Oceanographic Institute of the University of São Paulo
Encyclopedia
University of São Paulo
Universidade de São Paulo is a public university in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. It is the largest Brazilian university and one of the country's most prestigious...
(USP), also known as IO-USP, due to its name in Portuguese, was founded in 1946. It was originally an independent institute, sponsored by the government, but was later incorporated into the university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
, in 1951. It was originally founded because its creators needed scientific basis to fishery
Fishery
Generally, a fishery is an entity engaged in raising or harvesting fish which is determined by some authority to be a fishery. According to the FAO, a fishery is typically defined in terms of the "people involved, species or type of fish, area of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of boats,...
and exploitation of all the available marine
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
resources
Natural resource
Natural resources occur naturally within environments that exist relatively undisturbed by mankind, in a natural form. A natural resource is often characterized by amounts of biodiversity and geodiversity existent in various ecosystems....
along the Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian coast
Coast
A coastline or seashore is the area where land meets the sea or ocean. A precise line that can be called a coastline cannot be determined due to the dynamic nature of tides. The term "coastal zone" can be used instead, which is a spatial zone where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs...
, especially in the state of São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
.
IO-USP was transformed into a University Unit in 1972, and started to offer post-graduate Masters courses in biological and physical oceanography
Physical oceanography
Physical oceanography is the study of physical conditions and physical processes within the ocean, especially the motions and physical properties of ocean waters.Physical oceanography is one of several sub-domains into which oceanography is divided...
in 1973. It offers an undergraduate course as well, and performs many different researches. Nowadays, the Institute has two departments - Biological Oceanography and Physical, Chemical and Geological Oceanography. The institute has 34 teachers and around 150 general non-teaching workers.
Its current director is Michel Michaelovitch de Mahiques.
Research Vessels
Research Bases
The Institute has two research bases - Dr. João de Paiva Carvalho base, in the estuarine city of CananéiaCananéia
Cananéia is the southernmost city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, near to where the Tordesilhas Line passed. The population in 2008 was 12,377 and the area is 1,242.010 km². The elevation is 8 m. The city of Cananéia is host to the Dr. João de Paiva Carvalho research base belonging to the...
, and the Clarimundo de Jesus base, in the coastal city of Ubatuba. Both are equipped with advanced laboratories and sufficient research vessels, with the fundamental support of the main vessel, the W. Besnard Oceanographip Ship.
External links
- http://io.usp.br (in Portuguese)
- http://www.io.usp.br/english/index_en.html (in English)