AREAS, ESPECIALLY FOR THEIR NEARBY COMMUNITIES. THIS PROJECT WILL HELP TO FURTHER DEVELOP AND SUSTAIN SNMREC’S PREVIOUSLY BUILT CAPABILITIES TO ENSURE LONG TERM POSITIVE IMPACT FOR THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF MARINE ENERGY IN FOUR REQUESTED CATEGORIES: (1) COMMUNICATIONS TO CONVEY THE CAPABILITIES, VALUE AND SUCCESSES OF THE SNMREC, (2) POINT OF CONTACT, FACILITATOR, AND COORDINATOR FOR THE REGIONAL MARINE ENERGY COMMUNITY, (3) MAINTENANCE AND ACCESS TO INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES, AND (4) COORDINATION WITH DOE AND THE OTHER NMECS.