Advisors Symposium which finished on Saturday has been heralded a great success.

The international advisory board is made up of 20 of the world's top scientists who advise BUEI staff on the content for exhibitions as well as education programmes.

The conference started on Wednesday with a lecture on giant squid by the curator of the Smithsonian Institute's Department of Invertebrate Zoology Dr.

Clyde Roper.

On Thursday a public symposium was held which Institute director Ralph Richardson described as the most successful ever, with more than 130 people in attendance.

Author and conservationist Peter Benchley was joined by Steve Blasco, a marine geologist for Geological Survey of Canada who was the chief scientist for the Titanic expedition and starred in the movie Titanic.

Sea Education Association (SEA) president Rafe Parker also attended.

SEA is based at Woods Hole in Massachusetts and carries out inter-disciplinary education programmes at sea on sailing ships.

Mr. Parker said the week had gone very well and the symposium provided board members with an opportunity to look at the major changes that have taken place at BUEI s a result of work over the last 18 months.

He encouraged Bermudians to keep raising money for the Bermuda Sloop Project which will bring the Island its own sail training vessel.

Also on hand were Steve Katona, the president of the College of the Atlantic in Maine and a world renowned whale specialist, and the New England Aquarium's associate director and marine conservation expert Greg Stone.

Dr. Stone and Dr. Katona who will soon depart to make a film and research a giant iceberg that has broken off the Antarctic Ice Shelf and is thought to be the largest in recorded history.

A special mention was made in recognition of the outstanding service to the Institute by Wendy Tucker who was director of the museum through its creation and the first period of upgrades.

She was named as the very first recipient of the Trieste award.

Symposium Scientists The Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute's international advisors have been conducting a symposium at the facility this week. Pictured from left are Bermudian treasure diver and deep sea researcher Teddy Tucker, Clyde Roper, Rafe Parker, Steve Blasco, Greg Stone, Peter Benchley, Wendy Tucker (receiving the Trieste award) and Steve Katona.