Furgason Fellowships to Bring Mexican, Cuban Scientists to HRI

The Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies (HRI) has received a $1.5 million endowment to support teaching and research fellowships for scientists from Mexico and Cuba.
           
The Furgason Fellowships, named in honor of retiring HRI Executive Director Robert Furgason, were made possible by the families of philanthropist Edward Harte and local attorney Jonathan Hornblower. The endowment will support teaching and research fellowships for guest scientists from Mexico and Cuba.

Currently, Drs. Jorge Brenner-Guillermo and Ivonne Cruz, post-doctoral students from Mexico, are working with HRI researchers on programs and issues of common interest to Mexico and the United States. Through the fellowship program, other scientists from Mexico and Cuba will be selected for Furgason Fellowships in the future.

The HRI was created in 2000 to encourage a tri-lateral approach to understanding and protecting the Gulf of Mexico’s ecosystem which are a vital component of all three nations’ economies. The HRI promotes excellence and innovation in interdisciplinary scientific research, public policy initiatives, and education of the public.

“This program is a way to foster cooperation, collegiality, and collaboration among the marine scientists in the nations around the Gulf of Mexico,” says Harte, whose $46 million endowment made the HRI possible. “None of the science institutes from the United States, Cuba and Mexico can make much difference operating independently, but together all three countries can address the critical problems related to the Gulf and together seek appropriate solutions.”

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