{"id":6480,"date":"2025-12-15T15:58:27","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T19:58:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/lmrcsc\/?page_id=6480"},"modified":"2026-06-29T15:00:22","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T19:00:22","slug":"jcrp","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/lmrcsc\/jcrp\/","title":{"rendered":"Joint Collaborative Research Project"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Joint Collaborative Research Project (JCRP) unites the research and training missions of two NOAA Cooperative Science Centers (CSCs), the Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems (CCME)<\/a> and the Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center (LMRCSC)<\/a>, through a shared scientific and educational initiative. It engages CSC undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty alongside NOAA subject matter experts to advance NOAA mission-aligned competencies. By leveraging the strengths of both Centers, the JCRP achieves objectives that neither could accomplish independently, enhancing institutional capacity for cutting-edge research and workforce development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project applies strategies from NOAA’s Science and Technology focus areas<\/a> to achieve the goal of understanding how marine variability and ecosystem stressors affect fisheries and the people and economies that depend on them. JCRP\u2019s research blends marine fish trophic ecology, early life history, population dynamics, and social science to understand ecosystem change. It also explores perceptions of the impacts of environmental variability. This integrated approach fosters innovation, strengthens stakeholder engagement, supports management of marine ecosystems, and strengthens the nation’s seafood competitiveness<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

CCME II & LMRCSC II <\/strong>JCRP<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Award Numbers: NA21SEC4810004 & NA21SEC4810005<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

NOAA Collaborators: <\/strong>Dr. Frank Hernandez<\/a>, NOAA Fisheries; Dr. Chris Kelble<\/a>, NOAA Fisheries; Dr. Evan Anderson, NOAA Fisheries; Dr. Eric Hoffmayer<\/a>, NOAA Fisheries; Dr. Beverly Barnett<\/a>, NOAA Fisheries (retired)<\/em>; Dr. Glenn Zapfe<\/a>, NOAA Fisheries; Dr. Emily Osbourne<\/a>, NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leadership:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Principal Investigators:<\/strong> Dr. Larry Robinson<\/a> (CCME II), Dr. Paulinus Chigbu<\/a> (LMRCSC II)
Center Directors:<\/strong> Dr. Richard Long<\/a> (CCME II), Dr. Paulinus Chigbu<\/a> (LMRCSC II)
Distinguished Research Scientists:<\/strong> Dr. Steven Morey<\/a> (CCME II), Dr. David Die<\/a> (LMRCSC II)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Collaborators:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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CCME II<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Carlos Cintra-Buenrostro\u00a0<\/a>(University of Texas Rio Grande Valley<\/em>)<\/em>
<\/a>Dr. Brent\u00a0Thoma<\/a>\u00a0(Jackson State University)<\/em>
Dr. Owen Temby<\/a> (University of Texas Rio Grande Valley)<\/em>
Dr. Anna Erwin (University of Texas Rio Grande Valley)<\/em>
Dr. Michael Martinez Colon<\/a> (Florida A&M University<\/em>)
Dr. Anthony Lima<\/a>, Postdoc<\/strong> \u00a0(University of Texas Rio Grande Valley)<\/em>
Dr.\u00a0Demarcus\u00a0Robinson, Postdoc<\/strong> (Florida A&M University<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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LMRCSC II<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Dr.\u00a0Dannise\u00a0Ruiz Ramos<\/a> (University of Maryland Eastern Shore)<\/em>
Dr.\u00a0<\/strong>Justine Whitaker<\/a> (University of Maryland Eastern Shore)<\/em>
Dr. Eric Schott<\/a> (University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science)<\/em>
Dr. Beth Babcock<\/a> (University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science)\u00a0<\/em>
Dr. Jessica Miller<\/a> (Oregon State University)<\/em>
Dr. Ali\u00a0Ishaque<\/a>\u00a0(University of Maryland Eastern Shore)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Students: <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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CCME II<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Reneisha Sweet (Jackson State University)<\/em>
Samantha Sanchez (University of Texas Rio Grande Valley)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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LMRCSC II<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Kayland Huckaby<\/a> (University of Maryland Eastern Shore)<\/em>
Sarah Rawlinson <\/a>(University of Maryland Eastern Shore)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Alignment with NOAA priorities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ecosystem Research<\/em> 
The project investigates how weather pattern shifts and environmental stressors\u2014such as temperature, oxygen, and pH\u2014impact marine ecosystems in the Gulf of America and Northwest Pacific. This work supports strategies for ecosystem health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seafood and Ecosystem Health<\/em> 
Using NOAA\u2019s archived samples and oceanographic data, researchers will analyze fish otoliths and larvae through genomics, eDNA, microchemistry, and isotope analyses to track long-term changes in growth and diets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

NOAA Initiative & Social Science<\/em>
The plan advances NOAA’s Changing Ecosystems and Fisheries Initiative<\/a> and integrates social science by studying impacts on coastal areas reliant on marine resources, incorporating their perspectives into management. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Training and Collaboration<\/em> 
It offers hands-on training for students and early-career scientists in advanced lab techniques, stakeholder engagement, and communication, while fostering collaboration among institutions, NOAA experts, and affected parties. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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JCRP Highlights<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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