As the Ocearch vessel made its way up the St. Johns River Wednesday afternoon, it was heading home.
Its new home at Jacksonville University.
The world-renowned shark research nonprofit and the university announced this morning the launch of a partnership that JU President Tim Cost calls “one of the most substantial things we’ve ever done as a university.”
The Ocearch at Jacksonville University venture is part of Cost’s strategy to pursue signature programs, such as marine sciences, that will attract students from around the world.
The union pairs Ocearch founder Chris Fischer, whom Cost described as the “modern Jacques Cousteau,” with JU’s Quinton White, a leading expert on water issues in Northeast Florida.
Fischer joined the JU faculty Jan. 1 as explorer in residence. Though he won’t teach classes, he is available for lectures.
Cost said he expects Fischer to continue to carry a heavy schedule of public appearances.
“What he does that attracts attention to the sciences for young people is really stellar,” Cost said. “He is a charismatic style leader.”
Cost said the multiyear agreement required a six-figure investment from the university. (He would not say how many years and the amount of the investment is not public record for the private institution.)
“I consider it a moderate investment for the magnitude of the return,” he said.
The investment and the benefits go beyond the Marine Science Research Institute, of which White is executive director.
It allows JU “to go to students and their families around the world and talk in a different way,” Cost said.
Fischer's online presence, particularly social media, makes him especially popular with the younger generation — some who may be ready to make a college choice and others who are years away from that.
Either way, the partnership will introduce countless potential students to JU in a way the university has never before been able to recruit .
Not only will the program attract students interested in marine sciences, it’s something those from other disciplines can participate in.
White said students in engineering, aviation, film, business and math are examples of who could be involved in the program.
For example, he said he’s talked to the math department about having someone do ocean modeling.
In addition, two doctoral students in the business college built a pro forma cash flow and profit-and-loss statement examining the opportunity as JU was negotiating with Ocearch.
The partnership also will allow the university to publish more worldwide research work, a boon in academic circles.
It will require more faculty at the research institute (there’s already a job posting for a shark biologist), as well as additional resources in admissions, the chief financial officer’s department and communications.
Many of the needed additions and changes in processes have been made over the past six months as JU approached today’s announcement.
Cost said Fischer has built a massive audience through aggressive technology messaging, getting hundreds of millions of hits on his website. One year, he said, it was a billion.
The relationship between Fischer and JU dates back four years ago, when Ocearch did an expedition in Jacksonville.
“They had an amazing time,” White said.
They tagged Lydia the great white shark, worked with some of the local schools and met with faculty of the institute.
White said when Fischer began thinking about putting Ocearch where its work could continue even without him, he talked to people around the country.
“And things kept pointing back to Jacksonville,” White said.
Talks began more than two years ago, Cost said, with the normal ebb-and-flow pace of negotiations.
“All deals have a life to them. They have a cadence and a rhythm,” he said.
At times the talks cooled off, but they never stalled.
He described Fischer as a “fair and straight shooter” throughout the process as both sides worked toward what they needed.
“That’s the part where you’re working with fairly soft clay, and you’re going to keep working it until … it’s just right,” Cost said.
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