Return to the Poseidon homepage. Marine creatures benefit the most from our work.Through partnerships, we all excell.The sea is full of solutions.
 Sitewide Navigation.
  SHMRC.
  "Sister Mary"

Small college facilities, perplexing problems, dangerous chemicals -- nothing would stop the nun from her award winning research.

India Today magazine.

 
India Today article.
 
On August 24, 1998, an Indian was named one of the "2,000 outstanding scientists of the 20th century" by the International Biographical Research Centre at Cambridge.

‘Our research is equal to the
West. There is no magic in the
world except the magic
of hard work.’

SISTER AVELIN MARY
Marine Biologist
  The college principal's findings will potentially save shipping companies millions of dollars and offer a magic solution to "fouling" -- the biological coating a ship acquires over years on the sea. Fouling adds to a ship's weight, reducing speed as well as fuel efficiency. For ages, mankind's only response was scrubbing. Then scientists discovered fouling mixes seemed to steer clear of coral beds and sponges in the sea, concluding that the chemical continuously oozing from the corals was a fouler fighter. Sister Avelin, with a PhD in marine biology, was fascinated with this discovery and went on to discover that several soft corals of the Indian Ocean contained fouler inhibitors. Of these, Juncella Juncea contained the most potent compounds. Its extract is now called Juncelin, a combination of Juncella and Avelin in honour of its' discoverer.

The discovery is yet to find commercial exploitation. Within Sister Avelin throbs a stout Indian heart: "My success shows that we are equal to the West". In the end, Sister Avelin may or may not conquer commerce. But she has already achieved something greater -- a reconciliation of spiritualism and science.

» Back to About Sister Avelin Mary
» Back to About SHMRC


Home | About Us | SHMRC | Aquaculture | Antifouling | Insect Control Technologies | Annual Fishes | Testing Services
Biomedical Sciences | Publications | Material Preservation | News & Events | Contact Us

© Copyright 2008, Poseidon Ocean Sciences, Inc.