University & Academic Research on the GPGP

Active University Research Programs

Scripps Institution of Oceanography (UC San Diego)

• SEAPLEX Expedition (2009): Graduate student-led. 1,700 miles through the patch, 100 consecutive samples — all contained plastic. Found plastic in stomachs of 9% of fish collected.
• Research vessel New Horizon used for field surveys
• Ongoing plastic distribution surveys, floating plastic investigations, sea life impact assessments
• Contact potential: HIGH — leading oceanographic institution, proven GPGP research history
• https://scripps.ucsd.edu/news/journey-pacific-ocean-garbage-patch

Hawaii Pacific University — Center for Marine Debris Research (CMDR)

• State's first marine debris Plastic Recycling Research Facility (PRRF)
• Pioneering conversion of ocean plastic waste into long-life infrastructure products
• Since June 2024: processed 227,000+ pounds of marine debris at Kalihi warehouse facility
• State-of-the-art lab for plastic debris separation and identification
• International fellows studying marine plastic debris
• Contact potential: VERY HIGH — actively processing ocean plastic, exactly aligned with The Claw's mission
• https://www.hpu.edu/cncs/cmdr/

University of Hawaii at Manoa (SOEST)

• School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology
• Co-authored PLOS Biology study: GPGP as gathering place for floating sea creatures
• Nature Communications: coastal species growing on trash hundreds of miles at sea
• Predicted plastic garbage patch in Atlantic Ocean (parallel gyre system)
• Collaborated with Sea Education Association + Woods Hole
• Contact potential: HIGH — local to the Pacific, strong ocean science program
• https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2023/05/04/pacific-garbage-patch/

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)

• First discovered accumulating plastic debris in 1972 (Sargasso Sea, North Atlantic)
• Participated in 2012 Algalita/5 Gyres Asia Pacific Expedition
• Collaborated with UH Manoa on North Atlantic plastic study (Science Express)
• One of the world's premier ocean research institutions
• Contact potential: HIGH — historical authority on ocean plastic, multidisciplinary
• https://www.whoi.edu/

University of Michigan

• Developed method to map microplastic concentration globally using satellite data
• Uses NASA CYGNSS (Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System) — 8 microsatellites
• Data published at NASA PO.DAAC
• Contact potential: MEDIUM — remote sensing expertise, less hands-on ocean work
• (via NASA Earthdata)

Stanford University

• Collaborative role on Ocean Cleanup scientific publications
• California Marine Sanctuary Foundation partnership
• Contact potential: MEDIUM — engineering + environmental science intersection

Georgetown University

• Published analysis: "The Mega Impact of Microplastics" (2024)
• Common Home initiative — environmental policy focus
• Contact potential: MEDIUM — policy/advocacy angle more than engineering
• https://commonhome.georgetown.edu/issues/spring-2024/the-mega-impact-of-microplastics-the-reality-of-the-great-pacific-garbage-patch/

Yale University

• Yale Environment Review published GPGP overview
• Environmental studies program with policy focus
• Contact potential: MEDIUM — research + policy
• https://environment-review.yale.edu/garbage-island-great-pacific-garbage-patch

University of Hawaii at Hilo

• Student paper: "Synthetic Seas: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch" (Hohonu journal)
• Microplastics research: testing beach cleanup machine effectiveness
• Contact potential: LOW — smaller program, student-level research
• https://hilo.hawaii.edu/campuscenter/hohonu/volumes/documents/SyntheticSeasTheGreatPacificGarbagePatch.pdf

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

• Environmental Studies thesis: "Treatment of Plastic Wastes Using Plasma Gasification Technology"
• Full thesis available as PDF — directly relevant to processing technology
• Contact potential: MEDIUM — has done the exact processing research we need
• https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1222&context=envstudtheses

Utah State University

• Small Satellite Conference paper: "Observing and Tracking the Great Pacific Garbage Patch"
• Satellite/remote sensing approach
• Contact potential: LOW-MEDIUM — niche satellite tracking angle

CSIR — Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (Durgapur, India)

• Built and tested 20 kg/hr plasma arc pyrolyser for plastic waste
• Working prototype with performance data
• Contact potential: MEDIUM — international, but has operational plasma gasification hardware

Key Academic Papers (Peer-Reviewed)

Research Institutions — Non-University

NOT YET RESEARCHED (Priority)

• [ ] TU Delft (Netherlands) — Boyan Slat studied there, The Ocean Cleanup originated there
• [ ] JAMSTEC (Japan) — Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
• [ ] Tokyo University — ocean engineering programs
• [ ] European maritime engineering programs (Norwegian, Danish, Dutch)
• [ ] Specific thesis/dissertation searches on ocean waste processing