Thank you for your interest in joining the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education (CORE). CORE provides a central and dynamic voice in Washington DC to promote oceanographic research and educational issues. Current CORE membership reflects the variety of organizations sharing this common goal. Members range from academic oceanographic institutions, university consortia, and non-profit research institutes to federal research laboratories, private aquaria, and ocean industry. All of these organizations share the common goal of enhancing the visibility and effectiveness of ocean research and education, and in CORE, they have a strong, coordinated voice for promoting oceanographic issues to the federal government and to the public.

Membership Levels

Governing Membership is open to U.S. non-profit and educational institutions with a demonstrated major commitment to oceanographic research or education. Consortia may be formed by mutual agreement of several institutions and receive the same benefits as full Governing Members.

Benefits include:
• Participation on the Board of Governors and Committees of the Board
• Voting privileges at Board of Governors Meetings
• Involvement in regular one-on-one discussions with Federal agency leaders in Washington, DC
• Participation in meetings with policymakers whose roles and influences are vital to the sustainability and growth of the oceanographic community
• Input in development of position papers on a range of issues affecting the oceanographic community including infrastructure, fleet plans and educational initiatives, which are used extensively in CORE public speeches and discussions with Federal agencies and the Congress

Associate Membership is open to those organizations that do not meet the qualifications for Governing membership (based on applicable research funding levels or graduate student body dimensions) but have a demonstrated interest in ocean research. Examples of organizations eligible for Associate membership include government laboratories, professional societies, educational outreach institutions.

Affiliate Membership is open to private for-profit corporations as well as non-profit companies that support ocean and coastal research and education activities, as well as those organizations that work in partnership with existing CORE members.

Membership Fees and Dues

Associate Membership dues is $1,500 per year, with an initiation fee of $1,500. Governing Membership and Consortia dues are $11,500 per year with a $5,000 initiation fee (for Consortia of six or more members, each member will pay $2,000 for annual dues). Affiliate Membership dues are based on the size of the corporation (initiation fees are equal to the first year’s dues). The annual dues are prorated quarterly for new Members, based on a 1 October fiscal year.

How to Apply for Membership

Membership application requires an official institutional letter of request directed to CORE, indicating the desire to join, the level of membership requested, and the designated point of contact for the institution. Requests for membership are presented to the CORE Board of Governors for official approval. This process usually takes two to three weeks.