234 SEA GRANT COLLEGES 



We have long needed a legislative foundation to focus our attention 

 on and to give support for a program of education in the marine 

 sciences and teclmology for these academic institutions "who are pre- 

 pared to assume this vital task. Such a program is as important to 

 our national defense as it is to our requirements for the material use 

 of the ocean resources for ourown economy. 



I am wholeheartedly in favor of the stated purposes of Senator 

 Pell's bill entitled "National Sea Grant Colleges and Program Act of 

 1965."' I support the proposed program for education, training, and 

 research in the marine sciences, the advisory services described in the 

 bill, and the method of funding through the National Science 

 Foundation. 



Thank you, sir. 



Senator Pell. Thank you very much. Dr. Wakelin. 



I appreciate very much your statement of support, particularly from 

 a man with as much experience and as knowledgeable as you are in 

 this field. 



There are a couple of questions I was interested in your views on. 

 One is the agency that you think might best administer this program. 



The ideas advanced include the National Science Foundation, the 

 Smithsonian Institution, the Department of the Interior, and I was 

 wondering if you had any views on this. 



Mr. Wakelin. I think, Mr. Chairman, this comes closer to the 

 stated purposes of the Foundation than to any other departmental or 

 agency of the Government right now. 



Senator Pell. Do you think it might get lost there with the emphasis 

 on pure science, research, and once in tlie maw of the National Science 

 Foundation, it might lose its personality, or do you feel we could pre- 

 serve the personality of this program ? 



Mr. Wakelin. I think this depends upon the leadership in the 

 Foundation for this particular program. I think there is a danger 

 that it might get lost in such a large eifort as that of the Foundation. 



Senator Pell. Excuse me. Can you hear in the back of the room? 



Thank you. 



Mr. Wakelin. We have had some training programs also through 

 the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare under which this 

 might possibly come. In my own feeling, I think that if we recast 

 some of the purposes of the Foundation toward the support of train- 

 ing and scientific endeavors in the ocean science area, this program 

 would go very well in the Foundation. 



I can think of a few governmental agencies at present that would be 

 proper homes for this kind of support, Mr. Chairman. Certainly the 

 Smithsonian is one. Health, Education, and Welfare is another. The 

 Foundation is another. And also various Departments such as Com- 

 merce and Interior. I think the Fomidation right now is the best 

 avenue that I can think of. 



Senator Pell. As with all progi"ams and all things in life, I gather 

 what you are saying is that it can be no better than the man chosen 

 to run it ? , 



Mr. Wakelin. That is correct, sir. 



Senator Pell. And I w^onder if one way, though, of keeping its 

 personality might be to create a little public board to report to the 

 Congress every year or every 2 years. 



